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The Amanyanabo of Elem Kalabari, Da Amakiri Tubo, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, has visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to strengthen cultural and economic relations between the Kalabari Kingdom and Ile-Ife.
During the visit, Dokubo-Asari invited the Ooni and his council to attend the final rites of his coronation, known as SE DIYE, scheduled for December 19, 2026, at the King Amachree Memorial Hall in Buguma, Rivers State.
The visit is part of a series of engagements with prominent traditional rulers across the country ahead of the ceremony. Dokubo-Asari had earlier visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Etsu Nupe.
Speaking during the visit, the Kalabari monarch said his cordial relationship with the Ooni informed his decision to personally extend the invitation.
“It is based on the cordial relationship that we have built that I am here today to invite His Imperial Majesty and his council to my SE DIYE, the final rites of coronation on December 19, 2026, in Buguma,” he said.
Welcoming Dokubo-Asari to his palace in Ile-Ife, the Ooni described him as a fearless personality, declaring that “the fear of Asari Dokubo is the beginning of wisdom.”
The monarch also commended the Kalabari ruler for the manner in which he had conducted himself since ascending the throne. He expressed appreciation for the relationship and goodwill Dokubo-Asari had extended to President Bola Tinubu.
Describing the visit as a homecoming for the Kalabari monarch, the Ooni presented him with a bronze artwork, explaining that it symbolised the importance of people as a source of strength.
The meeting is expected to create further opportunities for collaboration between the two traditional institutions in cultural exchange, historical documentation, heritage tourism and economic development.
Ile-Ife is widely regarded in Yoruba tradition as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation, while the Elem Kalabari Kingdom has a rich heritage shaped by maritime trade, traditional governance and cultural interactions in the Niger Delta.
Dokubo-Asari’s engagements with the Ooni, the Sultan of Sokoto and the Etsu Nupe underscore efforts to strengthen ties between the Elem Kalabari traditional institution and other historic kingdoms ahead of the final rites of his coronation.
The SE DIYE ceremony is scheduled to hold on Saturday, December 19, 2026, at the King Amachree Memorial Hall in Buguma, Rivers State.
Members of the monarch’s entourage included Prince Tonye T.J.T. Princewill, Paramount Head of the Queen Elebabene Da Ogo group of houses and satellite communities of the Kalabari Kingdom; Hajia Ramat Dokubo-Asari; Hajia Halima Dokubo-Asari; Mallam Mustapha Wakama; Flora Ezeoko; Alhaji Humphrey Onyanabo; Prince Melford Princewill; Bashir Lawal; and Alhaji Sanni Kazeem Adebayo.
