Posted by By BUCHY ENYINNAYA, Asaba on
In the past, one of the ways of rating the influence of kings was the number of women they had in their harem as wives. Today, most kings still marry many wives.
• Has no wife and became youngest university pro-chancellor
In the past, one of the ways of rating the influence of kings was the number of women they had in their harem as wives. Today, most kings still marry many wives.
However, in Agbor, Delta State, one king is different. He is young, educated and handsome.
However, he has no wife.
Such is the situation of the Dein of Agbor in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, His Royal Majesty Benjamin Ikechuku, Keagborekuzi I. He has been on the throne for three years.
Asked if he was married, the royal father of Agbor retorts: "Now, you want to put me in trouble with my chiefs. The wonderful answer is no. The press will be involved any time such will happen. I look forward to being married. I am a Christian and of a very young age."
He lamented that the Niger Delta region is neglected, regretting, however, that youths in the area are using the wrong tactics to get this addressed.
"There was a time I took a trip to the areas and I almost wept as a result of what I saw. It is a very precarious situation. It is not surprising that some of our youths are using a negative approach to solve the problem."
He condemned hostage taking and kidnapping of oil workers, saying that people being kidnapped are the same people expected to invest in the region to generate jobs and other gainful opportunities.
Said he: "If we scare away the people, how do we get the revenue with which to develop the Niger Delta? We need investments to develop."
He expressed confidence that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan would revive the ailing educational sector based on their strong background in education.
Concerning the general development of the country, the monarch said: "We need education and infrastructural development. We need power before industries. Your project is being eaten away when you buy a lot of diesel to run your generator. We need to attend to the priorities, proper education, telecommunication services and agriculture to ensure steady supply of food for the people.
"Education is antidote to political violence. If our youths are educated, they will be too occupied to perpetuate violence. If our youths are educated or have skill, which keep them busy, they will not get involved in mischief. Remember that the idle mind is the devil's workshop."
Speaking on his recent investiture as pro-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, the youngest in the country, the monarch said he was quite proud of the university, noting that it has the least number of industrial actions and student unrest.
He decried the level of discipline these days, arguing that discipline was no longer what it used to be. He called for proper discipline and education of the Nigerian child who he said was the country's hope for the future.
"I prefer the days of my father and grand father. If a child misbehaved, he would be caned," he said, adding that for one to have disciplined children, one does not need to treat them with kid gloves when they do something bad. He urged parents to encourage their children to read even now that they are on vacation.
"There is no child that does not want to learn. But let's also have teachers that are interested in their jobs. I am an apostle of discipline and education."