Posted by By EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri on
Five years after the end of bloody communal war between the Itsekiris and the Ijaws, Warri the oil city in Delta State, which was the battlefield has been in the doldrums, endemic poverty and static in business activities.
Five years after the end of bloody communal war between the Itsekiris and the Ijaws, Warri the oil city in Delta State, which was the battlefield has been in the doldrums, endemic poverty and static in business activities.
Worried about the lull in the socio-economic sector, Warri South Council Chairman, Hon. Matthew Edema, recently invited concerned Warri inhabitants, Christians from the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) as well as workers of the area to the council secretariat to make supplication to God Almighty to cleanse the oil city of evils, blood letting and any spiritual forces.
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, was represented by some of his chiefs, just as eminent persons were at the prayer meeting that lasted several hours.
The melodious choirs from the Redeemed church, where the chairman worships, were on hand to render melodious Christian music and praises to God.
Some pastors from various denominations offered prayers and ministration to the audience on how God actually loves Warri for not allowing the oil city to ‘die' during the seven-year bloody crisis.
Hon. Edema said he decided to initiate the prayer meeting considering the sharp misunderstanding among the major ethnic nationalities in the area which, he said, was now a thing of the past.
He pleaded with the people to abhor hatred, misunderstanding, acrimony and those things capable of dividing them.
"God is not foolish by bringing the Itsekiris, Ijaws, Urhobos and other various ethnic groups in the area together. It is true that at a time there was misunderstanding among some ethnic groups, but I am happy that God has brought permanent peace into their fold," said the council chairman in company with his deputy, Hon. Etsangharan.
Edema described the occasion, which coincided with the swearing in of his councillors, as historic and first of its kind, insisting that the evil hands that were always making brothers and sisters to fight one another and shed innocent blood have been conquered for ever.
"I wish to appeal to the good people of this local government to bury the hatchet and embrace peace, which is the basis of development and progress. I know that God has ordained that peace should reign among all the ethnic groups of this locality, in Jesus' name. Amen", remarked the council boss. He said that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan's three-point agenda of peace and security, human capital development and infrastructural development must be implemented in the area to the letter.
He commended the governor's giant stride in developing the state and urged Deltans to continue to support his administration for a better future.