The 13th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Forum of South–South Monarchs is scheduled to hold   in Asaba from May 21 – 22 May, with the President of the Senate and Chairman of the National Assembly, Senator (Dr) Godswill Obot Akpabio CON as Special Guest of Honour and the Executive Governor of Delta State, Excellency Rt Hon Elder Sheriff FO Oborevwori as the Chief Host.

A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Chairman, Planning Committee, HRM Pere Stanley Perediegha Luke – Kalanama VIII (JP) – Pere of Akugbene – Mein Kingdom, and 1st Vice Chairman, Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, said the event will hold at the Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba, on the theme: “Strengthening Stakeholder Collaboration for Development of the South – South Region: The Role of the Traditional Institution.

According to the statement, the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku, is expected to be the Guest Speaker, while the keynote address will be presented by Adele L. Jinadu, former Executive Director, Centre for Advanced Social Sciences (CASS) Port Harcourt and Adjunct Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Lagos.

Membership of the Forum consists of all First-Class Traditional Rulers and Members of the State Councils of Traditional Rulers of the six States of the South – South geopolitical zone: Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States.

The statement also explained that the 13th Extraordinary General Assembly of the Forum is being organized in partnership with the Ashcraft Centre for Social Science Research to intensify collaboration, deepen synergy and articulate a common front among the diverse Stakeholders in the Region and beyond towards achieving the strategic imperatives of security and sustainable socio-economic development for the Region.

“The Forum is consciously aware that emerging national realities require the collective and deliberate action of all the gatekeepers to achieve the aspirations of the founding fathers and people of the Region,” it added.

Giving a background to the meeting, the statement noted that the Asaba event was in consonance with the fact that sustainable development, peace and security are major factors in nation building and national security, which constitute the fundamental underpinnings in the existence and survival of any society or nation.

“Therefore, the traditional institution must be alive to its responsibilities in achieving its natural mandate of promoting peaceful co-existence, peace and security in their domains, and also fostering national security which is fundamental in national development,” it said.

It expressed the firm belief of the South – South Monarchs Forum believes that by building Stakeholder synergy, the meeting shall engender shared responsibilities towards achieving the institutionalization of the road map and priorities of the policy frameworks crafted to boost economic revival, security and stability of the Region.

“It is also the expectation of the Forum that the derivatives from the meeting shall regenerate confidence in securing Foreign Direct Investment into the Region’s productive Sectors as canvassed by His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, at different international fora; and also boost capital growth and turnkey business startups and development,” it said.

While lamenting the palpable security challenges in the South-South Region, especially the unfortunate killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama community in Ughelli South LGA on 14th March, 2024, the said it was expected that the Asaba meeting would provide the avenue to extensively deliberate on how to avoid recurrence in any community within the Region.

It expressed appreciation to the Senate President, Senator Godswill Obot Akpabio; the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff FO Oborevwori; the Managing Director of NDDC, Chief Dr Samuel Ogbuku and; all political leaders from the zone for their support geared towards making the forthcoming meeting a success.

“The subject matter is very sensitive to the aspirations of the Region. It is hoped that the proceedings from this General Assembly shall also inject fresh ideas and initiatives into the overall architecture of the Forum to reinforce a systemized and collective framework in actualizing its mandate.

“We also look forward to the robust participation and inputs of all Stakeholders, both in the public and private circles towards achieving the strategic imperatives of this event. The Forum is hopeful that all Stakeholders will consider this as a patriotic duty to our fatherland and contribute to the success of this event,” the statement said.