Rivers Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has presented Staff of Office and Certificates of Recognition to the Niger Delta freedom fighter, Alh. Mujahid Asari Dokubo and four other people as traditional rulers.

Dokubo-Asari was recognised as His Royal Highness, the Amanyanabo of Torusarama Piri in Degema Local Government Area.

Others are HRM Winston Odize Alamina Oputibeya XII, as the Amanyanabo of Koniju in Okrika Local Government Area; HRM Eze Noble Friday Uwoh (CSP rtd) as the Eze Igbu-Ehuda (Ahoada) IV in Ahoada-East Local Government Area and HRH Prince Ike Ehie as the Eze Igbu Orilukwoe in Ahoada- East Local Government Area.

The Governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Nelson Chukwudi, admonished traditional rulers to use their positions to partner government to promote peace and ensure that lives and property were protected in their domains.

He congratulated the four monarchs for the recognition and urged them not to see their new positions as tool for personal aggrandizement.

The governor asked them to see their positions as a call for service and responsibility to help government protect lives and property in their respective domains.

He said: ?Let me first of all, on behalf of the government, congratulate the four of you. It has not been an easy journey to get to this point. I know a lot of you have been working very hard to ensure the success of this day. Your appointment in terms of this recognition is not for personal aggrandizement, but a call for service, a responsibility to help us protect lives and property in your domains.?

The governor said that though government had the power to withdraw the recognition from any traditional ruler found wanting, but quickly added that it was not his intention to exercise such authority, and warned them not to use the privileged positions to create problems in their domains.

Fubara appealed to them to ensure the success of the administration in its avowed commitment to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

He said: ?I don?t want you to see this elevation as another platform to create problems in your locality. We have the power to still withdraw the recognition, but I don?t intend to do that. So, I want you to be partners with the government to ensure that we continue to succeed,? he pointed out.

?I know that you are all men of integrity. Support the course of governance so that we can all succeed together. It is really a privileged position, and I am very sure that you are going to use it to the best of the interest of your people.? (The Nation)

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