Royal Visits: King Dokubo-Asari Welcomes Sultan of Sokoto’s Emissaries at Elem Kalabari, Recieves Amanyanabo of Bakana Kingdom. By: Al Humphrey Onyanabo
The past couple of days have been busy for the newly installed Amanyanabo of The Source( Elem Kalabari) Da Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari( Dabaye Amakiri 1)
On Tuesday, King Dokubo-Asari played host to the Amanyanabo of Bakana, HRH King Lawrence Odum Barboy IX, the first monarch to visit him at Torusama Piri, Elem Kalabari .
Thanking his brother monarch for his visit,
He called on all Kalabari people to put their differences aside and come together for the good of the kingdom.
He said
“our infighting overtime has brought us nothing but misery and great losses.
“Our neighbours have taken advantage and encroached into our territories, due to our disunity and indifference over the years, we are however, not perturbed and wish not to be distracted by them because at the appropriate time, they will leave our lands.”
A strong advocate in Kalabari unity and advancement,The Amanyanabo of the Source, Da -Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari promised to work assiduously with all stakeholders to ensure the emergence of the next Amanyanabo of Kalabari kingdom.
And on Thursday, emissaries from the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR,Mni,
braved the torturous one hour thirty minutes boat ride from Obuama to Elem Kalabari to relay felicitations from the Sultan of Sokoto.
The Sokoto Caliphate delegation extolled the ingenuity of King Dokubo-Asari in addressing the security challenges in different parts of Nigeria, especially in the North.
Leader of the delegation, Alhaji Yunusa Musa Sokoto, who came was accompanied by the Dan Galadima of Sokoto, Alhaji Nuhu Lamido, Sokoto, disclosed that the coveted traditional title of the Sokoto Caliphate is bestowed upon only deserving Nigerians, who have distinguished themselves in the public and private sectors, and whose actions had positively impacted humanity.
The delegation noted that before his intervention, it was very difficult to travel across parts of the North, because of the menacing activities of bandits, criminal organizations and terrorist groups.
In appreciation of this, the Sokoto Caliphate thought it worthy to nominate King Dokubo-Asari to be amongst other eminent Nigerians to be bestowed with traditional title in a forthcoming ceremony in Sokoto to mark the 18th Coronation Anniversary of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, Mni.
They stated that their visit all the way from Sokoto to Elem Kalabari was to seek his consent to be conferred with the traditional title, as well as to congratulate him on his recent elevation as a traditional ruler in the State, adding that the news of his recognition came to them with great joy.
Their leader said,
“Everybody in Nigeria knows who you are and what you have done and still doing for humanity.
“Before now to travel from most parts of the North to Abuja was very difficult. Everybody traveling that road must go to God in prayers, but by the mercy of God and with your intervention, that terror is now a thing of the past.
He added,
“Having nominated you, we were directed to come and seek your consent for the bestowal of the award, because everybody knows that you have the caliber and the credentials to attain any capacity in this country.
“We’re thanking you for all the good works that you have been doing for humanity in Nigeria and beyond, and coming down to Rivers State, we heard of the good thing that God has done for you, by elevating you as a traditional ruler, so we are very much happy and wish you God’s guidance and pray that your reign will bring prosperity to your people, the State and the country at large, he stated”
In his response, King Dokubo-Asari, Amanyanabo of The Source (Elem Kalabari) thanked members of the delegation for coming down to Elem Kalabari, the cradle of the Kalabari people to visit him, congratulating the Sultan, who he described as his personal friend, on his 18th Coronation Anniversary.
While thanking the Sokoto Caliphate for the nomination, King Dokubo-Asari however declined the award of traditional title on him, disclosing that as Amanyanabo he could not accept any other chieftaincy title.
He assured the Sultan of Sokoto of his presence during the ceremony, while pledging the continued collaboration between the people of Kalabari and the North, particularly in the areas of peaceful coexistence and commerce.
