Rivers
Chiefs Broker Peace In Rivers Community After 17 Years Of Dispute
Peace has finally returned in Mgbuesilaru Kingdom in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, as three paramount rulers in the community have pledged to work together to advance the interest of their people.
The Tide reports that the kingdom had been in dispute over some communal and chieftaincy issues for the past 17 years.
The paramount rulers are: the Eze Oha Okporo Okurusi, Eze Morgan Wenenda Amadi; Eze Oha Okporo and Paramount Ruler of Mgbuesilaru, EzeEjikemeWali; and Paramount Ruler of Rumukurukuru Community, Eze Ken OnuohaIwezor.
All three monarchs made the pledge during the inauguration of some committees in the area.
The committees inaugurated are: Mgbuesilaru Youth Movement, with Kingsley Nwanwa as President and ChimaIhunwo as Secretary; Mgbuesilaru Town Council, with Barrister Promise Iwezor as Chairman, and Solomon Amadi as Secretary; the Mgbuesilaru Council of Chiefs, with Chief John Best Iwezor as Chairman, Chief Vincent Nwanwa as Secretary, Chief GeofreyAmadi and Chief Wilson Wopara as members.
Speaking at the event, Eze Morgan Amadi described the event as unique and historic in the area.
“We have done something that has never happened in the history of chieftaincy and community crisis.
“We believe that other communities will emulate what we have done, making sure that leadership is not just one person, but a collection of everybody’s contributions and ideas, and we have done that in Mgbuesilaru”, he said.
Affirming at the event was the first of its ND in the area,EzeEjikemeWali said all traditional rites that needed to be done for the unity of the community had been done.
“We have agreed to work as brothers and sisters including our wives and children.
“What the Press witnessed today is to put the community in the way it used to be. I want to assure everyone that we will not go back to Egypt anymore”, he said.
The Paramount Ruler of Mgbuesilaru also commended the security agencies for their effort in ensuring peace in the area.
Eze Ken Iwezor in his own speech, recalled that the Community had been in dispute for 17 years, but thanked God for the new love that has brought everybody together peacefully.
“Over the years, we have been in one argument or the other but today God has perfected it in this community. Today, God has calmed and arrested us”, he said.
By: John Bibor, Oribim Ibama & Precious Boms
Rivers
Rivers CJ To Sanction Lawyers Who Refuse To Comply With ADR Compliance
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi