Eastern Obolo monarch, stakeholders sue for peace over Akwa Ibom remapping unrest
Following the recent unrest in some parts of the state arising from the Akwa Ibom state government’s remapping policy, the Paramount Ruler of Eastern Obolo, His Royal Majesty, Uboon (Elder) Harry John Etetor, IIile IX, has sued for peace while calling on the youths to sheath their sword.
The royal father made the call while addressing a Peace and Unity Rally in the area on Saturday, 8th July 2023. The rally according to organizers was to propagate peace among the people and sue for calm to enable the new administration of Pastor Umo Eno to wade into the matter towards finding a lasting solution.
recall that the recent announcement and the signing into law of the bill for the remapping of Akwa Ibom State by the immediate past administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel has not gone down well with some local government areas who feel marginalised by the policy thereby triggering unrest in some parts of the state
The monarch expressed optimism in the administration of Pastor Umo Eno to fulfill his campaign promises to the people and attract meaningful development to the local government which he described as the governor’s second home.
While urging the governor to carry Eastern Obolo people along in his administration, the traditional father described Eastern Obolo as peace-loving people who are ready to cooperate and support the state government to give them justice agitation.
He tasked youths of the area with self-development to prepare them for better opportunities in the future while also urging them to shun violence, criminalities and acts capable of destroying their brighter future but fear God and respect elders and constituted authorities.
The traditional ruler assured Sterling Global Company operating in the community of cooperation and a conducive, peaceful environment for them to operate and charged them to ensure they also live up to their social responsibility.
On her part, the member representing Eastern Obolo/Ikot Abasi State Constituency, Hon. Selina Ukpatu charged the youths to embrace peace and give peace a chance for meaningful development to take place in the community while calling on them to share in Pastor Umo Eno’s vision to develop the state and the area in particular.
She assured them that Eastern Obolo is on Governor Umo Eno’s priority list for development and solicited their support to the state government by remaining peaceful and law-abiding.
In a paper titled “Conditions Precedent for Community Growth, the former member representing Eastern Obolo/Ikot Abasi State Constituency, Sir Adasi Obolom identify peace, strong leadership, ability to embrace change, education, citizen’s engagement and access to community resources as some conditions necessary for community growth adding that no community can succeed in an atmosphere of crisis and rancour.
“If the living can tell the dead, ‘rest in peace’, why can’t the living be in peace? Communities infested with crisis do not only drive away investors or foreigners, but they can also eventually consume themselves. They can said to be atomistic.
“Peace is, therefore, the greatest foundation for growth and development in any society. A people without peace do not make headway in life. A society without peace is void of unity. Even the Bible says “Behold how good it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” he noted.
He further explained that for the community to grow they must embark on what he described as the “regeneration of characters and ways of doing things”
Speaking, the representative of Sterling Global Company Limited operating in the area, Engr Amit Ghosh commended the community for their peaceful disposition and cooperation so far with the company and sued for more while assuring them to be socially responsible.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman, Eastern Obolo Peace and Unity Rally 2023 Planning Committee Sam Ukoima (Esq) said the event was organised to promote peaceful co-existence among the people and to chart the course of development of the area in line with Governor Umo Eno’s peace and prosperity initiatives.
He noted that Eastern Obolo is determined to key into Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE AGENDA for sustained development to take place in the area and called on the people to embrace peace which according to him is the foundation of Umo Eno’s administration.
The well-attended rally which features carnival floating, cultural display media parley was witnessed by people from all walks of life and different political parties.
Meanwhile, youths of the Eastern Obolo in a charter signed by various youth stakeholders in the area and presented to the Paramount Ruler, DPO, and representative of Sterling Global resolved to put an end to restiveness and embrace peace in line with Pastor Umo Eno’s ARISE AGENDA and for the development of the community.