Now that the 2022 Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament has ended
By GbaramatuVoice Editorial Board
The grand finale of the Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament organised by Chief Sheriff Mulade’s Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), was held on Saturday, December 3, at the Ugborodo Township Stadium, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state, where Kolokolo FC, an Itsekiri community, emerged victorious over Kurutie FC, an Ijaw community.
Essentially, while the winner has emerged, excitement about the tournament still in the air, GbaramatuVoice considers this particular edition a beauty to behold.
However, the newspaper again recognizes some silent but salient points arising from the competition that must not be overlooked or allowed to go with political winds.
First is the urgent need by all to celebrate/appreciate Chief Sheriff Mulade’s Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), for its ceaseless efforts towards enthronement of sustainable peace between the two ethnic nationalities (Ijaws and Itsekiris).
ALSO READ: The necessity of Ijaw/Itsekiri Peace and Unity Football Tournament
Secondly, the peace, harmony and success recorded at the just concluded tournament remains a sign of hope that it is highly possible for the two ethnic groups to have a peaceful and rancor-free co-existence.
It is on this note that GbaramatuVoice calls on the leaderships of Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities as well as other well meaning indigenes of these ethnic groups to carry out introspection and find ways to support this nascent peace existing in the area.
It will equally be considered a rewarding move if Chief Mulade is supported in the future editions of the tournament.
In the same vein, GbaramatuVoice suggests to the organizers of the tournament that in the future editions, it will amount to a wise decision if the Urhobo communities in this part of the state are drafted into this football initiative.
Most importantly, now that the 2022 tournament is over, GbaramatuVoice urges self styled public affairs commentators, the likes of James Aderejo, to desist from their ‘ideological’ commentaries and ‘warfare’ that have in the past negated the people’s rationality as human beings, spilled great amount of innocent human character, waged wars of words, persecuted and martyred countless innocent souls.
GbaramatuVoice demands a communication approach and models that will promote noble ideas and ideals between the Ijaws and the Itsekiris without diminishing or impoverishing this new found peace.
Above all, the Ijaw/Itsekiri must stop waiting for the government to address their problems, rather, it is time for the two ethnic groups to demonstrate ingrained potent capability to unleash stability in the Niger Delta region.
They must seek peace that will render further conflict useless.
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