His Royal Majesty, Engr. Michael Ogheneovo Orugbo, JP, KP, Okporua I, Ovie of Udu Kingdom, held a thanksgiving service on Sunday 9 November 2025 to give thanks to God for the presentation of his Staff of Office. The service came two days after the Deputy Governor of Delta State, H.E. Sir Monday Onyeme, formally presented the staff to the Ovie.
The thanksgiving closed a week of great significance for the kingdom. It gave the Ovie and the people of Udu an occasion to pause, reflect and offer thanks for what had been accomplished.
A Week of Milestones
On Friday 7 November 2025, Udu Kingdom marked the presentation of the Staff of Office, an event attended by former Governor James Ibori, the Deputy Governor of Delta State, the member representing Udu in the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. (Rev.) Francis Ejiroghene Waive, and fellow Ovies from across Delta State.
Under Delta State chieftaincy law, the Staff of Office is the instrument by which an Ovie is empowered to discharge his functions as the paramount traditional ruler of his kingdom. For Udu, that means serving as mediator of customary disputes, custodian of communal land and representative of the kingdom at the Council of Traditional Rulers. With its presentation, the reign of Okporua I stands complete in custom and in law.
Two days later, the Ovie gathered his people in prayer. Where the ceremony of Friday spoke to the state and to fellow monarchs, the service on Sunday spoke to God, and it showed how the kingdom understands its throne: as a trust held under divine guidance.
Why Thanksgiving Matters
In Udu, as across the Niger Delta, a major milestone is rarely marked by ceremony alone. Custom and faith go together, and moments of achievement are met with gratitude. A thanksgiving service is a way of recognising that a reign is carried by more than one man, and that the support of family, chiefs, elders and the wider community has made it possible.
For the Ovie, the service was also a public act of humility. By giving thanks so soon after receiving the Staff of Office, His Royal Majesty placed the new chapter of his reign in the hands of God before turning to the duties ahead.
It also set a tone for the reign. Thanksgiving points to service, and a ruler who begins in prayer signals that his throne exists for the good of his people.
The Throne and the People
Since his ascension, His Royal Majesty has carried the throne name Okporua I, which ties his reign to the long line of rulers who came before him. The thanksgiving service continues that line, because every Ovie of Udu has held his office with the blessings of his people and the guidance of his faith.
For sons and daughters of Udu at home and abroad, the service is also a reminder that the throne is theirs. Many in Lagos, Abuja and the wider diaspora look to the palace as a link to home, and moments like this one keep that link strong.
Looking Ahead
With the Staff of Office presented and thanks given, attention now turns to the work of the reign. The responsibilities of the Ovie are clear: to settle disputes fairly, to guard the land held in trust for the community and to speak for Udu in the councils of Delta State.
The people of Udu have reason to be hopeful. The throne now has the full recognition of custom and law, and the Ovie has asked for the blessing of God on his reign.
His Royal Majesty, Okporua I, begins his reign grounded in faith, tradition and service to the people of Udu Kingdom.