Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
The King of Ogbia Kingdom, HM Charles Dumaro Owaba, the Obanobhan 111 of Ogbia, along with several leaders from the kingdom where former President Goodluck Jonathan hails from, Saturday laid to rest insinuations that they were opposed to Governor Seriake Dickson and his administration.
The first class traditional ruler and the National President of the influential Ogbia Brotherhood, Chief Benson Agadaga, who spoke when the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, visited the palace in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, noted that people making such inferences were unaware of the enduring relationship between the governor and the Ogbia people.
King Owaba, who expressed delight over the visit, noted that it was the first time a Commissioner from his kingdom, since his inauguration last year, would be visiting the palace on his own and without official invitation from the monarch.
Obanobhan 111, who harped severally on the need for unity by the Ogbia people, urged political leaders to stop making divisive statements and work towards bringing the entire clan together.
He added that the kingdom could produce another President in the nearest future if leaders from the area would put the interest of the entire kingdom before their own selfish cravings.
“We are not opposing any government. Anytime there is unity in this land, great leaders will emerge in Ogbia. The little time that Ogbia Brotherhood was organised after the death of Melford Okilo, we saw leaders emerge, including Goodluck Jonathan.
“We should not fight because of political positions. We have one destiny. It is in working together that we can achieve development. The Ogbia man is not opposing the current administration because we know how this present government came to power. The Ogbia people were behind him. Even if there are little differences, let us work to bring peaceâ€, he said.
He lauded Dickson for earmarking N1 billion for the repair of roads in the kingdom, but also called for the opening up of the hinterlands, especially Anyama.
Re-echoing the position of the monarch, Agadaga who heads the Ogbia Brotherhood, said there was no truth in the rumour that Ogbia people hated Dickson, noting that indeed the governor who hails from Sagbama, holds a traditional chieftaincy title in the kingdom.
“The relationship between the people of Ogbia and the governor is like the umbilical cord. The governor is a chief in Ogbia and we are proud of him. The governor has given us a lot of appointments and has been working with us to put Bayelsa on the fast lane of developmentâ€, he said.
Earlier in his comments, Iworiso-Markson, who was described as a “round peg in a round hole†by the palace chiefs, said he was in the palace to familiarise himself with the people and the monarch.
He added that part of the reason for the visit was to solicit Ogbia kingdom’s support for Dickson and his administration in his bid to bring development to the kingdom, stressing that the governor has done a lot for the council.
