Today the body will lie in state at the traditional rulers council secretariat Yenagoa and later at the Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area Secretariat before a Christian and social wake at his home town, Igbainwari, Opokuma.
Yesterday at the Chief Ebitimi Banigo Hall of the University of Port Harcourt, it was tributes galore as speaker after speaker extolled the sterling’s qualities of the renowned Professor of sociology.
Speaking at a public lecture in his honour, the head of department of Sociology University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Steve Okoroduwa called on State Government and the Ogionwo family to immortalize the late revered Professor of sociology at the University.
Dr. Okoroduwa said in partnership with the bereaved family, the department would accept and house the books of the professor in a library to be named after the Opokuma monarch. He described the deceased as a man of exceptional qualities who related with all as equals.
In his paper titled "Leadership And The Niger Delta Crisis" the President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Dr. Atuboyedia Obianemi, blamed the Niger Delta crisis on institutional failure. He said, the political, social-economic and judicial system has failed the citizens, noting that it is a result of planlessness and lack of vision of policy initiators and implementers.
The INC President recommended that for the Niger Delta crisis to be resolved, the Federal Government should create two more states for Ijaws along homogeneity and contiguity, so that the people can define their destiny and develop according to their pace as well as control of their resources.
The INC President said the pan-Ijaw social organization has adopted a new philosophy known as the ‘New Kaiama Declaration’ in its pursuit of the realization of the Ijaw struggle. This is a paradigm shift from violence and confrontation that the organisation was associated with, to the principles of intellectualism and diplomacy.
He stressed that justice and equity as well as a post-amnesty programme that focuses on areas where the people of the Niger Delta have comparative advantage such as marine and Oil/Gas were critical towards achieving lasting peace in the region.
Professor Emeritus Ebiegberi Alagoa chaired the event which had Ambassador Lawrence Ekpebu and Professor Nelson Brambaifa in attendance.
Press Release by the Publicity Committee
No comments:
Post a Comment