Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has assured the people of Nkanu land and Ndi Enugu at large that he will continue to serve with integrity, humility and the full measure of his capacity, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in him by traditional rulers of the area.
Mbah gave the assurance on Friday during the 50th coronation anniversary of the traditional ruler of Ihuokpara in Nkanu East Local Government Area, HRM Igwe Fidelis Ogbu Nwatu, the Grand Patron of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council.
The governor was responding to his endorsement by royal fathers of Nkanu land, who presented him with an Ofo staff—the revered Igbo symbol of authority, truth and justice—led by Igwe Nwatu and assisted by the Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Igwe Samuel Asadu.
“I would like to begin by thanking our elders and our revered royal fathers for the event of today and what has just happened. The weight, import and significance of the ofo I have just received cannot be lost on me as an Nkanu man,” Mbah said.
“In our culture, what you see me holding in my left hand is beyond symbols because our traditional rulers are the representatives of our ancestors. I am sure they must have communed with our ancestors for today’s event to take place. We have our ancestors speaking through them.
“So, this is not an ordinary honour. This is trust, authority and it has been conferred on me by no other but by my people. It is an honour bestowed on me by my kinsmen that can never be compared to any other honour under the sun.”
The governor acknowledged that the endorsement came with enormous responsibility, assuring the royal fathers that their confidence would not be misplaced.
“I know that this endorsement is for us to continue to serve Ndi Enugu and it comes with responsibility. I understand that clearly. And I want to reassure our elders and traditional rulers that I will continue to serve Ndi Enugu with humility and with all the energy that I have and every fiber of my being, making you proud. You will never regret your action,” Mbah stated.
Governor Mbah also felicitated the celebrant, Igwe Nwatu, describing his 50 years on the throne as a testament to honour, service and divine approval.
“50 years of service on the throne cannot be achieved by force. If a man has served his people for 50 years and they gathered so massively as we are seeing here today to celebrate him, then it is a reflection of honour to a man, who has dedicated his time in service to his community,” he said.
“So, on behalf of the Government and good people of Enugu State, I convey our hearty felicitations. May God grant you many more years so that we can continue to benefit from your wealth of experience, wisdom, and knowledge,” the governor added.
Mbah further reassured traditional rulers in the state of a significant improvement in their welfare, beginning from January 2026.
“We know that the traditional rulers are the custodians of our values, memory, and culture. As a government, we will provide the structure and the system that work with the soul of this traditional institution, which is why in our budget this year, we placed their welfare as top priority to the government.
“So, when you receive your alerts starting for the month of January this 2026 and going forward, you are going to feel something that is humongous that you will not be able to contain your excitement. We are also going to provide vehicles to all our principal officers of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council,” he announced.
Presenting the Ofo staff, Igwe Nwatu, who spoke on behalf of the Nkanu royal fathers, cited what he described as Governor Mbah’s exceptional leadership, landmark projects and transformational governance, noting that “Enugu State has never had it so good.”
According to him, the presentation of the Ofo was a clear endorsement of the governor to continue on the path of good governance and development.
Highlights of the celebration included the unveiling of a book titled “Leadership as Service: A Portrait of Stewardship, Justice and Peace,” authored by Igwe Nwatu, as well as the cutting of the golden jubilee anniversary cake by the celebrant, flanked by Governor Mbah and other dignitaries.
The well-attended event drew prominent personalities, including former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani; Chief Patricia Nwobodo, wife of a former governor of old Anambra State, alongside political leaders, captains of industry and admirers of the traditional ruler and the Ihuokpara community from across Nigeria and beyond.
