…sues for peaceful coexistence in Nigeria
As the agitation for the creation of Obolo state carries momentum, the people of Oro-Obolo ethic nationality have declared full support for the creation of Obolo state from the present Akwa Ibom State and Rivers State.
The Secretary General of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide( IYC)/Director General of Movement For the Creation of Obolo State, Hon. Etekan Esuikup Obediah an Obolo son from Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State said the group is in total solidarity of the recent demand for the creation of Obolo state and other salient issues raised by the Paramount Ruler Ibeno local Government, HRM Owong Prof Effiong Bassey Archianga, stressing that the Obolo state creation is long overdue.
The Council Secretary in a press statement made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday described the position of the Monarch for the state creation as timely, as a result of the ongoing nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests and also declared his stands for their own state.
It would be recalled that the Ibeno Royal Father recently addressed a press conference in the presence of his traditional rulers council members, youths, women among others in his Palace, requesting for the creation of Obolo State, abolishment/abrogation of what he termed as anti remapping law in Akwa Ibom State which the immediate past government of Mr Udom Emmanuel enacted because of oil and gas and other minerals in Obolo nation which according to him is inimical to peaceful coexistence of ethic groups in the state.
Again, Archianga demanded for the creation of Ibeno State Constituency as well as a separate Federal Constituency and Senatorial District for the Oro-Obolo people because of the economic importance of the areas, emphasising that Ibeno person is not in the current State Executive Council of the state and lamented the political suppression of his people in the scheme of things in the state.
The Former two term Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Traditional Rulers Council equally appealed to President Bola Ammed Tinubu to deal divisively at all cost, the root cause of hardship in the country.
IYC Scribe noted, “the current peaceful position of the Oro-obolo ethic nationality which our states are currently enjoying the existing peace is as a result of the Oro-obolo indigenes whom are highly responsible and peaceful in nature”
He advised the steaming youths to continue to maintain peaceful gestures and intellectual approach to the ongoing protests.
Obediah strongly believed that state Governor’s will bring succour to the current dilemma in the states and country at large.
The statement reads in parts, “the agitation by the Monarch cannot be over emphasised and politicized by mere divide and rule syndrome and by so called stakeholders forum of Ibeno Local Government Area which is non existence, as the Monarch is exploring his good stool to agitate for the overall interest of Oro-Obolo ethic nationalities”.
The Obolo Youth leader called on the Oro-Obolo people to discountenance any form of media attack on the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno and Life Patron of TROMPCOM who is fighting for the good of his people, describing him as a revered monarch of no mean repute.
He cautioned Mr Williams Mkpa who claimed to speak on behalf of Ibeno Stakeholders Forum because of his personal vendetta against the Paramount Ruler Ibeno LGA, to desist from such act and join the campaign that will attract good things to Obolos.
He appealed to the State Governor’s of Obolo ethic Nationality in Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia State respectively, that they should look critically into marginalization, imbalance of political appointments, youth empowerments, and job unemployment in the States as according to him, these will be an aid to the vulnerable indigenes of Oro-Obolo ethic group.
The Secretary General also lended his advocacy to the ongoing protest by the youths in the country and tagged “hunger strike”.
He said, “The policies of Mr. President in his welcome address on the first day as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has brought Nigerian’s into these quagmire. Nigerian’s need a better life because the economic of Nigeria has inflated the cost of living in Africa as a whole..
“Recall that Mr President fuel subsidy removal without adequate economic policies and a back up plan has led to high cost of fuel and living which has sabotage the whole price index of Nigeria and Africa economy at large”, he concluded.