Bakana, an ancient community in Kalabari Kingdom on Saturday, 16th August, 2020 went agog as King Odum Barboy Royal House installed HRH, Lawrence Odum Barboy IX as the new King of Bakana.

Thousands of Bakana indigenes witnessed the installation of the new monarch.

During the installation, the new Amanyanabo performed the sacred traditional rites of Nama Pele (slaughtering of goat) and pouring of drinks (libation) to the ancestors.

Speaking shortly after his installation, King Odum Barboy IX, the new paramount head of Bakana thanked the Royal Odum Barboy House for selecting him as the new King of Bakana community.

He expressed optimism that his ascension to the prestigious ancient kingship stool of King Odum Barboy will usher in the needed development in the community.

The new Bakana monarch stated that his selection was in order and in accordance with the custom and tradition of Kalabari Kingdom. King Odum Barboy IX maintained that as a young man he will initiate policies and programmes that will launch Bakana on the speedy lane of development.

He blasted some group of persons who according to the Bakana monarch are organizing illegal meetings at Akpajo, in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State to foment trouble in the community.

King Odum Barboy IX advised them to desist from such evil acts and declared that having performed the traditional rites (namapele), such rites cannot be done twice by anyone.

The newly installed monarch noted that it has already been decided by both judicial and customary authorities that with regard to the kingship stool toof Bakana, only the Odum Barboy Royal House has the right to elect, select, and install the Amanyanabo of Bakana after the demise of his predecessor, and not the Bakana Council of Chiefs nor any other entity in Bakana. Then after the selection, the Barboy Royal House will present the candidate to the Bakana Chiefs Council. That anyone who is aggrieved by his installation should look for a proper avenue to ventilate his or her anger and not to cause unnecessary panic or chaos in the community.

The new King applauded the security agents stationed in the community, expressing joy that they have brought peace into the community especially during his installation as the Amanyanabo of Bakana.

The monarch had earlier commended Governor Nyesom Wike for bringing development into the area, particularly the massive renovation of the modern Obama High School, Bakana, which he noted that after its completion would facilitate the educational development of the community.

The new monarch also lauded Gov Wike for placing the interests of Rivers people above self which according to him, has produced visible landmark achievements across the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.

The new Amayanabo of Bakana enumerated some of these achievements by Gov Wike to include: The Ogbunabali land reclamation and dredging project, building of the national industrial court, renovation of the dilapidated Court of Appeal complex, the new Federal High Court building, the Judges' quarters and the new ultra-modern NBA Secretariat.

Others are the Okuru, Woji, Akpajo Roads with link bridges, the Elelenwo, Akpajo roads (former Old Aba Road) project, Okrika internal link roads (spanning several kilometers), construction of Creek Road, Bonny Street and other major roads in Port Harcourt Township, the ongoing construction of Old GRA/Forces Avenue Link Roads, prompt payment of Civil Servants (land and marine) to all the security agencies, Bakana Land reclamation and shore protection projects/ongoing building of modern Obama High School, Bakana, Degema Local Government Area of the State and other completed and ongoing projects too numerous to mention across the 23 Local Government Areas of the State.