As the push for peace and development in Rivers State continued to grow at the third edition of The Rivers We Want Town Hall, with the theme: “Restoring Peace and Building a Prosperous Future for Rivers State.”
This effort, in partnership with key stakeholders and civil society groups from within and outside the state, is helping to create open and honest conversations that will move rivers state closer to lasting peace, progress, and a better future for everyone in the State.
This project “Rivers Peace Initiative” also heavily powered by Super 93.3 FM and hosted by the ever boisterous media Icon and and business manager of Super FM 93.3 FM Pastor Segun Owolabi and was aired Live on the station as parts of it Corporate social responsibilities in ensuring A Better and Prosperous Rivers State
Speaking at the opening of this third series in port harcourt, one the convener of Rivers Peace Initiative, Obinna Egbogidi says for sometime now we have watched something sacred play out in Rivers state, not just politics, not just power but trust, brotherhood, the main fabric that once bind us as rivers people’ Today now we speak in whispers, in our churches we pray with heavy hearts, and on our streets once full of laughter there is desperation, some in despair.
We have become so divided that to even seek peace is to be accused of betrayal, our silence mistaken as consent but i will state this in very unmistaken terms, PEACE IS NOT WEAKNESS; PEACE IS POWER and to choose peace at a time like this is why we are here! we are here not because it is easy but because it is necessary that we must come together, not because we have all the answers but because we still believe in asking the right questions, its not about who wins or losses, it’s not a time to take one side over the other.
Remember we are first Rivers people before the party, before the office, before the bitterness! we are a people of proud rich heritage, A people who have survived and built and withstood storms and this storms too shall pass. To Our youths who are Listening more than ever can we stop some of the fighting’s on the social media, and on our streets, to our elders your supports is needed more than ever, your conscience should raise more than your ambitions. he concluded
A Professor of peace and an erudite scholar on Peace and conflict Resolution who is the the Keynote speaker, Professor Fidelis said the interest of rivers should guide all irrespective of their political divide, he urged rivers people to re-exam their values, and act with morals to de-escalate the tension and bring lasting peace. He said as a politician you should understand that rivers state is your project and so the peace of rivers state should be your personal project, The interest of Rivers state is our own interest, so a political community is a community of people with similar interest which is peace and that peace has to be provided by everyone
Some of the panelist include
1, Mr. Everest Nwankwo the MD ANPEZ Center for Environments and Development
2. Barr Nathaniel Akporuvwem TMG Coordinator, Transition Monitoring Group
3. Opunne Tonye Amah- Deputy coordinator, UN SDG. Youth Int’l Rivers state
4. Mrs Joy Oyagiri- Fagbemi- Youth Leader from Abua -Odual
