The Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof) Joseph Chike Edozien laying the foundation of the ultra modern Asagba’s Palace while prominent Monarchs, High Chiefs and well wishers watch with keen interest.
The Asaba community of the Delta State of Nigeria, penultimate Saturday, spared no details in pomp and glamour, as the people supported by friends, cheerfully rallied to raise fund for the construction of a befitting palace for their monarch.
The official foundation stone of the project was laid by the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien, amidst a tasteful cultural mix, with the ceremony well attended by eminent personalities from private and public institutions, within and outside the immediate community.
The event which was sparked by a fund-raising exercise was coordinated by the Chief Launcher and Ugo of Asaba, Chief Uche Okpuno with the Eziafa of Asaba, Chief Nath Okechukwu. It was climaxed by people heartily jostling to outwit themselves in donating towards a project, generally assented to as ‘’worthy and long overdue’’.
The University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, did not lie back, as it strongly supported its Chancellor with the Chairman of the Governing Council, Chief Olakunle Ayinde Osayemi, leading others to pledge a donation of the sum of N1m, towards the project.
In the same vein, the Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, sent a Goodwill Message with a cash donation in support of the Palace Project.
Asagba Edozien expressed appreciation to donors, saying the goal of constructing a befitting palace had been his strong ambition as he was determined, ‘’to wipe off an age-long insult of Asaba’s inability to have a communal palace, befitting of its modern profile’’.
The Asagba said he was at a stage passionately moved to endow the present palace being used by him to the community, saying ‘’it is no longer fashionable for successive rulers to administer authority from different palaces’’, but for the fact that the present palace remained the ancestral abode of the Edoziens.
In his words, Obi Chike Edozien said, ‘’it is not in our interest for each Asagba to build his own palace. The Asagba rules in his community and should therefore rule in a palace that jointly belongs to the community’’.