Rivers Monarch Gets Staff Of Office As Community Celebrates

Umuokobo clan in Ndoki in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State was agog on Tuesday when the traditional ruler of the clan got elevated to a second class and was given staff of office by the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
The people rolled out their drums to celebrate the milestone as Eze Nwankwo Nwankwo ,Ezeala Umuokobo Ndoki IX received his traditional staff of office from the Rivers State Government.
Governor, Wike on that day recognised and handed over staff of office to 33 Rivers State traditional rulers.
The people of Okobo clan comprise Umuagbai, Azuogu, Ngbuo- Azuogu, Obete, Marihu and Okpontu.
The fanfare started in Government House, Port Harcourt from where they accompanied Eze Nwankwo who received staff of office with drumming and dancing and proceeded to his palace at Umuokobo community in the local government.
The various roads linking the palace were blocked by the jubilant crowd of subjects and a local canon shot was fired on his arrival.
With the canon shot which heralded the historic welcome of the King, a fresh ceremony began in the palace as chiefs and traditional rulers took turns to pay obeisance.
On arrival, Eze Nwankwo and his jubilant crowd proceeded to the Methodist Church Nigeria, Umuagbai Ndoki to thank God .
In his brief sermon, the resident Minister, Rev. Okere Innocent urged Eze Nwankwo to serve God and do what is right at all times.
In his reaction, Eze Nwankwo thanked God for using the governor to actualise the dreams of his people.
Eze Nwankwo said “Today, we remain grateful to God for using Governor Wike to address justice, equity and fairness
“This stool in question has been since 1961 we had independence. It got docile after the Civil War and when Eastern States were created, it was not revalidated including when Imo State unlike other sister clans of Ndoki that had the privilege of classification by the then Eastern Nigeria under the leadership of Late Dr. Akanu Ibiam as Governor and Mbanefo as the Attorney General ,” Eze Nwankwo recalled.
In Rivers State, he lamented that it was not also revalidated until God used Governor Wike to rewrite the past.
He said, “Governor Wike in his wisdom knew it is an old ancestral stool that was created a year after the independence of Nigeria and he has deemed it worthwhile to now give it an official recognition.
He thanked God for giving the clan a sense of belonging in Rivers State and Nigeria in general.