Odita Sunday 
Yesterday, Asaba, the historic and ancient city by the majestic River Niger celebrated her new yam festival, the Ezeugbo festival. The significance is that the harvest priest himself, the Ezeugbo, greeted Ayuwe, after tasting the new yam ,informs HRM , Ndi Eze and indeed the Asaba kingdom that yam is good and ready to savour , therefore that the year’s harvest is bountiful and ready for all to feast on.
So today, the King, HRM Asagba Prof. Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN OON LLD(HC) FNIALS FICMC KSJI KSG, the 14th Asagba of Asaba will eat the new yam in what is known as Iwaji Asagba. Nna Agu haven received the Ezeugbo’s message that harvest is good and that the new yam is edible, will now be the first to eat it amidst pomp and pageantry. This signifies leadership, as he tastes the yam immediately after the Ezeugbo ,in giving his people the firm believe that indeed, harvest is good. In this trust, the red cap chiefs, Ndi Eze follows suit the next day, and it goes on and on according to tradtional hierarchy.
Asagba Azinge in less than two years has brought transformational changes to Asaba, to the extent that people ask if he is just a traditional ruler. But in far away Eko Hotels and Suits Lagos, where he hosted Nigeria’s Captains of Industries and the economic class, in a bid to woe investors down to Asaba, the fastest growing capital city in Nigeria, Nna Agu made it clear that he has transited from traditional rulership to tradtional governance, to the chagrin of some of Nigeria’s finest enterprenuers sitted. Many did not hide their admiration cum envy that God provided Asaba with such a leader…a philosopher king just like Marcus Aurelius, Plato’s ideal philosopher king.
From the local economy to healthcare, from education to security, from dispute resolution to cultural exchange, from strengthening traditional institutions to scholarships, from reward for excellence to attraction of government attention, HRM, Asagba Azinge the son of Rowland Ugboma Azinge, in less than two years has shown that promise can be kept by the righteous and that tradtional leadership transcends sitting on a beautiful wood work called the throne and give orders. Nna Agu has shown that the modern traditional stool must move towards the positives and bring them back home to the people. The mountains could not move to Mohammed, so he moved to the mountsins.
Ahaba Ibokwe, Ahaba Ujom, Ahaba Kainebisi na Eze Ugboma has never had it so good. Have you gone to the new Asagba permanent palace site?, have you gone to Obiaje land to see our model school?, have you seen our Ambulance?, have you gone to FMC and ASH to see their Asaba-sponsored Dialysis Machines?, have you seen our electric vehicles for commuters?, do you know medical corp members now mount our health centres?, do you know some of our graduates are gradually getting employed through the palace?, do you know the committee to input Asaba needs into State Budget as capital just submitted their report?, do you know an Asaba professional football club in on the offing?, do you know that the Asaba Welfare and Endowment Fund Committee donates chairs and books to schools?, do you know that Asaba Security Trust Fund equips our community vigilantes and anti-cult outfits regularly?, do yiu know thst our aged natives are now celebrated and given sense of belonging?, do you know that Asagba Azinge is at the head of all of these and many more I can’t outline at the moment and still not resting on his oars?. What a soul…what a man…what a king!
Therefore, on the occasion of his Iwaji today, I pray that the God he serves as a devout Catholic, Knight of Saint John International and a Papal Knight of Saint Gregory, and indeed the gods of our land will continue to guide, guard and give him more wisdom as he steers the ship of our beloved hometown, Asaba, the capital city of Delta State, to unimaginable heights.
Congratulations HRM.
Nna Agu!
Asagba Ahaba Agu!!
Eze nwa ani Agu !!!
#BisiBiosah, Research Assistant and Media Officer to HRM, the Asagba of Asaba.
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