Calabar–Member representing Abi State Constituency in the 10th Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Davies Etta, has called on communities in Abi Local Government Area to embrace dialogue and reconciliation as part of efforts to end recurring communal conflicts NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
The lawmaker made the appeal in a statement issued on Sunday to commemorate the 2025 International Day of Peace, observed annually on September 21.
Etta noted that the day was particularly significant to Abi people, given the painful history of clashes among communities such as Ebom and Ebijakara, Ediba and Usumutong, Adadama, and Ekureku, which he said had left deep scars on families and stunted the development of the area.
“These conflicts remind us that no community truly wins in war; everyone loses,” he said.
While reaffirming his commitment to peacebuilding, the legislator pledged to continue working with government agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and civil society groups to tackle the root causes of conflicts in Abi.
According to him, peace is the necessary foundation for education, commerce, agriculture, and other forms of progress.
“Without peace, our dreams for Abi will remain unfulfilled. With peace, there is nothing we cannot achieve together,” Etta stressed.
He urged residents of Abi to see themselves as “brothers and sisters bound by a common destiny” rather than rivals, and encouraged them to pick up “the tools of dialogue, tolerance, and cooperation.”
The lawmaker also assured his constituents of his continuous legislative efforts to support policies and interventions that promote peace and development, not just in Abi, but across Cross River State.
The International Day of Peace was established by the United Nations in 1981 and is observed worldwide to strengthen the ideals of peace through non-violence and ceasefire.
