A popular Human Rights and advocacy organization in the Niger Delta region, The Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) on Tuesday launched a high-level multi-stakeholder roundtable dialogue among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Delta State with a view to de-escalating the recurring tensions among these ethnic groups and strengthen bonds of peaceful coexistence among the people.
In attendance at the peacebuilding dialogue held at King George Hall, Warri South Local Government Area was a wide spectrum of stakeholders, comprising community leaders, security agencies, market traders, civil society organizations and representatives of the various ethnic nationalities resident across Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.
Communities represented included Okere Urhobo Kingdom Communities, Itsekiri Communities, Agbarha-Warri Kingdom Communities and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom communities, among others.
Representatives of the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Kogi-Igala and Isoko communities residence in Delta State were equally present.
The session which focused on “restoring the glory of Warri, rebuilding trust, promoting unity and preventing conflict through sustained engagement” also had in attendance security and civil society leaders, including, SP Musa Yau-Kangiwa, DPO ‘A’ Division, Warri; ASP Hezekiah Okpabi (representing ‘B’ Division, Warri); Prof. Andrew Agboro, Chairman, Delta State Civil Society Organisations; Sylvester Okoh, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Warri Peace Community Support Initiative; and ASP Obehi Idiake, Station Officer, ‘A’ Division, Warri.
Addressing the gathering, the CEPEJ National Coordinator and Ibe-Sorimowei of Ancient oil-rich Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, PhD noted that “the peace initiative aligns with CEPEJ’s sustained advocacy for durable peace and stability in Warri and neighbouring areas”.
It is imperative to state that in our contemporary society, there are two major triggers of war: conflict investors and conflict beneficiaries. Hence, eliminating conflicts becomes difficult challenge. However, we can do everything possible to de-escalate and make it unattractive.
Mulade stressed the need to consolidate on the existing harmony in Warri Federal Constituency and its environs just as he expressed appreciation to market women and representatives of non-indigenes including the Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Isoko, Kogi and Igala communities for their participation.
He said, “Warri Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo are one. We have lived in peace even before now. Warri is our own, and the essence of peace is to consolidate and strengthen it”.
Mulade lauded the participants for their commitment and called for continued collaboration to ensure a peaceful and inclusive Warri.
The event featured a keynote address by Dr.Austin Onuoha, Adjunct Faculty, National Peace Academy, Abuja, who urged all ethnic groups to “embrace unity and collective responsibility as the foundation for lasting peace in Warri”.
A major highlight of the event was a unity drama display which postulated the importance of coexistence and unity among the various ethnic groups in Warri and the inauguration of a 20-member Warri Indigenes and Residents Peacebuilding Committee (WIRPC) drawn from the various ethnic nationalities including non Indigenes of Warri.
The committee, according to Mulade, is “mandated to deepen stakeholder engagement, de-escalate tensions, sustain dialogue and reinforce peaceful practices across communities”.
The committee will operate for one year within which remarkable progress would have been achieved.
