Seven de-robed chiefs and two others suspended by the traditional institution of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State have been reinstated by King Charles Ayemi-Botu, JP, OFR, the Paramount Ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom.
The development was one of the highlights of activities to mark the 75years birthday anniversary celebration of the Siembiri Monarch, organized by family members, indigenes and other well-wishers at the weekend at Okpokunou Urban Community, the ancestral home of the royal family.
Announcing the reinstatement of the nine chiefs, King Botu said the Kingdom has put behind issues that led to the de-robing and suspension of the chiefs, saying “to err is human and to forgive is divine”, maintaining that the community must move forward in terms of sustainable peace and development.
Expressing gratitude to God for the 75years birthday anniversary celebration, which was heralded with a thanksgiving service at St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Okpokunu, the royal father said God has been very faithful to him, his immediate family and the entire Siembiri kingdom.
The first class Ijaw traditional ruler, aka “Lion of the Niger” and Chairman, Board of Trustees TROMPCON, urged his subjects to remain on the part of progress and work assiduously towards harnessing the abundant natural resources in Okpokunou, including high deposit of Gas, Condensate and Crude in the locality as well as host to SPDC OML 35 and NAOC OML 65 Fields, yet to be tapped.
He noted that successive governments have not been fair to the people of Niger Delta, particularly the Ijaw nation, hence the continued agitation in the region for a better deal for the people and appealed for good government policies and programmes that would improve the living standard of the people.
On the forthcoming general elections, King Botu urged Nigerians to arm themselves with their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs to vote out corrupt leaders, stressing that Nigeria as a nation has suffered enough setbacks in the hands of the self-centred, tyrannical and nepotistic cabals.
“Enough of these blind followership by the people. How can you be suffering and still clapping for those that placed you in that suffering? The 2023 elections portend so much for the country. Nigerians must vote rightly to save the country from collapse. Thank God it is democracy which allows the people to choose those to lead them. My strong advice is that we must choose rightly”.
The first elected National Chairman of TROMPCON, decried the high level of insecurity in the country and the hardship suffered by the people in getting petrol at the filling stations, describing the sad development as shameful and height of wickedness for any government to allow such.
“Just look at the suffering Nigerians are going through at Petrol stations on daily basis. An oil-producing nation? We export crude to other countries to refine for us and they sell it back to us at 100% percent profit. The ugly arrangement has spiral effects. Cost of living are skyrocketing every day. There is so much increase in crime because people must survive and lot more negative narratives across the country. Nigerians have the option of keeping these corrupt leaders and enjoying more hardship or voting them out for the nation to grow. Enough is enough”, King Botu stated.
He also pointed out that the crippling availability of the new Naira notes will invariably drag the economic life of Nigeria and Nigerians to a sudden halt.
The Seimbiri Monarch admonished his subjects to go for their PVCs to enable them to perform their civic responsibilities, even as he spoke on the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to enhance its voters’ education campaigns on the forthcoming general elections.
At St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Okpokunou, King Botu and his wife, Queen Mary, led family members and subjects in thanksgiving Mass, conducted by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Bomadi, Most Revered (Dr) Hyacinth Oroko Egbebor, commended the people for their prayers and support and prayed for the more peaceful kingdom.
Most Revered Hyacinth Ogbebo in his homily, congratulated King Charles Ayemi- Botu for the birthday anniversary and commended him for his commitment to the service of God and humanity.
Bishop Ogbebo urged Nigerians to help right the wrongs of the past, stressing that the nation must progress in the right direction.
Some of the palace chiefs who spoke in separate interviews, including Chief Dominic Enaretimi, Chief James Obirigbomu and Chief Mrs Premier Perama, paid glowing tributes to the Seimbiri Monarch and prayed God to sustain him with good health, riches and peace of mind.
