Gbo Kabaari Ogoni and Ogoni Youth leaders have called on the the state government to sanction traditional rulers in Ogoniland who show lack of capacity to deal with the rising insecurity in their domains.
The two groups in a resolution reached on Saturday, at Nortem, Bori in Khana Local Government Area during a meeting over the security situation in Rivers State also called on companies operating in Ogoniland not to employ outsiders in a role that Ogonis can perform.
FULL RESOLUTION OF
GBO KABAARI OGONI AND OGONI YOUTH LEADERS’ MEETING, ON 4TH MAY 2019, AT NORTEM, BORI
Following the Resolution of the Ogoni Stakeholders’ Meeting held at Sakpenwa, headquarters of Tai Local Government Area, on Easter-Monday, 22nd April, 2019, to hold a Meeting with Youths on the Ogoni security situation, Gbo Kabaari Ogoni (The Ogoni Elders’ Forum) held a meeting with Community Youth Leaders and Leaders of Youth Groups in Ogoni on Saturday, 4th May, 2019 at the International Conference Centre, Nortem, Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria. At the end of the meeting, the following Resolutions were made:
1. The Meeting appraised the security situation in Ogoni and identified the root causes of insecurity in Ogoni to include but not limited to rise in cultism and gang wars, patronage and glorification of cultists, chieftaincy disputes, acute unemployment aggravated by failure of some companies and the intervention agencies to engage Ogoni youths, toxic politics, etc;
2. The Youths applauded the efforts of Gbo Kabaari and other stakeholders towards the peace in Ogoni and agreed to buy into the resolutions of the Sakpenwa meeting;
3. The Meeting condemned the rising cases of cultism in Ogoni and glorification of cultism through the use of cultists as chief security officers or aides/associates of political leaders, chiefs and corporate entities;
4. The Meeting resolved to improve the communication gap between the youths and the Ogoni leaders at all levels;
5. The Meeting urged companies and entities operating in Ogoni not to employ outsiders for positions for which there are competent Ogoni youths;
6. The Meeting called on Government and the people to review the recognition of chiefs who exhibit lack of capacity to deal with insecurity in their communities or having close affinity with cultists and cult groups in their communities;
7. The Meeting further called on government recognized chiefs to appreciate and recognize the unique role and position of paramount chiefs and village heads and to continuously partner with them to achieve the needed peace in Ogoni communities;
8. The Meeting admonished security agencies to be more professional in their duties and to protect their sources of information and improve on their community relations;
9. Finally, the Youth leaders undertake to continuously engage with Gbo Kabaari Ogoni and other stakeholders in view of taking more concrete actions to bring sustainable peace in Ogoni.
Signed:
1. SENATOR ( DR) BENNETT BIRABI
(Chairman, Gbo Kabaari Ogoni)
2. LEDUM MITEE
3. BARITOR L. KPAGIH
4. MIKE ALOEGA
5. CHIEF MONDAY ABUEH
6. CHIEF PAUL IGBARA
7. HON. DUM DEKOR
8. HON. BARIENE DEEYAA
9. COMRADE GANI TOPBA
(Leader, Conscience Of Ogoni People, COOP)
10. REV. PROBEL WILLIAMS
(Spokesperson, Ogoni Youth Coalition Movement, OYCM Worldwide)
11. COMR. LEGBORSI YAMAABANA
(President, Ogoni Youth Federation, OYF)
12. COMR. ORP BARIDA PROMISE
(Coordinator, National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, Gokana Chapter)
13. BARR. THEOPHILUS NBAGHA
(National Youth Council of Ogoni People, NYCOP)
14. COMR. NGBOR TIMOTHY GLADSOME DUM
(Coordinator, NYCN, Tai Chapter)
15. CHIEF BODE SUNDAY
(Coordinator, OYCM, Eleme Chapter)
