Delta State Government on Saturday presented staff of office to HRM Francis Fedode Tabai as the traditional ruler of Tuomo clan in Burutu Local Government Area of the State.
TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports at the presentation ceremony, the story was told of how the Tuomo traditional ruler lost 8 siblings to the barbaric tradition of the killing of twins.
According to the narrative, mother of HRM Tabai had two sets of twins before his birth. Tabai was a single birth. After him, the mother had two more sets of twins. All the sets of twins were thrown into the high sea to drown within hours of being born.
“As the story was being told at the ceremony yesterday, people developed goose pimples even under the hot sun,” former Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was present at the ceremony, said.
“I was imagining what those children would have become today. Happily we were told that a few years after that, it took a bold and courageous headmaster a lot of energy and determination to stop the killing of twins in that area,” Uduaghan, who described Tabai as his friend and elder, added.
According to the Delta State former Governor, at 76 years, Tabai has already achieved a lot in life, at Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta states, and the Federal levels.
“All these achievements were under his control. HRM Rt Justice Tabai has a very rich CV. Something was however, not under his control. He is an only child, having lost 8 siblings to the then cruel “customs and traditions”. Like several traditions in our communities back then, twin children were murdered.
“Today, there are still several customs and traditions that have to be stopped. HRM Rt. Justice F. F. Tabai and his colleagues must be bold enough to stop them. One that must be stopped immediately is female circumcision.
“Congratulations HRM. You started life as a victim of tradition. At well over 76 years, you are back to take control of customs and traditions. I wish you a long and successful reign,” Uduaghan stated.