By: Ike Philip Abiagom
Prof (Obi)Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, OON, the Asagba of Asaba, Asagba has vowed to restore the lost glory of the popular Cable-Point axis of Asaba
Speaking at a reception organized in his honour by the various communities resident in the area on Monday, His Royal Majesty, Asagba Prof Azinge, said Cable-Point was rooted in history as once a centre of attraction and a centre of commerce where notable elites, including the late Premier of the defunct Midwest region, Chief Dennis Osadebay, lived.
The highly esteemed traditional ruler pointed out that the gathering was significant as it provided an opportunity to reconnect with history and the past, as it concerned the settlement.
He stressed that to abandon Cable-Point would amount to abandoning a very rich part of Asaba history, reiterating the resolve of the community under his reign not to abandon the area, but to rebuild it.
The Asagba highlighted the hydra-headed problem of insecurity in Cable-Point, which he noted had turned the area to a near theatre of conflict that must be properly managed, controlled and handled to avoid any escalation of violence in Asaba erupting from there.
According to the Monarch: “We are here to forestall any such eventuality, to make sure that it doesn’t happen. And the only way that it will not happen is for you people to take responsibility, to know how to confront some of these emergencies, and to take the bull by the horn early in the day.
” We are also here for another reason that is not impressive at all. We are here because Cable-Point, with the intelligence available to us, is more or less a drug infested area. Most of the drugs peddled in Asaba have their roots here in Cable-Point. And that’s why we are saying that enough is enough and that we are only going to give one week notice to all those involved before we start raiding suspected places.
” So let it not be lost on any of us that we know why we are here. We are duly informed and we are here for a purpose. We are here for a mission and that mission is to send this message to all the people residing in Cable-Point that yes Asaba is peaceful, but we don’t want any conflagration or breach of peace that will start from Cable-Point.
” So we want to thank you for this reception. But for me it is not the quality of the reception that important. What is important to me is that there is a restoration of the quality of the Cable-Point we are used to by the time we leave here. We want to encourage you to live the way you have been living, especially those of you that were born here and those who have been here for more than , 60 years.
” Some of you speak more impeccable Asaba language and in our dialect better than I do, but we all have equal responsibility at this point in time because we have considered you as major stakeholders in whatever we are doing in Asaba. Let us clean up Cable-Point. In cleaning up Cable-Point we also have to address the issue of sanitation and the cleanliness of the place. Going forth, we are handing over the responsibility to the Anya Asagba, Ogbueshi Wing Commander Peter Iweze (rtd), to ensure the cleanliness of this place going forward.
” Cable-Point must show the light to other parts of Asaba in ensuring that this place is clean. We cannot restore the glory of Cable-Point with buildings only, but also by ensuring that the place is clean. We trekked from here to the water side and we observed with dismay that the banks of the river have been turned to refuse dumpsites. Let that be the ugly past of history. Henceforth, I am directing that we put an end to that.
” I want that river side to be cleaned up and I have directed members of the Tourism Committee to ensure that we turn that place to a beach water front where we can build up to serve as a tourists’ attraction”.
Asagba Prof Azinge thanked the reception organizers, especially Ogbueshi Wing Commander Peter Iweze (rtd) and the various communities in the settlement for pledging their allegiance and committing to ensuring that peace reigned in the area.
Earlier, leaders of the Arewa, Ndoni/Ogbaru, Yoruba, Igala and Igbo communities in n Cable-Point pledged their allegiance, assuring the Asagba that they would remain peaceful, law abiding, respectful to the custom and traditions of Asaba.
The Director General of the Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief Patrick Ukah and the Vice Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Council, Hon Mrs Chinye Uso, were among dignitaries present at the reception.
