…Oborevwori to lead governors; Sultan, Kano Emir, Zaria Emir expected at grand celebration
By Ovie Okpare
The Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Major General Felix Mujakperuo (retd.), Orhue I, CFR, mni, is set to receive an array of governors and prominent traditional rulers from across Nigeria as he celebrates his 20th coronation anniversary in Delta State.
The Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, is expected to lead Nigerian governors to the historic ceremony, which will attract eminent traditional rulers, political leaders, dignitaries and Okpe sons and daughters from across the country and the diaspora.
Among the prominent royal fathers expected at the celebration are the Sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano and the Emir of Zazzau, popularly known as the Emir of Zaria.
Unveiling the programme on Friday at the Orodje’s Palace, Orerokpe, the Traditional Prime Minister of Okpe Kingdom and Chairman of the 20th Coronation Anniversary Committee, Chief Michael Affe, said the milestone offered an opportunity to celebrate the monarch’s contributions to the kingdom’s stability and advancement.
Affe described the reign of Orhue I as a period of remarkable transformation, insisting that the kingdom had become more united, peaceful and respected under his leadership.
“Today, 20 years after, we look in retrospect with much pride at a reign that has brought exceptional harmony, urban development, and educational advancement to the Okpe Kingdom,” he said.
The monarch ascended the throne on July 29, 2006, following the demise of his predecessor, HRM Orhorho I.
Affe said the Orodje had strengthened the kingdom’s traditional administration by dividing its approximately 200 communities into districts to improve governance and ensure closer engagement with residents.
He disclosed that the monarch recently created Ugolo II as the 14th district, following the earlier establishment of 13 districts across the kingdom.
According to him, the administrative restructuring was designed to make the kingdom easier to govern and enable the monarch to receive firsthand information on challenges confronting his subjects.
The anniversary committee chairman also highlighted the monarch’s distinguished military career, noting that he retired from the Nigerian Army as a Major General before practising law in Lagos.
Orhue I served as Director of Army Legal Services, Provost Marshal, General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division in Ibadan and 82 Division in Enugu, as well as ECOMOG Force Commander in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
Affe said the monarch’s contributions to peace and security in West Africa earned him the ECOWAS CEDEAO Award and the Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award.
He added that the Orodje had continued to serve in important national positions, including Chancellor of the Nigerian Army University, Biu, and Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council.
As part of efforts to sustain peace and protect the kingdom’s heritage, Affe said the monarch had urged residents during his recent district tour to preserve ancestral lands, discourage indiscriminate land sales and embrace lease arrangements to safeguard land for future generations.
The Orodje also appealed to his subjects to maintain peaceful relations with neighbouring communities and strengthen unity across the kingdom.
The anniversary, themed “Two Decades of Peace and Progress in Okpe Kingdom,” will begin with prayers by the Okpe Christian Assembly on Friday, November 13.
Other activities include a golf tournament in Sapele on November 14, a seminar for prospective chiefs on November 16, a command performance titled The Yoke and awards to distinguished Okpe sons and daughters on November 17.
Football finals and cultural displays will hold at Sapele Township Stadium on November 18, while chieftaincy titles will be conferred on November 19 and 20.
The grand finale is scheduled for November 21 at the Palace Pavilion, Orerokpe, with a thanksgiving service at St William’s Catholic Church on November 22.
Homage by newly installed chiefs, the four ruling houses and other groups will follow on November 24 and 25.
Affe assured residents and visiting dignitaries of adequate security and traffic arrangements, urging Okpe sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora to participate in the celebration.
He said the anniversary was not merely a royal event but a collective celebration of the kingdom’s identity, unity and progress.
