It was Wednesday, February 15, 2017, that His Royal Majesty, Oboro Gbaraun II JP, Aketekpe, Agadagba, the Pere of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, after being crowned Pere, first set foot on the soil of Kokodiagbene community, then under the executive council leadership of Comrade (Chief) Sheriff Mulade, an environmental and peace advocate.

Seven years later, after the administrations of Hon. Uyadonghan Powede (now the Special Adviser to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission), and towards the end of the community's current exco as led by Comrade Pedro Tuwayerin Bekenawei, His Majesty once again made another historic visit to the oil-rich community, on Sunday, December 22, 2024.

Unlike the first historic visit, on His Majesty's second visit to the community, tne Pere stormed Kokodiagbene with other traditional rulers from other Ijaw Kingdoms in the Niger Delta region, some of whom are (in no particular order) are His Royal Majesty, Okriminini the Mighty Diamond, the Pere of Tubutoru Kingdom; His Imperial Majesty, Pere (Barr.) Zacchaeus Doubra Egbunu JP (Opukutuk III), the Agadagba of Arogbo Kingdom; His Royal Mayesty, Pere Joel Ekeni Ibane, the Ogiobo IX, Grand Pere of Iduwini Kingdom; HRM Godwin Ogunoyibo, Alagbabunafa III, Pere of Olodiama Kingdom...

On his then visit to the coconut community (although the coconut trees has been greatly decimated), His Majesty offered prayers for the growth and development of the community, which then had no concrete roads or walkways, no lighting gadgets to light up the community at night, a concrete jetty among other infrastructural deficits.

But seven years later when His Majesty returned, in the height of the celebration of the 17th edition of the Amasuo-Ugeh Festival on Sunday, a lot have changed in the community which plays jost to Chevron Nigeria Limited amongst others, signifying positive developments and aligning with the prayers of His Majesty seven years ago.

In place of dirty roads now exist concrete roads/walkways constructed by the state government and the Niger Delta Development Commission (DESOPADEC), lightings funded by the NDDC to light up its streets at night, and more concrete jetties financed by the state government development commission (DESOPADEC) among others.

Impressed with the results, His Majesty did not only pray for more transformation of the community, but also by other traditional fathers in his entourage who blessed the community which is maternally the hometown of the foremost Niger Delta leader and activist, High Chief Dr Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, whose desire to see the prosperity of the community has led to his positive contributions.

To the people of Kokodiagbene, if only one Pere's prayers could produce much fruits for the community, then much more growth and positive changes are to expected from the prayers of the more than seven majesties.

For the natives of Kokodiagbene, it was indeed a better way to end the year 2024, a sign of good things to come and the beginning of the emerging glory of the once neglected and underdeveloped, but oil-rich community in the kingdom.

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