Asaba monarch shocked by silence over Ojukwu’s Delta origin

The Asagba of Asaba, Professor Joseph Chike Edozien hasexpressed shock over the general silence over the origin of late Biafran warlord,Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who according to him hails maternally fromAboh in Ndokwa East local government area of Delta State.

The Monarch who was speaking to publishers of CommunityNewspapers in Nigeria at his palace in Asaba, the Delta State capital TuesdayDecember 6, wondered why despite the widely publicized tributes written aboutthe late APGA leader since his demise, there has been no mention of Ojukwu’sDelta heritage even after he drew the attention of the Delta State Council of NigeriaUnion of Journalists to the issue during their recently held Press week atAsaba. According to the Asaba, “Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s insistence onconfederation of Nigeriademonstrates his deep understanding of the problem of Nigeria whichwas and still remains the ethno-religious issue”.

Prof. Edozien who is the first African Dean of the then University College,Ibadan (now University of Ibadan) advised Publishers of CommunityNewspapers to express their views in writing responsibly “because it becomespublic opinion”. He described community newspapers as more important whencompared to national newspapers due to the low literacy level in the country.

The Delta State Chairman of Association of CommunityNewspaper Publishers of Nigeria, ACNPN, Prince Orhomonokpaye had in his remark,told the Asaba monarch that members of the association who were in the statefor their 6th National delegate conference came to seek royalblessing from his palace, just as he appealed to the royal father to grace thedelegate conference. National Co-ordinator of ACNPN, Comrade Matthew Alli whoalso spoke in the same vein described the Asagba as media friendly.

The Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Oyonbi was among prominentChiefs and elders of Asaba kingdom who was in the Asagba’s palace to receivepublishers of community newspapers from Delta, Edo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Rivers and Benue States.

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