The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has pledged to renovate the historic Memorial Hall of King J.T. Princewill, Amachree VII in Buguma, Rivers State, as part of its broader mandate to preserve the cultural identity and heritage of the Niger Delta region.

Addressing the Kalabari Traditional Rulers Council, at the palace of the Regent of the Kalabari Kingdom, Chief Charles Numbere Princewill, in Buguma, Rivers State, the NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, emphasised that the Commission’s vision for regional development extended beyond physical infrastructure.

Ogbnuku led a high-profile delegation of the NDDC Management and staff, alongside former staff of the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, to pay their last respects to the pioneer Chairman of OMPADEC, the late Pa Albert Korubo Horsfall.

He said: “Our development mandate goes beyond the construction of roads, bridges, and other physical infrastructure. It also entails preserving our history, culture, and heritage, which are essential to our identity as a people. We must ensure that these enduring legacies are protected and sustained for present and future generations.”

Ogbuku noted that the Memorial Hall of King J.T. Princewill stood as a monumental landmark representing the rich history, traditional heritage, and enduring identity of the Kalabari people. “The rehabilitation project aims to restore the facility into a beacon of historical pride for community members and visitors alike,” he said.

The NDDC boss observed that the historic kingdom also served as a solemn tribute to the late Pa Albert Korubo Horsfall, whose foundational leadership at OMPADEC paved the way for modern regional development interventions across the Niger Delta.

Ogbuku described his passing as a profound loss not only to his immediate family and the Kalabari Kingdom but to the entire Niger Delta region, acknowledging his immense contributions to the genesis of development administration in the area.

In response, the Regent of the Kalabari Kingdom, Chief Charles Numbere Princewill, thanked the NDDC delegation for honouring the late elder statesman and welcomed the Commission’s commitment to safeguarding the kingdom’s historic landmarks.

•PHOTO: NDDC Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku (right), comforting Mrs Henrietta Albert Korubo Horsfall (middle) during her late husband’s funeral service, Chief Albert Korubo Horsfall, at the Anglican Communion Ecclesiastical Diocese of Kalabari, Akuku-Toru LGA, Rivers State