Asagba of Asaba: Obi Prof Epiphany Azinge – Legal Scholar and Activist Redefining Traditional Leadership in Asaba Kingdom

Introduction

The Asagba of Asaba, HRM Obi (Prof) Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, ascended the throne as the 14th monarch of Asaba Kingdom on October 5, 2024. Celebrated his 70th birthday recently, this legal luminary and papal knight has emerged as a transformative figure in Delta State, Nigeria’s fastest-growing startup city south of the Sahara. Initially reluctant due to potential conflicts with his Catholic faith, Azinge was persuaded to pursue the stool by overwhelming community support and counsel from a local priest. From his palace in Asaba, he champions traditional governance over mere rulership, integrating his expertise in customary law to foster Asaba development, mindset shifts, and community welfare.

This article pedagogically unpacks Azinge’s journey, vision, and strategies, offering insights into how a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is reshaping narratives in the Asaba Kingdom.

Analysis

Background and Reluctance to the Throne

HRM Obi Epiphany Azinge’s path to becoming Asagba of Asaba was marked by hesitation. As detailed in his biography Born to Serve, he explicitly avoided involvement in the selection process. Key concerns included the secretive and potentially fetish elements of traditional processes, which clashed with his Catholic beliefs as a papal knight. Azinge consulted church authorities, receiving conditional responses that did not fully alleviate his doubts.

A pivotal meeting with a Reverend Father in Asaba changed his perspective. The priest advised entering the process to enact change from within, a strategy Azinge adopted. This decision highlights a pedagogical lesson in adaptive leadership: external resistance often yields to internal reform when guided by principle.

Vision for Asaba Kingdom

Azinge positions Asaba as Nigeria’s premier startup city and a growth hub in sub-Saharan Africa. His analysis reveals a community mindset prone to individualism and distrust, which he addresses through transparency and accountability. Initiatives like community-funded projects demonstrate shifting narratives, with locals contributing over N400 million to developments such as the palace project (supported by N100 million from NDDC).

Pedagogically, Azinge’s approach analyzes traditional structures through a modern lens, emphasizing collective action over isolation for sustainable Asaba development.

Summary

In a candid interview with Vanguard News, HRM Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge, the Asagba of Asaba, shares his unexpected rise to the throne, legal background, and blueprint for transforming Asaba Kingdom. Overcoming initial reluctance rooted in faith-based conflicts, he now leads with traditional governance, drawing on customary law research to promote welfare, infrastructure, education, and rehabilitation. Key outcomes include mindset changes fostering trust, youth empowerment, and a first-of-its-kind community-funded drug rehab center, positioning Asaba as a model for Delta State and beyond.

Key Points

Practical Advice

Building Community Trust

From Azinge’s experience, engender trust by prioritizing transparency. Demonstrate judicious use of funds—Asaba residents now contribute freely after seeing accountability in projects like the palace development. Practical step: Establish clear reporting mechanisms for all initiatives.

Youth and Welfare Programs

With 70% of Asaba’s population being youth, Azinge advises skills acquisition, vocational training, and scholarships to curb restiveness and drug addiction. Implement community-funded rehab centers tailored to local needs, as Asaba’s pioneering effort shows viability.

Adaptive Leadership

Leaders should enter challenging roles with a reform mindset. Azinge’s counsel: Engage directly in issues like poor roads, rather than remaining aloof, to achieve tangible results in Asaba development.

Points of Caution

Challenges of Traditional Roles

Azinge cautions that only a sitting Asagba fully grasps the role’s demands, including secrecy, potential fetish elements, and external pressures. Aspiring leaders must weigh personal convictions against communal insistence.

Mindset Barriers

Asaba’s residents exhibit individualism and skepticism toward collective funding. Caution: Without sustained transparency, trust-building efforts may falter, hindering projects.

Balancing Faith and Tradition

For faith-oriented individuals like Azinge, apparent contradictions between religious tenets and customary practices pose risks. Seek counsel to navigate without compromise.

Comparison

Law vs. Monarchy

Azinge’s legal career contrasts sharply with monarchy. Law operates in a regulated, codified environment, while traditional systems remain dynamic and fluid, as per his research on customary law reinstatement. Yet, both demand wisdom for judgment—legal precedents parallel ancestral norms.

Rulership vs. Governance

Traditional rulership implies passive custodianship, confined by palace protocols. Azinge’s traditional governance is proactive: he ventures into hospitality, tourism, and advocacy, akin to executive administration. This evolution leverages his DG experience for broader Asaba Kingdom impact.

Legal Implications

As a SAN and former DG of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Azinge’s work on customary law reinstatement carries direct implications for his role. Customary law in Nigeria, covering chieftaincy, marriages, land, and inheritance, is dynamic and uncodified, per national research involving stakeholders nationwide.

In Asaba Kingdom, his palace adjudicates disputes using these principles, ensuring finality. Legally, this aligns with Nigeria’s plural legal system under the 1999 Constitution, where customary courts operate alongside statutory ones. Azinge’s migration to traditional governance respects these frameworks while innovating, avoiding conflicts with statutory overrides on fundamental rights.

Conclusion

HRM Obi (Prof) Epiphany Azinge exemplifies how legal expertise can revitalize traditional leadership. As Asagba of Asaba, his shift to traditional governance addresses core challenges—mindset individualism, youth unemployment, and distrust—propelling Asaba Kingdom toward sustainable growth. By fostering community ownership in projects and welfare, Azinge not only honors ancestors but decodes their guidance for modern progress. His story teaches that wisdom surpasses knowledge, uniting people behind visionary leadership in Delta State and Nigeria.

FAQ

Sources

• Vanguard News: “Asagba of Asaba: Legal encyclopaedia-cum-activist replacing narrative from throne.” Published November 22, 2025. www.vanguardngr.com
• Azinge, Epiphany. Born to Serve (biography referenced in interview).
• Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies reports on customary law (Azinge’s tenure as DG).

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