The royal father of Okpuama Kingdom, Ebitimi Emmanuel Banigo has served notice to quit the throne.
He has written to step as the Okpo XXI Ibenyanaowei of Okpoama Kingdom from July
Citing health challenges, he said he was no longer in a position to listen to the everyday problems of his subjects and help solve them due to his long absence from home. In the letter, which he personally signed and was titled ” Proclamation of the Retirement of the Ibeyanaowei of OKPOAMA Kingdom, he said, “We are today faced with the worst economic crisis in recent history. The attendant excruciating poverty, hunger, insecurity, and governance issues have made it imperative that I spend time at home.
Unfortunately, I have been contending with health challenges that have not made this possible and which increasingly require a long absence from the Kingdom for the foreseeable future.”
“Based on that, he said, he has decided to retire as the King of Okpoama Kingdom with effect from July 31st.
The full text of his proclamation reads:
“Warm greetings to my dear people of Okpoama Kingdom.
“We are today faced with the worst economic crisis in recent history. The attendant excruciating poverty, hunger, insecurity, and governance issues have made it imperative that I spend time at home. Unfortunately, I have been contending with health challenges that have not made this possible and have led to an increasingly long absence from the Kingdom for the foreseeable future.
“Consequently, I have taken the decision to retire as Ibenyanaowei of Okpoama Kingdom, with effect from July 31st, 2024. The election of a new Ibenyanaowei from the Ruling Houses is to commence immediately, in accordance with our tradition, to be crowned as OKPO XXII, Ibenyanaowei of Okpoama Kingdom.
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“The government of Bayelsa State and the relevant authorities will be notified accordingly.
“My dear Okpoama people, I thank you for the honor of being your king. I thank God for this privilege of ruling over our ancient kingdom of highly endowed, beautiful territories, the lands and creeks, and the remarkable people that God has bestowed on us through our ancestors.
“I will continue to contribute to the development of Okpoama Kingdom and the preservation of our culture as I did before I ascended to the throne.
“By the grace of God and working together, we can collectively develop Okpoama into the land of our dreams.
“God bless Okpoama people.”
King Ebitimi, a banker before he ascended the throne, was the Chief Executive Officer of the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria from 1981 to 1986. He was Nigeria’s Minister of Science and Technology between 1999 and 2000.
In 2012, he became the King of his Okpoama Kingdom in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
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