Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the new Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, His Majesty King Charles Douglas Mac-Pepple Jaja, Jeki VI, to use his reign to unite the kingdom, embrace all contenders in the selection process and drive tangible development.
Fubara gave the charge on Friday at Government House, Port Harcourt, while presenting the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the monarch.
The governor urged the new king to regard those who contested the stool but lost as ‘comrades’ rather than victims, stressing that their inclusion was necessary for peace and progress in the kingdom.
Fubara said the successful transition was particularly significant because the stool of the late Amanyanabo, King Douglas Dandeson Jaja, had been embroiled in a legal battle for more than 27 years.
He said his administration deliberately managed the succession process to prevent a recurrence of litigation, adding that history would remember his government for peacefully concluding the transition from the burial of the late monarch to the selection, coronation and recognition of his successor.
The governor also dismissed insinuations that his absence from the coronation was politically motivated, explaining that he was attending to a higher national assignment.
He said: ‘Our presence was not just in that process alone. Every logistics that were required, there is nobody that can say he’s the one that did it. We did it.
‘So, for those people who like using everything for politics, my absence was not an intentional thing; it was a call to service. So the fact that I was unable to make it doesn’t mean that I do not value, appreciate or support the process.’
Fubara urged the monarch to make peace, unity and inclusiveness the foundation of his reign, warning against allowing kinship or personal relationships to undermine security in the kingdom.
He described Opobo as one of the most peaceful local government areas in Rivers State and charged the new monarch to maintain zero tolerance for criminality and take decisive steps to protect the kingdom.
The governor said his administration would continue to support the monarch, even beyond his tenure in office, while urging the Alapu Council, titled citizens and other stakeholders to move beyond ceremonial activities and channel their influence into projects that would deliver visible development to the people.
He identified education, healthcare and support for small businesses as key areas requiring attention, noting that sustainable investment in these sectors could help tackle youth involvement in criminality.
Responding, the new Amanyanabo, King Jaja Jeki VI, pledged to build Opobo Kingdom around service, inclusion and vision, in honour of the legacy of the kingdom’s founder, the great King Jaja, who established the kingdom 156 years ago through trade and diplomacy.
The monarch described the Staff of Office as more than a symbol of authority, saying it represented a sacred trust from the Rivers State Government and the people to lead with justice, peace and dignity.
He expressed gratitude to God, the ancestors, Governor Fubara, the Opobo Council of Alapu, titled citizens, elders, women and youths for entrusting him with the leadership of the kingdom.
King Jeki VI assured the state government that his reign would make Opobo Kingdom a dependable partner in promoting peace, development and unity across Rivers State.