By Patrick Wemambu
Immediate past president of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal (CSAT) London, Prof Epiphany Azinge, OON, SAN has emerged the 14th Asagba of Asaba, Delta State in south-south Nigeria.
This comes after a keenly contested selection process and endorsement by the five prominent Quarters in Asaba.
Announcing the result of the Asagbaship nomination Sunday in Asaba – in line with the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1979 as applicable to Delta State – the Ochendo Ahaba (Regent) Prof. Anthony Edozien said; “Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has been selected among 10 contenders (for the Asagbaship) after due process. He will be coronated in due course.”
Obi Azinge until recently, was the CSAT helmsman – an international administrative tribunal created towards the end of the 20th century with sittings in London, United Kingdom. He superintended over adjudications involving contractual disputes and claims against international organizations – representing Nigeria and Africa. CSAT’s statute has evolved over the years with domestic courts deferring to its jurisdiction.
Asked to comment on the nomination process leading to the confirmation of the Asagba designate, Ogbueshi (Engr.) Tony Molokwu, Secretay-General of the Asaba Development Union (Worldwide) and scribe to Prof. Azinge in an exclusive interview said; “The process of nomination from his village and then Ebo which is Ugbomanta involved series of ceremonies, solemn prayers and high profile consultations. All the Ebos (Quarters) voted unanimously for Prof. That’s why he carried the day. The processes were finalized today (Sunday 18th August 2024) at the meeting of the Asagba-in-Council (kingmakers) with announcement of his selection as Asagba (designate) being the most qualified of all the 10 contestants. A date for his installation will be announced later.”
Epiphany Azinge – an erudite professor of constitutional law and high-ranking member of the Ancient and Noble Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI) – is a former director-general of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS). He succeeds HRM, Prof. Chike Edozien, the 13th Asagba of Asaba whose transition to glory was officially announced 13th February 2024 – aged 100 years.
Called to the Nigerian Bar in 1980, the new monarch gained admission to the University of London for his LLM and completed his PhD in Law in 1986. His academic career which began in 1981 has spanned several decades of teaching and administrative appointments at the University of Benin, Nasarawa State University and University of Abuja, to name a few.
His wife, Dr (Mrs) Valerie Azinge, SAN, former Secretary of the 2014 National Conference in Nigeria, accompanied him in undergoing some of the traditional ceremonies leading up to the subsequent selection and announcement of the Asagbaship.
