History was made on Friday when the Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN OON, visited the popular Otuogwu Satellite Town in Asaba.
The joy of the residents knew no bounds when Asagba Prof Azinge and his entourage drove into the settlement, as it was the first time ever any Asagba of Asaba will be visiting the area.
Young and old, indigenes and non indigenes alike, trooped out in their numbers to catch a glimpse of and welcome the majestic Asagba.
In his welcome remarks, the Anya Asagba in the area, John Freeman Chiadikabia, said the visit was jinx-breaking and a show of sense of belonging for the residents.
Freeman noted that by the visit, Asagba Prof Azinge not only demonstrated people-driven leadership, but also that every segment of his kingdom should be carried along in the scheme of things.
He said the area was peaceful and the residents united, their tribal and ethnic differences notwithstanding, and urged the king to intervene in the infrastructural needs of the settlement, especially another road to complement the only existing one.
Also speaking, a community leader and second in command to the Anya Asagba in Otuogwu, Ogbueshi Love Nwokobia, spoke about the seeming exclusion of residents of the area from the dividends of democracy and urged the highly revered king to assist in ensuring that women, especially widows and youths, were carried along in empowerment and job creation programmes.
In their separate remarks, some non indigenes resident in the area, including a member of the Arewa community, an Indigene of Aboh, who had lived there for over 70 years and an Urhobo man, praised Asagba Prof Azinge for doing what his predecessors could not do.
They testified that Asaba had blessed them and pledged that they would remain law abiding and respectful to the customs and traditions of the land.
Responding, Asagba Prof Azinge thanked the people of Otuogwu for their warm reception and especially appreciated the non indigenes in the area for alluding to the fact that Asaba had blessed them.
The First Class traditional ruler reiterated that ensuring peace and security in Asaba, and the welfare of the people remained his topmost priorities and residents of Otuogwu would not be left out in the scheme of things.
The Asagba charged them to remain truly united, be supportive of the government of the day, respect the customs and traditions of the land and seek ways to help themselves rather than wait for government to do everything for them.
While urging the residents to key into his urban renewal agenda, he assured the community that steps would be taken to improve their living conditions and commended his representative (Anya Asagba) and his assistant for ensuring peace and security in the satellite town.
The Asagba had earlier visited the bank of the River Niger in Otuogwu where mining of sharp sand takes place.
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