….. A family bond, royal hospitality and a promise to attend SE DIYE mark a memorable visit.
By: Al Humphrey Onyanabo
It was a meeting of royalty, family ties and genuine affection when His Royal Majesty, Eze (Sir) Sergeant Chidi Awuse, DSSRS, JP, Nne-Nwe-Eli, Emohua XIII (Olo IV), Paramount Ruler of Emohua Kingdom and Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, hosted Da Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, Dabaye Amakiri 1, Amakiri Ekpeke, Sebromabo. The Amanyanabo of The Chiefdom and Principalities of The Source, Elem Kalabari, Torusarama.
In a remarkable display of royal hospitality, HRM Awuse organised a banquet with various delicious dishes for his visitors, ensuring that everyone, including the drivers, shared in the feast before his council of chiefs, elders and youth leaders joined the gathering.
The visit provided an opportunity for Amanyanabo Dokubo-Asari to congratulate HRM Awuse on his reappointment as Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers and personally invite him to SE DIYE, the final rites of his coronation, on December 19, 2026, at King Amachree Memorial Hall, Buguma.
Welcoming his guest, HRM Awuse revealed a longstanding family connection, recalling his close relationship with Dokubo-Asari’s late father and his affection for the family.
“Your late dear father was very close to me, and when I look at you, I see him. Your sister, Hon. Boma Goodhead, is also very close to me.”
He warmly accepted the invitation, promising to attend and honour the occasion. He also expressed joy at the forthcoming marriage of Dokubo-Asari’s daughter, Princess AMIRAH describing it as a special blessing for a father to give his daughter in marriage.
In his response, Dokubo-Asari traced his maternal ancestry to Elibrada in Emohua, affirming his roots in the kingdom despite his Kalabari heritage. He described HRM Awuse as his big uncle and father in the truest sense.
Explaining his journey to the throne, he disclosed that he had never aspired to become Amanyanabo, partly because of his Islamic faith and the traditional rituals associated with the institution. He said that despite earlier predictions by people who believed he would eventually occupy the throne, he never pursued the ambition. His emergence through the Abbi Royal Family, he maintained, was ultimately the work of God.
The visit was more than a formal royal engagement. It was a reunion of family connections, mutual respect and traditional friendship.
As Chairman of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Awuse will play a significant role at SE DIYE, welcoming and receiving traditional rulers travelling from far and wide to attend the historic ceremony in Buguma. His position places him at the centre of the royal gathering, helping to extend the traditional hospitality of Rivers State to the distinguished monarchs expected at the event.
SE DIYE takes place on Saturday, December 19, 2026, at King Amachree Memorial Hall, Buguma, Rivers State.
