In a move to resolve the Rivers State political imbroglio, concerned indigenes of the state have rallied around Her Royal Majesty Queen Akasoba Duke-Abiola, the Akasoba of Kalabari and Chair, Akasoba Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ACPCR), to find a lasting peace to the ongoing political crisis in the state.
A statement issued by Dr. Jen Clarence, secretary of the ACPCR, on behalf of Queen Akasoba listed the Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, the Governor of River State Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, ex Nigerian Head of State Dr. Yakubu Gowon, First President of Zambia Dr. Kenneth Kaunda and former United Nations Secretary General Dr. Boutrous Boutrous Ghali as some of the key figures who will be attending the meeting.
Other prominent personalities who have been specially selected to participate at the Peace and Conflict Resolution Conference include all Traditional Rulers of Rivers State and indefatigable patroits including, the Emir of Zazzau His Eminence Alhaji Shehu Idris, The Alaafin of Oyo His Royal Majesty Oba Lamidi Adeyemi , Air Marshal Ernest Adeleye former governor of old Rivers State, Mr. Mofia Akobo former minister of petroleum resources. The conference is STRICTLY by invitation and is not open to all and sundry.
Mr. Clarence said the peace meeting became necessary “in View of the seemingly intractable socio-political problems presently besieging our beloved Rivers State, and taking into consideration the need for Reason and Moderation at these trying times of our nascent democracy”.
The meeting will take place at the ACPCR Centre, Kula, Ekulama, in River State (near the Atlantic ocean) on August 3, 2013, and appropriate invitation letters have been sent to the respective participants. The Akasoba Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution will focus on “the restoration of peace and progress in Rivers State, the need for creation of more states, as well as the need to continue to maintain “the indissolubility of the Nigerian Nation state”.
Speaking in an earlier conference, Queen Akasoba who is also an alumnus of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, said ” I have been involved in Peace efforts and Conflict Resolution around the world, it is therefore necessary that we deploy some vital strategic appurtanaces and modus operandi designed to bring lasting peace to Rivers State, the entire Niger Delta Region and Nigeria as a whole.
As stakeholders in the state, we cannot fold our hands and watch our Motherland destroyed. It is imperative that we end this crisis before it metamorphoses into a full scale war”.
