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Chuck Nduka-Eze, the Isama Ajie of Asaba kingdom, in this interview, tells MATTHEW OCHEI how Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, the former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, stood out as the new Asagba of Asaba among the 10 contenders
A new Asagba of Asaba has emerged, how do you and the people of Asaba feel?
We feel excited that after the illustrious tenure of our last sovereign, the late Obi Prof Chike Edozien, CFR, Asaba is blessed with another distinguished occupier of that revered stool. Obi Prof Epiphany Azinge’s emergence has been well received within the Asaba community and the entire country. He has served well in various other exalted positions.
What are the expectations of Asaba people from their new king?
We expect that our new Asagba will take Asaba to greater heights, consistent with his usual high performance in various positions he has held – not the least when he blazed the trail as the Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. We feel confident that the right choice has been made, and Asaba is ready to take her place in line with her historic role as the first administrative headquarters of this space we call Nigeria, starting in the 1890s during colonial rule.
Is the new monarch generally accepted by the people of Asaba?
The new Asagba enjoys wide and enthusiastic support from over 95 per cent of the citizens of Asaba. As you know, on any level, that is a very high acceptance quotient for one of the most civilised communities in the country.
What are the processes leading to the emergence of a new king in Asaba?
Asaba has come a long way and benefited much from improvements brought into play by the previous Asagba, who did much to drag us into the new century and finesse our practices to meet our present status as a cosmopolitan capital city for the whole of the Delta region. A king of Asaba is therefore not just for Asaba indigenes and its environs – he is for all residents of this space and he needs to govern efficiently and fairly for all. Following the sad passing of the previous sovereign, Ochendo Ogbueshi Anthony Edozien, a regent was appointed to hold forth and see through the selection of a new Asagba. In our system, the Asagba Stool rotates within the five quarters of Asaba, referred to Ebos. The Ebo it fell to was Ugbomanta. After the final burial rites of the late Asagba were fully observed, the process started with the Ochendo issuing guidelines to the Diopka of Ugbomanta quarter to proceed within Ugbomamta to select a candidate or candidates for submission for approval by the Asagba-in-Council and the entire Otu Ihaza age grade of Asaba. This was done, and 10 candidates were selected from the quarter, out of which the present Asagba was selected in a transparent democratic process on August 18 in the palace.
You said there were about 10 contenders for the Asagba kingship, what criteria stood out Prof Azinge from the others?
Obi Prof Azinge has been an astute lawyer and a well-accomplished public figure in the country. He enjoyed very close relations to the previous Asagba and was appointed the official thinker for the town when he was bestowed with the title of Okilolo (thinker) Ahaba. He therefore comes to his new role as an insider with much governance experience. He will put his best foot forward for Asaba. He, also for several years, was the President of the Asaba Development Union, demonstrating his keenness for and dedication to all things Asaba
It’s not news that there are issues in Asaba like other communities. Do you think the new Asagba of Asaba possesses the capacity to adjudicate on these issues?
The new Asagba has more than what it takes to pilot the affairs of Asaba and to meet the ever-present challenges thrown up from time to time. He is a revered Professor of Law and a legal practitioner of repute – as you know, he has been a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for several years. Incredibly he comes into the role with much internal support from yet another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, his wife, Mrs Valerie Azinge, SAN, the Odoziaku Ahaba, and now by their elevation to the Asagba stool, the Agu Nwanyi.
As one of the prominent chiefs in Asaba, what are the rites performed by the Asagba of Asaba before his enthronement?
Though we now live in the social media age where the mysticism and awe that affects certain traditional sacred proceedings is now the subject of open comments and sometimes derision, we know that the relevant traditional rites have been satisfactorily performed, consistent with the times we now live in.
Was due process followed in the selection of the new monarch?
Due process is always a very interesting subject in the hands of parties to a contest. When deployed to the dissatisfaction of a loser, much dust is thrown. I have no hesitation in informing you that the Asagba-in-Council, which is the highest governing body of Asaba, is pleased with the process. The Otu-Ihaza, which is the law-making authority of Asaba, is pleased with the process that was used. The Obis, (red cap chiefs), who are the highest traditional title holders in Asaba, are pleased with the process that produced the new Asagba and the entire Otu-Ihaza age group as a body endorsed him fully. Speaking for my own Ebo, which is Umuaji, he scored 100 per cent from all my people who participated in the selection at the palace on August 18. This is a rather rare support base in our annals.
The new Asagba enjoys wide support from over 95 per cent of the citizens of Asaba. What happens to the remaining five per cent, are they aggrieved?
On the whole, it’s not surprising that a democratic process used in 2024 to produce an Asagba of Asaba kingdom resulted in the odd complaint. I was being modest when I said the process used to enjoy the support of 95 per cent of the community. The support base of those who attended the selection at the palace was more like 99 per cent, inclusive of the support of all Asaba traditional institutions. Who could ask for more?
Is it true that some aggrieved persons are challenging the process in court?
I understand that a contestant went to court and two gentlemen took out newspaper publications to state their reservations. We have traditional institutional remedial platforms that could have been used as appropriate forums to ventilate concerns. Having said that, all the constructive reservations highlighted by a few of our brothers would be fully taken on board. We must continue to learn and improve on our processes. Such challenges, though, aggressively projected on this occasion improve our proceedings and invite us to look to better and higher ways of administering the Asaba kingdom.
The Asagba cannot pilot the affairs of the city alone. As one of the chiefs in Asaba, what cooperation will you give the new king to achieve the mandate given to him?
The Asagba has already shown himself to be somebody who appreciates the collegiate nature of the Asaba governance structure. I served with him very closely to see the tenure of the previous Asagba through with considerable success. Indeed, just earlier this year, I had the distinct honour of co-chairing the late Asagba’s much-awaited Centenary Anniversary celebration that was to take place last July but sadly he left us in February. Our new Asagba will enjoy my full support and that of other chiefs in the cabinet. We have much to bring to his table in refocusing the priorities of Asaba and we will, in due course, fairly attend to all outstanding constructive observations from our fellow travellers. Asaba is for all of us, whether it is complaint or non-complaint voices – it takes all to build a place.
What is your message to the new Asagba of Asaba and the entire Asaba people?
My message to the entire Asaba community is that a new dawn has unfolded. We should meet it with open arms and be ready to play our part. Throwing stones from the comfort of unaligned fences is not a way to build a town and governance has its difficulties and challenges. We should approach it with understanding and some compassion for the person bearing the burden. We have a job to do for the time we are privileged to have life – and to that task, I humbly rededicate my energies and call on others to do the same. We pray for our new sovereign and wish him well in the very demanding and welcome burden he has been called upon to discharge. He deserves our support and will no doubt discharge this burden creditably if we also play our part.
