An educationist in Delta State, Chief Timothy Intelligent Ojuyaina, has called on Niger Deltans and Nigerians at large to embrace love and unity as the antidote to usher in the needed prosperity and the infrastructural transformation of the oil-rich but deprived region of the country.

The Proprietor of Icon United Millennium School at Orhuwhorun in the Udu area of the state, who turns 51 on Monday, March 10, 2025, made the call at the Ade-Ere Opuosain Annual Festival in Kokodiagbene community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West council area of the State.

The Proprietor who is a native of Kokodiagbene community joined other traditional worshippers to offer prayers for the love and unity of the Ijaw Nation and Nigerians at large.

Speaking to PENGlobal Community, the educationist while thanking God for adding a year to his golden jubilee stated that the division caused in the Niger Delta region especially within the Ijaws are rooted in the abandonment of core traditional values which the Ade-Ere Opuosain Annual Festival symbolises.

He stressed that the desire to rule over others unjustly and to acquire ill-gotten wealth are some of the reasons for the hatred some persons nurture against others, leading to the pull him down syndrome.

For emphasis, he pointed at the recent campaign of calumny against the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), High Chief Dennis Otuaro Ph.D.

"I give the Almighty God all the glory for adding plus one to my Golden Jubilee on this wonderful day. I am so excited especially as my birthday coincided with the Ade-Ere Opuosain Annual Festival, a celebration of love and unity.

"At no other time than this that we, the Ijaws, need to love ourselves and unite as one, in order to get the most of development and growth in our communities.

*"There is a saying that 'United we stand, divided we fall.' Before now we all know the challenges our communities underwent. But now that God is smiling down on us with the government paying attention to our cries and our brothers are given strategic appointment, rather than rally behind them, some choose to play fifth columnists out of jealousy and greed, as demonstrated in the campaign of calumny against High Chief Otuaro," he alleged.

On his 51st Birthday message he said, "I appeal to our people to return to their first love and to our traditional way of life, which helps to guide us from going astray. Let us all be willing to support one another and be our brothers and sisters keeper. Let's all embrace unity and love. There's no way we can grow without these guiding principles," he added.

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