Asari Dokubo Declares: Elem Kalabari Is Back—140 Years Later

The Paramount Ruler of Elem Kalabari, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, has pledged to restore the ancient kingdom to global prominence, 140 years after it was deserted and largely forgotten.

Speaking during a celebration of his 61st birthday, held in the heart of the revitalized community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dokubo declared that a new era has begun for Elem Kalabari, long regarded as the ancestral home of the Kalabari people.

The event also marked five months since the official return to the land, which had previously become overgrown and sparsely occupied after decades of neglect.

“What we are going to do, nobody has imagined. Even if I tell you now, you won’t believe it,” Dokubo said. “You can now walk freely here. After 140 years of abandonment, the kingdom has come alive again.”

He traced Elem Kalabari’s significance back to the 15th century, highlighting its international relevance between 1444 and 1885, before it was formally evacuated. “Our return is ordained by God, and we are going to put Elem Kalabari back on the global map,” he affirmed.

Although Dokubo holds the title of Paramount Ruler of Elem Kalabari, he emphasized that the kingdom operates under the broader traditional authority of the King of Kalabari.

Also speaking at the event, Hon. Sobomabo Jackrich, chairman of the organizing committee, described the remarkable transformation that has taken place in just five months.

“This land was a forest just months ago, home only to a few individuals—mostly bunkerers. Today, it’s a place of rebirth. No hitches, no conflict—just progress. Projects are ongoing, and God has been faithful,” Jackrich said.

The occasion symb

The Paramount Ruler of Elem Kalabari, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, has pledged to restore the ancient kingdom to global prominence, 140 years after it was deserted and largely forgotten.

Speaking during a celebration of his 61st birthday, held in the heart of the revitalized community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, Dokubo declared that a new era has begun for Elem Kalabari, long regarded as the ancestral home of the Kalabari people.

The event also marked five months since the official return to the land, which had previously become overgrown and sparsely occupied after decades of neglect.

“What we are going to do, nobody has imagined. Even if I tell you now, you won’t believe it,” Dokubo said. “You can now walk freely here. After 140 years of abandonment, the kingdom has come alive again.”

He traced Elem Kalabari’s significance back to the 15th century, highlighting its international relevance between 1444 and 1885, before it was formally evacuated. “Our return is ordained by God, and we are going to put Elem Kalabari back on the global map,” he affirmed.

Although Dokubo holds the title of Paramount Ruler of Elem Kalabari, he emphasized that the kingdom operates under the broader traditional authority of the King of Kalabari.

Also speaking at the event, Hon. Sobomabo Jackrich, chairman of the organizing committee, described the remarkable transformation that has taken place in just five months.

“This land was a forest just months ago, home only to a few individuals—mostly bunkerers. Today, it’s a place of rebirth. No hitches, no conflict—just progress. Projects are ongoing, and God has been faithful,” Jackrich said.

The occasion symbolized not just a birthday celebration but the beginning of a cultural and infrastructural renaissance for Elem Kalabari—a kingdom rising once more from the shadows of history.

olized not just a birthday celebration but the beginning of a cultural and infrastructural renaissance for Elem Kalabari—a kingdom rising once more from the shadows of history.