Governor Ben Ayade Of Cross River, Calls For Peace In All Communities In The State

Peace may return completely into the urbans and communities in Cross River State as His Excellency, the governor of Cross River State of Nigeria, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade, make a remarkable statement and contribution to his people in view of celebrating a peace accord with the people of Ekori in the Central Senatorial District of the state. Prof. Ayade, in his message to the people of Ekoru during the 4th Anniversary 'Ekori Peace celebration 2012' expressed the need for people to unit in love and peace. 

Acording to his message as was read by his representative, Chief Hon. Tony Undiandeye a Special Adviser to the governor, His Excellency told the people that his major concerned will not base be on developmental failures only but the effect of wars on children and harmless mothers in the society. 

He continues that War affects children in all the ways it affects adults, but also in different ways. First, children are dependent on the care, empathy, and attention of adults who love them. Their attachments are frequently disrupted in times of war, due to the loss of parents, extreme preoccupation of parents in protecting and finding subsistence for the family, and emotional unavailability of depressed or distracted parents. The child may be in substitute care with someone who cares for him or her only slightly – relatives or an orphanage. 

A certain proportion of war affected children lose all adult protection “unaccompanied children,” as they are known in refugee situations. Also, the impacts in the childhood may adversely affect the life trajectory of children far more than adults. Consider children who lose the opportunity for education during war, children who are forced to move into refugee or displaced person camps, where they wait for years in miserable circumstances for normal life to resume, if it ever does. Consider a child disabled in war; they may, in addition to loss of a limb, sight, or cognitive capacity, lose the opportunity of schooling and of a social life. 

A girl who is raped may be marginalized by her society and lose the opportunity for marriage. Long after the war has ended, these lives will never attain the potential they had before the impact of war. 

After this message of words from His Excellency, a bulk cash of N1 million naira was also handed over to the Ekori community by the representatives of the governor, Chief Hon. 

Tony Undiandeye and Chief Spokesman Agogo and announce that the money was part of the governor's contribution towards the peace initiative & building of a palace of OBOL LOPON of EKORI. 

By: Engr. Godwin Apple Agim