Members of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture (SPA), led by its Secretary, Dr. Inebaraton Preye, have successfully intervened through peaceful dialogue to secure the formal recognition of Ayakiri Community into the Gbarain King’s Council of Chiefs.
The Ibenanaowei of Gbarain Kingdom, King Gabriel Funpere Akah, PhD, alongside the Krumukrumu Keni of Gbarain Kingdom and the Council of Chiefs, formally accepted Ayakiri Community into the kingdom after a series of meetings involving the palace and representatives of Ayakiri. The reconciliation followed Ayakiri’s breakaway from Ogboloma Community after a protracted five-year legal battle.
To mark the historic decision, indigenes of Ayakiri Community—known for its oil and gas endowments and other natural resources—staged a colourful procession with traditional drums, while women celebrated by loosening their wrappers in jubilation. King Akah declared Ayakiri an autonomous and independent community, recognizing it as the 13th community in Gbarain Kingdom. He offered royal blessings and words of counsel, signaling the restoration of peace after years of tension.
Commending the peaceful approach adopted by Ayakiri indigenes and the intervention of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture, King Akah noted that development manifests in different forms and that the emergence of a community is divinely ordained. He urged the people to uphold unity and oneness for the growth and development of Ayakiri Community and the Gbarain clan at large.
The Paramount Ruler of Ogboloma Community, Chief Akeri-Reginald Okoro, who presented the leadership of the new community to the Gbarain Council of Chiefs, expressed satisfaction with the declaration. He described the relationship between Ogboloma and Ayakiri as historic, emphasizing their shared cultural, political, social and economic ties toward the progress of both communities and the entire Gbarain clan.
Speaking on behalf of the newly recognized community, the Acting Paramount Ruler of Ayakiri, Chief Bruce Duba, praised the peace initiative of the Bayelsa State Peace Architecture, noting its repeated visits to the kingdom to restore calm. He recalled that prior to the SPA’s intervention, the community had faced refusal of autonomy, leading to unrest and protests, with plans to seek further legal redress. According to him, the king’s declaration reaffirmed the court’s verdict and brought closure to years of agitation. He pledged that Ayakiri would utilize its resources for the collective good.
Chief Duba was accompanied by his deputy, Chief Isaiah Inebaraton; the Woman Leader, Chief Ebiegbere Waripamo; Secretary of the Chiefs Council, Elder Immomotimi Waripamo; Chairman of the Community Development Committee, Chief Eliot Timizi; and the Youth President, Comrade Inedouye Inebaraton.
