State Creation Agitation Should Not Stir Conflict, EARCOM Counsels

Tuesday July 08, 2025

By TheNewsDESK | www.thenewsdesk.ng

The Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, EARCOM, has called on community leaders and citizens not to allow the ongoing agitation for the creation of another State out of Akwa Ibom to degenerate into an ethnic conflict

Board member of EARCOM, Rev. Dr Osondu Ahirika, who gave the charge while speaking on the Current Affairs programme, ‘Paper View’, on Inspiration 105.9 fm Uyo on Monday, was reacting to the angry exchanges between the agitators of the Obollo State Creation and their Ibibio neighbours during the South South Zonal Hearings on Constitution Amendment held at Ikot Ekpene.

Dr Ahirika noted that the heated anger generated by presentations for and against the proposal of State creation should be moderated by patriotism, brotherhood and peaceful coexistence rather than threats, intimidation, abusive rhetoric and war mongering.

The EARCOM Official observed that self-determination is a universally acknowledged right of any people but argued that it must not be exercised in a manner that would stir conflict or incite one ethnic nationality against the other, which he observed would be a recipe for chaos or violence.

Dr Ahirika accordingly called on elder statesmen, political, traditional and religious leaders to constructively engage in dialogue with stakeholders and ethnic sociocultural organisations on the sensitive matter of State creation agitations so as to ensure it doesn’t subvert the prevailing peace, inclusiveness and stability in the State.