By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Abuja

National President of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, Comrade Biobelemoye Josiah has been crowned Ogbodo VIII, Amayanabo of Opu-Nembe kingdom, a first-class stool in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria.

Comrade Josiah, who is also the National Chairman, Joint Health Sector Unions of Nigeria, JOHESU, has gone through the traditional rites and is now addressed as His Royal Majesty, King Biobelemoye Josiah.

He attained the Royal stool after defeating two others at the final contest to the throne.

King Biobelemoye Josiah polled 64 votes to defeat Admiral Victor K. Ombu with 5 votes and Chief (Arc). Baratuaipre Edoghotu with 2.

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Soon after, the king-elect was led by the Council of Chiefs to Ogbodo-Square for presentation to the Deputy Chiefs, Elders, Women, Youths and citizens of the Kingdom. Thereafter, the traditional rites of chalking on the forehead and Knocking on the head were conducted in King Ogbodo masoulium to formalise the election winner and ending all humiliation of the King.

Afterwards, King Biobelemoye Josiah was dressed in the warrior attire and fashion of the ancient King. A dress code he will put on for the next seven days, although with different designs for each day.

The king remains in the mausoleum, where he receives visitors from all works of life for the next seven days, thereafter he takes a familiarisation tour of the whole kingdom.

After the tour, the initial traditional rites of anointing ends. The official coronation date will be decided by the King and his Council of Chiefs.

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HRM Biobelemoye Josiah was born on Wednesday, December 16, 1964, in Nembe-Bassambiri(Opu-Nembe), in what is today Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He attended St. Peters State School Odioma for his primary schooling, finishing there in 1976.

By 1981, he secured his West Africa School Certificate (WASC) and two years later, was admitted by the Rivers State Ministry of Health, to pursue a medical laboratory course at the School of Health Technology, which he finished in 1986.

Bio, as he is fondly called, subsequently bagged a Higher Diploma in Environmental Health and Industrial Safety from the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria in 2013.

This was after securing a Bachelors degree from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, nine years earlier. With the creation of Bayelsa state in 1996, he has been in the employment of the Bayelsa state Hospital Management Board since then, till date.

HRM, King Biobelemoye Josiah is an experienced trade unionist who has served in all levels of the MHWUN organisation.

Vanguard News Nigeria