Professor Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba will be inducted into the newly created Asaba Hall of Fame this Tuesday as part of the series of events lined up to immoratlise him for his role in the development of the Ancient and historic town which is the seat of Delta State Government.
Professor Chike Edozien (CFR), the Asagba of Asaba who marks his 90th birthday on July 28 is the 13 monarch of Asaba and a retired Dean of Dean from the University of North Carolina where he served for over twenty years.
The Asagba will be inducted into Asaba Hall of Fame on Tuesday, July 21 in Asaba while the other programmes to immortalise him included the renaming of Direct Labour Road as Asagba Prof. Chike Ezodien Road and unveiling of a life-size statue of His Royal Majesty, Prof Chike Edozien as the 13th monarch of Asaba
Chairman of the 90th birthday anniversary committee, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, said the induction of the Asagba into the Asaba Hall of Fame is to honour Prof. Chike Edozien for the numerous accomplishments that has come to Asaba during his tenure. Among these are the reforms in some traditional practices in Asaba as well as the rapid infrastructural development in the capital city in the past 24 years when he became the monarch.
He said “Asaba people are also honouring the Asagba for his peace loving philosophy and efforts at restoring the dignity of Asaba people who were massacred in their by the federal troops and their neighbours during the civil war”
According to Prof. Azinge:“the Asagba has brought in several reforms in the areas of treatments of widows during their mourning period and the expensive traditional burial that further impoverished the family of the deceased”.
Prof Azinge said the planners of the event have taken their time to use it to showcase the cultural, social and intellectual assets of Asaba which was once the headquarters of the Royal Niger Company and in that capacity, served as the administrative capital of what became known as Nigeria.
Two white cap chiefs the Izoma of Ahaba, Chief Philip Asiodu and Chief Sony Odogwu (Ide Ahaba), Chairman of Grand Hotel Asaba, who spoke to the media said “the 90th birthday of the monarch is the most auspicious time to appreciate the monarch”
