Council boss organizes
prayer against evil in Warri
By EMMANUEL OGOIGBE, Warri |
Five years after the end of bloody communal war between the Itsekiri and
the Ijaw, Warri the oil city in Delta State, which was the battlefield has
been in the doldrums, endemic poverty and static in business activities.
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A street in Warri |
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 Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo 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
councilors, 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. |