L-R: Barr. Allen, Captain Alphin, Sandersat farewell dinner in honour of Schrader
in lagos Saturday night.
The United States Government has commended the efforts of the Foundation For Ethnic Harmony (FEHN) in ensuring enduring peace in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region.
The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Robin Renee Sanders stated this weekend in Lagos, urging Nigerians to think of themselves first as a nation and not as a region or an ethnic group.
FEHN, which has been training of repentant militants on nonviolence, was commended for their dedication and commitment to peace in the Niger Delta region.
Also, former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Timi Alaibe while recalling how he was accused at a security council meeting of training insurgents in the Niger Delta because of his effort towards ensuring peace in the region while on the saddle as the NDDC boss, insisting that the crisis in the region is not a security issue.
Both spoke at a farewell dinner held by FEHN in honour of departing Political/Economic Section Chief of the US Consulate, Lagos, Dr. Helena Schrader at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island.
In attendance were the Consulate General of the US Consulate, Ms. Donna Blair and other officials of the consulate as well as ex-militants Fara Dagogo and Eikabowei Victor Ben also known as General Boyloaf.
According to FEHN national chairman, Barrister Allen Onyema, over 10, 000 ex-militants leaders are to be trained while hundred of them are already in their Akodo, Lagos, training camp.
Those eager to undergo nonviolence training include Fara Dagogo and Victor Ben.
The US ambassador said: "I just want to say a few words about FEHN and recognise the people that are here. I want to say something to you people personally on behalf of the US government. I think that your commitment to amnesty and peace in the Niger Delta should be commended and I recognise you.
"Certainly, organisations like FEHN are so very important in an environment like this. And not only because of they promote ethnic harmony like their name says, really they are on ground and working day to day, committed, dedicated and visionary.
"I want to commend FEHN because it’s putting in place the positive elements that are part of nonviolence, thinking of about the future today, and nonviolence is part of becoming a nation.
"I think of myself first as an American and most Americans do. You have to think of yourself as a nation first, not as a region, not as ethnic group but asa nation first. And that is the only way to come together and move in the right direction.
"So, I really want to commend the leadership of FEHN for what it is doing, for its dedication, for the leaders that are here today", Sanders said.
On his part, Alaibe said:"I was summoned to the highest security council of Nigeria and I was told I was training insurgents, militants as we call them for the purpose of what I don’t know.
"And you can imagine being summoned to Abuja at a security meeting and you’re sitting right before Mr. President and they put there on the spot and accuse you of promoting violence in the Niger Delta by taking out boys as I was told that by the very fact of taking out them out of the camp to Lagos, you have caused the multiplication of camps.
"And people are setting up camps because of the concept of wanting to go to Lagos and South Africa for nonviolence training."
The former NDDC boss insisted that, "The security system is always making the mistake and continues to make the mistake that the Niger Delta problem is a security problem. And it is not".
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