Rivers Political Crisis Regressed Last Xmas Tourism Gains – Koko

The Director-General of Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, Mr. Yibo Koko, has said the political crisis in Rivers State that culminated in the declaration of a state of emergency in the state regressed the gains the tourism industry made towards the end of 2024.
Writing on his Facebook handle, Koko said, “Between December 20th, 2024, and January 5th, 2025, data revealed an unprecedented movement of people into Rivers State through the Umuagwa Airport, surpassing numbers from the last nine and a half years.”
He said this followed the rejuvenation of cultural and social activities across the state during that period.
“Something had shifted in the air,” he said. “Rivers State, in that moment, radiated with a rare and sublime beauty, one of peace, of unity, of coexistence. There was palpable serenity that stirred reunions, rekindled friendships, and birthed a renewed sense of belonging and conviviality.
“From the dazzling Christmas streetlights at GRA Junction to the vibrant Isiokpo Bicycle Carnival Parade, from the festive pulse of Igwuruta to the sun drenched shores of Ikuru Town Beach Carnival, from Okochiri’s colourful parades to the majestic Opobo Nwaotam masquerade festival, from the spirited Opobo and Bonny Boat Regattas to the resounding drums of Egbelegbe in Tombia, our communities danced with life.
“It was not just celebration; it was cultural reawakening.”
He described what happened as “A renaissance of the Rivers spirit,” adding, “The world, once again, began to see us through the lens of hospitality, of neighbourly love, of grace.”
He said that for too long, corrosive narratives, rooted in greed, hate, and political opportunism, had poisoned the Rivers story. “They divided kindred hearts, cast shadows on our rich heritage, and turned our social spaces into battlegrounds of misinformation.
“But in those few weeks of December into the New Year, we witnessed a metamorphosis. The long dormant dream of a united, peaceful Rivers stirred awake. Diaspora communities, long estranged yet forever connected, began to look homeward again.”
Koko said the news that people outside the state got was that of hope, peace, warmth and opportunity. He added that there were plans already in motion to design a globally appealing heritage style Detty December carnival in Rivers State, in collaboration with CNN, a chance to redefine the narrative and put Rivers on the cultural world map.
“But by late February and the Supreme Court’s ruling and state of emergency thereafter, this rising tide was rudely interrupted. Once again, social media warlords, agents of division from all sides, unleashed their arsenal of hate. Through distorted tales and attention-hungry bait, they dragged the state back into a theatre of bile.
“And so, just as we began to soar, we were pulled back down by the gravity of bitterness and reckless ambition,” he said.
The RIVPA DG however said that there could still be hope if only the people can turn a new leaf and embrace themselves for peace.
He said, “Even in these turbulent waters, the dawn breaks. Rivers State now stands at the edge of a new millennium of decisions, difficult, defining, but necessary.
“The greatest challenge is not external. It lies in how we see and treat one another. Can we embrace perceived foes with grace? Can peace be more than a fleeting moment? Can it shape our politics, our economy, our faith, and our daily lives?”
Rivers people, he said must brace themselves to answer these questions “These are not abstract questions. They are the urgent matters of our time. They shape destinies, define identities, and build or break societies.
“It is time to silence the self sabotaging rhetoric. To break free from the grip of greed fuelled politics and toxic self talk. We must re-imagine a Rivers State where young people are empowered not by patronage, but by purpose, where wealth is created through innovation, hard work, and community.
“We must learn again to love our neighbour as ourselves. Rivers State is not a battleground. It is a blessing,” he concluded.