Toward finding solution to the myriads of problems confronting Ebiraland, a one day Ebira National Dialogue Conference jointly organized by Ebira Peoples Association and Ebira Youth Congress has held in Okene.
The national conference which held at the auditorium of the Federal College of Education, Okene has as its theme, “Ebira and the Quest for Socio-Economic Development and Political Relevance,” drawing a cream of stakeholders in Ebiraland that included; Traditional rulers, Politicians, Non-governmental organizations, Ebiras in diaspora, Women Associations and Student groups.
In his address, the National President of Ebira People’s Association (E.P.A) Dr. Adeiza Abdulrahman disclosed that the conference was organized to address challenges such as internal frictions, security breaches in the form of kidnapping, assassinations/robberies, boundary disputes and political domination by neighbours.
The E.P.A national president who did not absolve Ebira leadership over the problems confronting the people of Kogi Central, said the biggest culpability for the colossal breakdown of the area should be blamed on the successive regimes that ruled the state since its creation, adding that through marginalization in various forms, the people of the area were denied every right to humane existence.
He then charged the people of the area to use the opportunity of the forth coming governorship election to seek ways of rescuing the area from drowning by uniting with one voice.
While corroborating the stand of E.P.A national president, Professor Adam Abere who delivered a key note addressed concluded that while Ebira land has lost politically, the area is also loosing grip economically.
After much contributions/deliberations by participants at the conference, it was resolved that as a solution to the security challenges facing the area, an arms mopping exercise of all the corners of the area should be carried out, while negative activities of politicians, religious extremists and masquerades should be put to check. It was also resolved that the bombed Tao-F.M radio need to be revived to assist in the proper enlightenment of the people.
On politics, the conference resolved that there is need for people of Kogi Central to collaborate with other axis of the state, in order to realize her objective.
While encouraging the emergence of governorship aspirants from the area the conference advised politicians to learn lesson from past pit falls.
