Obolo Lawyers Forum, an association of legal practitioners of Obolo extraction has frown at the inadequate representation of Obolo indigenes in the Rivers State legal structure.
Newly elected Chairman of the forum, Wilson Oke, who raised the concern shortly after his election in Port Harcourt, said with over 170 lawyers of Obolo extraction practicing in the state, Obolo lawyers are yet to gain sufficient recognition within the State legal structure.
He said out of approximately 50 judges in Rivers State, only one is from the Obolo extraction, while the nation currently has no magistrate in the State.
Oke pledged to work with relevant stakeholders to address the situation by ensuring that Obolo lawyers receive better representation and opportunities within the State’s legal system.
He also identified infrastructural gap as a major developmental challenge facing the Obolo nation, adding that the Obolo Nation remains backward in terms of infrastructural development.
The new chairman assured that he would utilise his three-year tenure to collaborate with politicians and other critical stakeholders to attract development to the area.
“We have discussed and we have agreed there is need for us to work in synergy to ensure that Obolo is developed”, he stated.
Oke, a legal practitioner from Ngo Town, headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers state, was elected alongside nine other executive members, and will serve for three years.
The Obolo Lawyers Forum cuts across Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Abia States.
The new Chairman, who pledged to promote unity, peace, legal representations and infrastructural development across the Obolo Nation, described his election as a call to service rather than a personal achievement, and promised to work with senior lawyers, colleagues and relevant stakeholders to advance the interests of the Obolo Nation.
“I’m quite glad because it is a call for service. I know that there is nothing personal there. The essence of it is a higher call for service to the Obolo Nation”, he said.
On his message to politicians and electorates ahead of the 2027 general elections, Oke emphasised the importance of maintaining peace, describing it as a necessary foundation for meaningful development.

“Peace is priceless”, he declared, urging political stakeholders, aspirants and electorates to shun violence and ensure peaceful conduct throughout the campaign and election periods.
He further called on all stakeholders to contribute towards sustaining the existing peace in Andoni and the wider Obolo Nation, stressing that development cannot be achieved in an atmosphere of violence and instability.
He reaffirmed his commitment to protecting the interests of the people, the Rule of Law, and ensuring that the Obolo Nation receives its fair share in the affairs of Rivers State.

By: John Bibor & Okezie Nnenna

The Eze Oha Apara IV of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike AmadiWorlu-Wodo, has called on the Federal Government to assign more constitutional responsibilities to traditional rulers to enable them contribute more effectively to governance and grassroots development.
Eze Wodo, who made the call as Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers (RSCTR), during the combined quarterly general meeting of the council held in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, said traditional rulers remained closer to the people than other arms of government, stressing that their involvement was essential to achieving sustainable development at the grassroots.
“We are closer to the people than any other arm of government. No development can be sustained without us”, he said.
The royal father also appealed to the government to improve the welfare of traditional rulers by providing a better working environment and reviewing their stipends in line with prevailing economic realities.
While commending the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, for promoting peace and good governance in Rivers State, Eze Wodo urged the Governor to fulfil his promises to council members, particularly in mobility and logistics.
Declaring the meeting open, Fubara charged traditional rulers across the state to take the lead in promoting peace and unity as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
The Governor cautioned royal fathers against allowing political differences to create divisions or threaten the peace in their respective communities.
He stressed that their conduct during the political season would be crucial to maintaining stability across the state.
“As we are entering into this political season, actively ensure that your conduct maintains peace in your place. Your action should not be what will lead to the division and multiple crises that we cannot manage as a government”, he said.
Fubara further urged traditional rulers to uphold justice and fairness in their domains, noting that these values were essential to peaceful communities and sustainable development.
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to he people.

the traditional institution, the governor described royal fathers as custodians of the state’s cultural heritage and community leaders who maintained close relationships with the people.
He expressed appreciation for their prayers and contributions to peace and development, assuring them that his administration would continue to respect the institution and give due attention to their welfare.
Addressing concerns over statutory benefits due to traditional rulers from local government councils, Fubara explained that such matters were guided by established procedures.
He, however, assured the royal fathers that he would address issues within his authority and communicate further decisions through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs.

By: Kevin Nengia

Suspected gunmen, allegedly posing as security operatives, have invaded the residence of Mr Lawrence Chukwu, son of the late Paramount Ruler of Ogbakiri, Chief Jackson Ekenta Chukwu, in Port Harcourt, in what relatives describe as another disturbing episode in decades-long succession dispute.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of October 10, 2026, when four men travelling in a Toyota Hilux allegedly arrived at the premises and demanded to see Lawrence Chukwu.
According to accounts provided by eyewitnesses and a relative of the family, the armed men stormed the compound in search of the late traditional ruler’s son, whose family ties to the Ogbakiri traditional stool were said to have placed him at the centre of a protracted struggle over succession.
The gunmen reportedly left the premises after firing shots into the air, creating panic and raising fresh concerns about the safety of the occupants and the whereabouts of the man they had come to see.

Sources close to the family said the armed men allegedly threatened to continue searching for Lawrence, a development they described as particularly alarming against the backdrop of previous incidents involving the family.
The invasion has renewed concerns over the lingering traditional leadership dispute in Ogbakiri, where competing claims to the community’s paramount stool have reportedly generated tension and prolonged hostility among rival interests.
Chief Jackson Ekenta Chukwu, the late Paramount Ruler of Ogbakiri, was gruesomely murdered, according to the account provided by sources familiar with the family’s history.
His death was linked by the sources to the controversy surrounding traditional leadership and competing succession claims in the community.
The sources further alleged that Lawrence Chukwu had faced repeated assassination attempts over the years because of his perceived position in the line of succession to the traditional stool.
They claimed that the struggle had persisted for more than two decades, alleging that influential individuals opposed to the family’s succession claims had continued to target the late monarch’s son.
Although the allegations could not be independently established at the time of filing this report, the latest incident has raised questions about the effectiveness of measures to protect individuals reportedly caught in protracted traditional leadership disputes.
When contacted for clarification, the police declined to comment on the incident. No official account of the reported invasion, the identity of the armed men or any investigation into the allegations was available at the time of filing this report.
The family and other concerned persons are expected to seek clarification from the relevant security authorities over the identity and mission of the men involved, while calling for an impartial investigation into the incident and adequate protection for Lawrence Chukwu.