Ex-Agitators Celebrate One Year Of Peace In Andoni

Thousands of ex-agitators from all the nooks and crannies of Andoni Local Government Area have pledged to sustain the peace accord signed a year ago in the area.
The ex-agitators made the pledge during the celebration of one year anniversary of the restoration of peace in Andoni at Agwut Obolo, the traditional headquarters of Andoni.
Speaking during the celebration, an ex-agitator, Ogunyana Ogolo Peter, said peace has come to stay in Andoni, promising that he and his colleagues would ensure that Andoni remains the most peaceful local government area in Rivers State.
Peter also urged investors to come and do business in Andoni.
“We have been enjoying peace. Andoni is peaceful and you can come to Andoni and do your business”.
He commended the Andoni Local Government Chairman, Barrister Erastus Awortu, and the Andoni Traditional Rulers Council for their efforts in unifying the various warring groups in the area.
Also speaking, another ex-agitator, Obidiah Lazarus, attributed the peace prevailing in the area to the effort of the local government chairman, noting that his community, Unyeada, was now peaceful and experiencing rapid development.
“The chairman is God sent. If other chairmen have done this, a lot would have been achieved”, he said.
Another ex-agitator, Obidiah Owen, however, urged the traditional rulers in the area to keep to their promises, promising that the ex-agitators would also keep to the peace accord.
He urged the government to provide employment opportunities for the youths to prevent them from crimes.
In separate interviews with The Tide, the Coordinator of Andoni Peace Monitoring Committee, Comrade Eliaha Amie Simeon, and representative of the local government chairman, Gershon Zebedee, commended the ex-agitators for their commitment to the peace accord.
According to Simeon, “the success story is overwhelming. It is the singular reason all our brothers, the ex-agitators can come home, do business together and eat together”.
He noted that investors have started coming to Andoni because of the restoration of peace in the area.
“Investors have been coming to invest in Andoni. This is a landmark achievement and we call on all to rally round the local government council to attend to the need of the ex-agitators”, he said.
Chairman of Andoni Local Government Council, Barrister Erastus Awortu, represented by Mr.Gershon Zebedee, in his remarks, said, “We are here today in respect of the peace we enjoy in Andoni. As you can see we have the various warring groups in Andoni here”.
He said the council would fulfil all the promises made to the ex-agitators, but pleaded for time to fulfill them.
Representatives of the traditional rulers’ council were however absent at the celebration.

By: John Bibor