Rivers chieftaincy Edict over due for review – Eze Odum
Fyneface Aaron • Saturday, Oct 4, 2008

Rivers State Chieftaincy Edict was promulgated in 1978 to give legal teeth and recognition to all the stools in the major ethnic groups and clans of the state. But it is about 30 years now; the edict is still in force. So many clans and sub-clans that were omitted in that exercise are still crying for recognition.

One of such clans is the Ugbobi, a sub-clan in Ekpeye Ethnic Nationality. Situated along the Orashi basin, with two major multi-national oil companies Agrip and Shell, operating in the area. Ugbobi has 11 towns and villages with its headquarters at Idu-Ekpeye.

Recently, The Weekend Tide Senor Correspondent, Fyneface Aaron, met the traditional head of Ugbobi, Eze Innocent James Odum, and his thought on the issue.

Eze Odum was very frank in expressing his opinion. Hear him: “The society is dynamic so is the chieftaincy institution. Even in civil service, people are promoted. Why should the traditional institution be static in Rivers State unlike other states”.

The traditional ruler expressed the belief that if more chieftaincy stools are giving official recognition, it would go a long way to solve the youth restiveness in the state. “some clans are so large that it required the creation of subordinate ones to checkmate the activities of some criminal elements hat live in remote areas”.

Giving an insight on how he came to occupy the stool, Eze Odum, a title chief, said he was selected by his people among others who also vied for the position, and later crowned at Idu-Ekpeye, the traditional headquarters of the clan.

As a Christian of the Baptist denomination the traditional ruler said the coronation was witnessed by ministers of God, and Elders from all the communities that make up the clan.

Like an average African traditional ruler, Eze Odum is married with four wives and has over 20 children. Asked how he manages his large family, the Eze Ugbobi said; “I am an agriculturist. I have over 20 hectares of land where I plant cassava, palm trees, bannana, plantain, pineapples etc.”. “With this you don’t expect my family to be hungry”.

“Very early in life, I have learned that hard work pays, I work very hard to feed my family and other dependants.”

But Eze Odum is disturbed by the fact that most of the projects started by the defunct oil Mineral Producing Area development Commission (Ompadec), which is supposed to be inherited by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have been abandoned. These projects include a ring road, water, electricity, health and primary school, which are scattered in all the towns and villages of the clan.

Being one of the oil and gas producing clans in the state, the traditional ruler said although the authorities at both the state and federal are yet to appreciate his peoples peaceful disposition towards the oil firms, the companies themselves are doing the little they can to assist in the development of the communities.

“I cannot totally say, they are not doing anything, at least they are trying, only that we would like them to do more.”

The 63 year-old monarch, would however, want the role of traditional ruler properly defined and if possible entrenched in the constitution.

“Traditional rulers should serve as advisers to government at all level, and for the advise to be effective, they should have a place in the nation’s statutory book”, he contended.

He, was, quick to add that, that does not mean, they should play partisan politics, “because playing partisan politics would demean their stool. Kings and Natural rulers are next to God, therefore they should steer clear of partisan politics”.

Eze Odum was of the opinion that most communal crisis in the state are caused by selfish rulers who do not want to give smaller clans their due, they tried to suppress their feelings and refused to accord them due recognitions.

Therefore, to him, government should step in, and reverse the old order by separating the smaller kingdoms from the domineering large ones.

Asked for his comment on the newly constituted technical committee for Niger Delta, Eze Odum said it was a welcome development, provided the people would do a nice job.

He said, it would be wrong for them to stay in Abuja and write a report without first visiting the area. “I am advising them to visit the communities, feel their suffering, assess the development on ground before making their recommendations”.

On his advise to the youths, Eze Odum said he was in pains noticing that contractors have abandoned development projects such as road being executed in the state because of the activities of criminals hiding under the auspices of Niger Delta struggle.

“What are we fighting for if we stop development projects, kidnap expatriate workers? This thing must stop. Government should not compromise the security of the state. Those found culpable must be punished.”

Eze Odum advised youths to avail themselves of different opportunities available and stop engaging in negative acts. He also called on his colleagues to be more pro-active in policing their areas by reporting promptly to the relevant authority the unholy acts of their subjects. Warning that any traditional ruler who supports bad behaviour of his subjects was digging his grave, and therefore should be ready to bear the consequences.

Eze Odum, a retired health workers, and former educationist, commended the state government for the attention being giving to both health and education sector, and appealed to the people of Ugbobi and the state in general to give Chibuike Amaechi-led administration the necessary support to enable him bring out his best in ruling the state.