For Deliberately Omitting His Picture In 2024 Calendar, Fubara Sacks Rivers Traditional Council Chairman

By Adesina Soyooye

A sure-footed Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers.

His Royal Highness, Eze Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, is the Paramount Ruler of Emohuo Kingdom, and a very close friend and political ally of the immediate past Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

Awuse, a one-time Governorship Candidate in the State, combined his rulership of his Kingdom with the high profile position of the Chairman, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers. But on Friday, June 21, 2024, Awuse was stripped of his Chairmanship position.

In sacking Awuse from the position during a special meeting Governor Fubara had with members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers at the Banquet Hall of Government House Port Harcourt,  the Governor accused him of incompetence. He said Awuse is not capable of running the affairs of the Council. Awuse, Fubara noted, has neither been able to promote cordial relationship amongst the Tra Council members nor provided “effective leadership.”

But worse, the Governor accused Awuse of being disrespectful to the Rivers State Government, the office of the Governor, and that of the Deputy Governor.

One example, among others: The Governor said that Awuse insulted the Government, the Governor and the Deputy Governor by deliberately not using their photographs in the 2024 Calender of the Council of Traditional Rulers. The leadership of Awuse, the Governor insisted, would never meet any expectations.

Putting all that into consideration, Fubara, with immediate effect, replaced Awuse with the Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom, Eze Chike Worlu Wodo.

Fubara: “I want the Council to live up to its responsibility. From my observation, the Council is moribund. So, I can feel that the Council, for a while now, has been very inactive. Inactive because, maybe, the Chairman has decided not to be responsible as a Chairman. I think that is the best way to describe it.

“I am not talking about other things that have been happening. But I feel there are responsibilities of the Chairman, and so far, I have not felt it and you can also attest to that, that you are not seeing that leadership that you expect.

“I would like to draw your attention to a special insult that was meted to this Government. The Council produced a Calendar for the year of our Lord 2024, and the Governor’s picture and the Deputy Governor’s picture are not in the calendar.

“I want to ask you: does it show any sign that, that leadership is working with this Government? I hope you have a copy of it. Does it show that your Chairman is working with this Government?

“So, I have decided today, we have to move forward. By the special grace of God, the administrative life-span of the Chairman is one year, which is renewable. So, at this particular time, I have to say that with the power vested in me, I announce that the tenure of Chief Sergeant Awuse has been terminated.

“So, going forward, there is a need to have a leadership that will accommodate everybody and move this council forward.

“Let me, before saying other things, announce here that the new Chairman from this particular moment will be Eze Chike Worlu Wodo, Eze Ohna Apara, Paramount Ruler of Apara Kingdom. He will be the Chairman, of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, and I believe strongly that he is going to do better and accommodate everyone.

“Traditional Rulers are the closest to our locals. If you want peace in the community, we must work with the Traditional Rulers. And our Government is a Government that pays serious priority to peace. So, I want every one of you to ensure that we maintain peace in our localities.

“Let me request from our new Chairman that: please, as we leave here, there is every need for you to call for a meeting immediately and commence the process of uniting the council.

“I am not bothered or interested in your political affiliations, but when it comes to issues of the Council, that should bring you together, your decision should, and must flow in the direction of Government.

“If you are doing anything outside, that is your own, but you cannot, I repeat that when it comes to the issues of the Council, the Government has given you recognition to belong, you cannot go against the Government, it’s very wrong.

“You can be in whatever it is, but when it comes to our own interest as a State and Government, you must work with our interest. I remember when we went to Ahoada-East, in Ekpeye land to perform an activity, a former Governor openly threatened one of you and warned that if you try it, I will do this, I will do that.

“But I am not going to warn any of you because you are our fathers. I will appeal to you to please give us all the necessary support and cooperation so that we can have a united State that every one of us will be proud of.

“Let me appeal to every one of us, today is an opportunity that God has provided to Eze Chike Worlu Wodo. Tomorrow, it can be any other person’s. You need to give him the respect. You need to give him the support to succeed; so that when it comes to your turn, that same measure will be given to you.”

Not  a few people agree that the former Chairman was caught in the crossfire between Fubara and his estranged political godfather, Wike.

Said one of the Traditional Rulers: “Our former Chairman was unable to draw the line between his relationship with Wike and his role as the Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers. His loyalty was to Wike and not to the Rivers State  Government. His removal is in order.”