RismadarVoice Reporters
September 27, 2026
The newly crowned Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom in Rivers State, King Charles Douglas MacPepple Jaja, Jeki VI, has unveiled plans to position the kingdom as a major centre for agriculture and agribusiness in the Niger Delta.
King Jaja disclosed the plan during his coronation on Saturday at King Jaja Square in Opobo Town, headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area.
The monarch said renewed investment in agriculture could create thousands of jobs, expand economic opportunities and accelerate development across the kingdom.
He recalled Opobo’s historical prominence as a major commercial centre in the Niger Delta, particularly during the era of the legendary King Jaja of Opobo.
King Jaja said the kingdom’s economic influence in the 19th century was built around trade, enterprise and strategic control of commercial routes.
He pledged to draw inspiration from that history by strengthening economic relationships with other regions and pursuing partnerships capable of expanding agriculture, agribusiness and other productive sectors.
The monarch also called for greater investment in infrastructure and development across oil-producing communities.
He expressed optimism that effective implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act would deliver tangible benefits to communities bearing the impact of petroleum exploration and production.
“We remain hopeful that the optimal implementation of the PIA will benefit oil-bearing communities,” he said.
King Jaja identified durable roads, jetties, shoreline protection, quality healthcare facilities, tertiary educational institutions and functional skills development centres among the infrastructure and services required to support the kingdom’s development.
He pledged to promote unity, justice and development while preserving the cultural heritage and dignity of the Opobo traditional institution.
King Jaja was formally crowned the sixth Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, succeeding the late King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, who died in 2025 and was buried in April 2026.
The coronation attracted prominent Nigerians, government officials and traditional rulers from different parts of the country.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, attended the ceremony, while Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara was represented by his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu.
Also present were the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III; the Amanyanabo of Bonny, King Edward Asimini Dappa Pepple; and other traditional rulers.
Jonathan urged the new monarch to use his reign to promote peace, development and unity while preserving Opobo’s historic heritage.
The Rivers State Government also described traditional institutions as important partners in preserving culture, strengthening unity and promoting peaceful communities.
King Jaja pledged that his reign would combine preservation of Opobo’s historic identity with efforts to expand economic opportunities and improve the well-being of the kingdom’s people.
