By Tejiri Ebikeme
A former National Chairman of the Traditional Rulers of the Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMPCON), His Royal Majesty Pere (Dr.) Charles Ayemi-Botu, aka “D Lion of d Niger” has been honoured by the University of Ibadan in acknowledgement of his contribution to the enthronement of a lasting peace in the Niger Delta.
Ayemi-Botu, who is also the paramount ruler of Seimbiri Kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, was honoured at the event held at the premier university for being in the vanguard of the search for sustainable peace in the hitherto troubled oil-belt.
The frontline monarch was singled out for recognition at the event organised by Peace and Conflict Students Association of the Institute of African Studies (PACSSA) of the nation’s first university.
Ayemi-Botu was honoured at the ceremony attended by senior members of the university community and creme-de-la-creme of the society.
A legal luminary, Malam Yusuf O. Ali, (SAN), delivered the Distinguished Personality Lecture titled “Security: A Panacea to Peaceful. 2015 General Elections”.
With the award, Ayemi-Botu became the third to be honoured by the institute, coming after the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.
It will be recalled that Ayemi-Botu as leader of TROMPCON led the crusade for the restoration of an enduring peace into the war-ravaged region; crisscrossing the nine oil producing states.
PACSSA’s President, Mr. Henry Oluwasegun Hamilton, said Ayemi-Botu was honoured because of his contributions to the restoration of the Niger Delta on the path of sustainable peace and development.
Hamilton said the survey carried out by the institute showed that the monarch was involved in the search for peace in the region even at the risk to his personal life, adding that the prevailing peace in the area had translated into economic prosperity for the country.
While presenting the plaque for the award to the monarch, Ambassador Folake Marcai-Bello, said Ayemi-Botu was honoured because of his patriotic spirit, adding that it would spur other patriotic Nigerians to make sacrifice towards the progress and development of the country.
In his response, an elated monarch, who later commissioned the renovated lecture theatre of the institute, dedicated the award to God and people of the region.
Ayemi-Botu, who said he was excited that the honour came outside the Niger Delta, said, “I feel highly elated. I will say it is a day the Lord has made and one has to rejoice. I feel that the good Lord has been working and people are seeing what we have been doing and I dedicate this honour to the glory of God and to the people of the Niger Delta and pray that peace will continue to be sustained in the Niger Delta so that our efforts in ensuring peace would not be in vain.”
“I don’t know that most of the things we have been doing there (Niger Delta) are being seen far and away, even at the citadel of learning, this is the premier university, the oldest and number one, to have deem it expedient to honour me, I am so elated and I think it will spur me further to continue to work to sustain peace in the Niger Delta region.”
On the 2015 elections, Ayemi-Botu urged politicians to maintain peace and shun violence. He further opined that they should imbibe the dictum of late Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim’s “Politics without Bitterness” and shun ex. President Olusegun Obasanjo’s “Do or Die crude Politics”.
He said it was only in an atmosphere devoid of rancour and crisis that a free and fair election could be guaranteed.
