Hon. Royal Clifford Isoboye Ateke, PhD, Chief Whip of the 8th Okrika Legislative Assembly and Chairman of the House Committee on Education, Business and Rules, presented two bills before the legislative chamber of Okrika Local Government Council on Thursday, October 22, 2026. Both passed their first and second readings at the sitting.
The first, the Okrika Local Government Library Board (Establishment) Bye-Law, 2026, seeks to set up a Library Board to administer, develop, maintain, and manage public libraries across the local government area. It is meant to promote a reading culture, educational advancement, research, digital literacy, and access to learning resources, especially for students and young people, and it provides for participation by relevant education authorities to ensure accountability, sustainability, and supervision.
The second, the Okrika Traditional Marriage Registration and Confirmation Bye-Law, 2026, seeks to create a formal framework for registering, documenting, and confirming traditional marriages conducted under Okrika customs.
It recognises the stages of Okrika traditional marriage, including Lekira Sime, Igwe Sime, and Yaa Sime (Okuru-Kaka), and provides for the council to issue official traditional marriage confirmation certificates. The aim is to preserve Okrika’s cultural heritage, improve marriage documentation, and give customary marriages an administrative framework, subject to applicable Nigerian laws.
Ateke said he is committed to people-oriented legislation that promotes education, cultural preservation, and institutional accountability. “Legislation must respond to the practical needs of our people. While education remains the foundation of sustainable development, our cultural institutions and traditional values equally deserve recognition and protection through appropriate legislative frameworks,” he said. “These two bills reflect our determination to strengthen educational opportunities for our young people while preserving the dignity and authenticity of our traditional marriage system.”
The bills will now go through committee consideration and reporting under the House’s procedures. Ateke commended the leadership and members of the Assembly for their commitment to effective lawmaking and said he would keep sponsoring legislation that benefits Okrika residents.
