July 28, (THEWILL) – Following the passing of Chief Joseph Chike Edozien, a professor of medicine and the Asagba of Asaba in Delta State in February after ruling over the affairs of Asaba for 33 years, the choice of who succeeds him became an issue that had to be handled carefully. The people of Asaba didn’t want anyone who would fall short of their expectations. They desired a man capable of filling the yawning gap created by the late Asagba’s departure. They proceeded on a meticulous search for a suitable candidate. Finally Providence granted their wishes. The search led them to one of the most accomplished technocrats in the corporate world who will be sitting on the stool vacated by late Prof Edozien in no distant time. With all traditional funeral rites now completed, all eyes are now on Anthony Ogugua Konwea, a 61-year-old petroleum engineer, environmental resources manager, analytical chemist and a public administrator who is the community’s choice for the throne.
Konwea is from the Umuonicha family of the Isieke clan. He is in the 15th direct line of the descendants of the founder of Asaba, Nnebisi. He studied petroleum production and engineering at the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI), Efurun, Delta state, after which he earned a Master’s degree in environmental resources management from the Lagos State University (LASU), a postgraduate diploma in analytical/environmental chemistry from the Lagos State University (LASU) and then a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state.
The Isieke clan where Konwea comes from promised that the new Asagba will ensure that the throne receives a sociopolitical redefinition and facelift. Other promises made on his behalf are that he will promote and ensure that Asaba cultural heritage attains a global standard, ensure that their socio-cultural heritage can offer meaningful Internally Generated Revenue for sustainability, use his expertise and knowledge in the petroleum sector to put Asaba amongst the oil and gas producing communities and collaborate with the Upstream Monitoring and Regulatory Agency to exercise an aspect of its regulation to establish an administrative office in Asaba.
Other promises are that Konwea will partner with the Delta State House of Assembly to enact a law granting Asaba indigenes the right of catchment area status, liaise with the state government to restore the official role of the Omu Ahaba as the administrative head of the markets in Asaba township, work with Asagba-in-Council to checkmate and curb youth restiveness, and preserve the cultural heritage of Ndi Ahaba.
