PRESS STATEMENT
KFM WANTS COORDINATED GOVERNANCE IN KALABARI
The Kalabari Media Forum (KMF) has called for the activation of the natural leadership models of the Kalabari people to support the political administrations in the Kalabari speaking Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
The call was contained in a communique signed by Alabo Dagogo Clinton and Mr Awolayeofori Harry McMorrison, Chairman and Secretary respectively of KMF after the first quarterly meeting of the pan-Kalabari media support group in Port Harcourt
According to the statement, given the governance deficit across Nigeria, it has become imperative for the traditional institutions to fully participate in governance, especially, in contributing to development plans and insisting on security of the Kalabari Ethnic Nationality.
They called on the Kalabari Se Kobiri and all the Divisional Councils of Chiefs, within the three Local Government Areas in Kalabari to form high powered committees that should consciously inter-face with the political leaders in the councils with a view to coordinating and integrating the true concerns of the people into mainstream governance.
The Forum noted that being a democratic environment, the traditional authorities ought to have practically participated or contributed to budgeting in the Councils, provided advice and demanded accountability from the political leaders so as to avoid a “winner takes it all” tendencies in our polity.
On the prevailing state of insecurity across Nigeria, including Rivers State, the Forum insisted that it was high time the Kalabari people went to “Abalama” and took the most urgent stand on the safety of our people, instead of waiting to be taken unawares.
The Forum was however happy with the conscious effort being made to properly acculturate the young ones, especially in dancing, songs, dressing and language development in Buguma and a few other towns.
By way of performance evaluation of the Kalabari project in the first quarter of 2026, the Forum believes that Kalabari, with all that is going for her, could have done better in the articulation and delivery of development especially, giving the age-long advancement capabilities within the Kalabari Ethnic Nationality.
The Forum further called for the immediate amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) because the Kalabari people have not been significantly impacted by the oil and gas firms under the law. They were particularly opposed to the monetary percentage and the too many levels of control that serves only to take away from the Communities rather than achieving the intended purpose.
e-signed
