Niger Delta
Bayelsa Urges Monarchs To Profile Non-Indigenes
Bayelsa State Government has said, traditional rulers who fail to open registers to profile visitors and non-indigenes engaged in business and other socio-economic activities in their areas, may face the wrath of the law.
The state’s Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, dropped the hint at the second round of local government by local government meetings with traditional rulers across the state, beginning with Ekeremor Council Area in his office in Yenagoa.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, explained that the state government had earlier directed the traditional rulers to carry out the profiling in its previous meetings with them in which securty topped the agenda.
Making reference to a recent policy announcement by the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, he maintained that the issue of profiling had become compulsory in view of the current security situation in the country.
The deputy governor, described the situation where most communities in Bayelsa State do not know the number and kinds of people carrying out all sorts of activities in their forests, farmlands and rivers, as “no longer acceptable to government.”
Senator Ewhrudjakpo, who lamented that Bayelsans had left their traditional fishing and farming occupations to strangers, reiterated his call on the royal fathers to expedite action on the opening of registers and close monitoring of visitors in their various communities.
He also expressed deep concern about recent violent activities in some communities in Ekeremor Local Government Area due to unnecessary chieftaincy tussles and dispute over the chairmanship of cluster boards and community development committees (CDC).
The deputy governor urged traditional rulers to reside in their communities as the custodians of peace and play a neutral role in CDC and other community elections in order to earn and sustain the respect of their subjects.
“In our previous meeting, we took time to explain the policy thrust of government on security. We told you that communities will now do what we call profiling of visitors. We will be happy if you inform us in this meeting what each of you have done in that respect. We are going to follow up our directive now. So, you must cooperate with government to secure our communities because as you all know, security is a collective responsibility”, he said.
“Only last month, the National Security Adviser had written and announced that it is now compulsory for all traditional rulers in their communities to have a book to register visitors that come to their communities and what they came to do.You can see that what we discussed at the last meeting was preemptive of that announcement and the action the Federal Government is taking now. It means, we are on the right course.
“We will appreciate if you expedite it, because we need to know who is coming to farm, fish, or do any other business in our communities. Unfortunately, we have left all our traditional occupations to strangers to do, and now, we buy fish from strangers who have taken over our rivers and fishing ports, “ he added.
In their separate remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Ogbere, and the Chairman, House Committee on Youth and Sports, Hon. Tari Porri, expressed concern over the rising tide of piracy in the area and called on the traditional rulers to provide useful information to the security agencies to curb the menace.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Chief Thompson Amule, enjoined the royal fathers to always be on the same page with government to promote unity and peaceful coexistence in their communities.
In his contribution, the new Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State, CP Echeng Eworo Echeng, promised to strengthen community policing and urged community leaders and their people to provide useful intelligence to the police for prompt response and action.
On their part, the traditional rulers including the Amananaowei of Ekeremor Town, King Agbodo Gbaseimo and the Regent of Oporomor Kingdom, Chief Mitin Tamaramieyefa, thanked the Deputy Governor for fulfilling his promise of meeting with traditional rulers before the end of the year.
While stressing the need for constant engagement and according more recognition to all levels of the traditional institution, they assured government of their preparedness to comply with the directive on profiling and other programmes to promote security in their communities.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Speaking during the hand over ceremony, which attracted an array of personalities from various works of life, the 13th Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of IAUE, Chief Chinyere Igwe, commended the Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, for giving back to the University with the institute’s building project.
While affirming that Government cannot do it all, he encouraged individuals, corporate organizations, institutional partners to ensure the growth of University education in Nigeria.
He praised Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) for sustaining University Education in Nigeria, and called for good initiatives and support “that will not only benefit the University, but put IAUE on the map of academic excellence in Nigeria and beyond.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Professor Onuchuku, expressed gratitude to his wife, Mrs. Chika Onuchuku, and family for all the support given for the vision achieved.
He also thanked his close associates, political friends, well-wishers, and others who donated generously towards the building project.
“The growth of Universities all over the world”, Professor Onuchuku said, “comes from personal efforts of individuals, alumni associations and others.”
He noted that donations as being witnessed is the best way to go and called on all to invest in the Nigerian education system and immortalize their names with worthwhile donations and contributions..
The Okey Onuchuku Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies building, he further stated, “is donated as a Professorial Chair with the Dean of Postgraduate School, Professor Chibuzor Chile Nwobueze, also a Professor of Peace Studies, as the occupant of the Professorial Chair.
Giving his address, the Director, Okey Onuchuku Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, Professor Kingdom Elendu Ohia Nwaenyi, lauded Professor Okechuku Onuchuku for sacrificing his hard earned salaries, allowances and funds raised from two volumes of textbooks in his honour and titled “Perspectives on Nigeria’s Development”, launched on his 60th birthday.
He noted that the project is the first legacy to be accomplished by any serving Vice Chancellor in the institution.
Professor Nwaenyi stated that the Institute mounted five programmes: Peace and Conflict Studies; Peace Building and Development; Peace Building and Security Studies; Peace Building and Conflict Management; and Peace Education.
The institute, he explained, has birthed over fifty students running programmes in Postgraduate Diploma, M.A, M.Sc, M. Phil, and PhD.
Thirty students are in the PhD programme, fifteen are admitted into the Masters and M.Phil, and eight in Postgraduate Diploma Programme.
He expressed hoped that the Institute would check litigation and provide alternative dispute resolution.
In a vote of thanks, the Chairman, Okey Onuchuku Peace and Conflict Studies and Dean of Postgraduate School, Professor Chibuzor Chile Nwobueze, thanked God for His grace and enablement.
He prayed for the donor and Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, and further expressed his gratitude to Professor Isaac Olawale Albert, the third most cited Peace Scholar in the world, for his collaboration in developing a world class curriculum.
While thanking all who supported and celebrated with the University in this regard, Professor Nwobueze assured the public that the Okey Onuchuku institute of Peace and Conflict Studies will emerge as a centre of excellence, contributing meaningfully to scholarship, policy formulation, community engagement and the promotion of peaceful coexistence within Nigeria, Africa and the global Community.
The Institute, he stated, is willing to partner with the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP) in line with its mandate to promote peace studies, Peace building, Conflict Management and sustainable development.
The institute has over four lecture halls with sixty to one hundred and twenty capacity, a befitting conference hall, offices for staff and a library.
A donation of one million naira was made during the event for the best two graduating students of the institute by Barrister Nyema Wagbara, the Leader of Dynamic Development Club of Port Harcourt based in Rumuolumeni.
Each of the two best graduating students will get the sum of five hundred thousand naira.
The event featured goodwill messages from Professor Isaac Albert, Professor Alwell Nteegah, the Chairman of Society for Peace Studies and Practice, Rivers State Chapter, Dr. Benjamin Ibietonye.
Dr. Emem Nyewene presented the goodwill message of the Society for Peace Studies and Practice National.
Others who gave goodwill messages are Ambassador Green Isaac, the Country Director, Relief International Africa, and Comrade Levi Zachariah George, Chairman Postgraduate Students Association.
The event also featured rendition for Professor Okechuku Onuchuku by Dr Maria Abidiak.
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