Bodmas Kemepadei, leader of the Egbesu Brotherhood, declared that it was time Bayelsa youths eschew cultism, drugs and other social vices
Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A coalition of Ijaw youth groups on Monday took to the streets of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, to protest cultism, sea-piracy, kidnapping, bloodshed, drugs abuse and violent crime.
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The march, which proceeded from the popular Tombia roundabout and ended at the Dr. Gabriel Okara cultural centre, attracted different youth groups, whose members chanted solidarity songs to protest the increasing wave of violent crimes in the south-southern state.
Bodmas Kemepadei, convener of the group and leader of the Egbesu Brotherhood, declared that it was time Bayelsa youths eschew cultism, drugs and other social vices negatively affecting the state.
He seized the opportunity to thank the DSS, the Police, Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli, Preye Oseke, Hon. Prince Jonah Gabriel, Chief Geoffrey Tare Pondi, High Chief Selky Torughedi (alias ‘Gen Young Shall Grow’) for their support and stance against cultism, violence and other vices.
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“The message of Tompolo is that it is time for our Ijaw youths to come together as one big family,” Kemepadei said. “The incessant and unending cult killings is worrisome; the youths that are dying are Ijaw people, and it is against our norms for an Ijaw man to kill a fellow Ijaw man. So we say no to these evil vices constituting a menace in our communities. We are calling on our brothers to give peace a chance. If there is unrest, then there can be no development. We are also calling on our brothers in the creeks to put an end to the constant attacks on passengers and market boats, kidnapping and pipeline vandalism. We need peace in Ijaw nation if we must attract investors.”
Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine, convener of the Patriotism Advancement and Community Orientation Network (PACON), on his part said:
“The menace of cultism and drug abuse is not something to be left to government or a particular individual or group alone to combat. It is something worth showing our collective displeasure to. We have come out to send a message to those who have sworn to make our state uninhabitable, to tell them that cultism and drug abuse will only bring pain and grief. That is why PACON is here today to support this march being led by Bodmas Kemepadei and Egbesu Brotherhood against cultism and drug abuse, in line with our sensitization in secondary schools.”
Also at the rally were reformed former cult leaders and ex-agitators, who expressed their willingness and readiness to embrace peace and restore the unity of the Ijaw people.