As Cross River State grapples with recurring communal clashes from Abi to Obubra, Boki, Biase, and Ikom, Prince Godswill Edward Osim, popularly known as Prince 7, has called for urgent measures to halt the cycle of violence that has left many communities devastated.
Speaking on the occasion of the 2025 International Day of Peace, the son of HRH Asodor Edward Osim, Paramount Ruler of Abi LGA and Chairman of the Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council, said the state has suffered too many losses due to avoidable conflicts. He recalled that his father’s palace was once bombed during a crisis in Abi, an incident that underscored the deep scars left by communal violence.
“In Abi, as in many parts of Cross River, we know the pain of not being able to move freely from one community to another. We know the suffering of young people who are dragged into wars that rob them of their future. Enough is enough—we must give peace a chance,” Prince Edward said.
He lamented the ongoing Ebom–Ebijakara, Ediba–Usumutong, Adadama–Ekureku, and Alise–Ochun crises, stressing that these conflicts have disrupted education, displaced families, and weakened local economies.
According to him, the failure to empower traditional institutions and the tendency to politicize peace processes have allowed conflicts to linger.
“Traditional mediators of peace must be restored and supported, not undermined. When peace is politicized, politicians take advantage of crises to fight their wars, and the people continue to suffer,” he warned.
Prince Edward also identified the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as a major driver of insecurity in the state, urging stricter control and community-level disarmament efforts.
Highlighting Bahumono in Abi as an example, he explained that peace only returned when the community made deliberate sacrifices, prioritized unity, and chose dialogue over revenge.
“Cross River must learn from Bahumono. If we want true peace, we must sacrifice pride, shun vengeance, and put the interests of the people first,” he said.
The International Day of Peace, marked annually on September 21, is a United Nations initiative dedicated to promoting peace and non-violence worldwide. This year’s theme is “Act Now, for a Peaceful World”
Prince Edward, through his Prince 7 Movement, pledged to continue advocating youth inclusion in peacebuilding and called on all stakeholders—traditional rulers, community leaders, and political actors—to prioritize peace above personal or political interests.
“Cross River cannot afford to keep bleeding. The lives of our young people, the stability of our communities, and the future of our state depend on the choices we make today. Let us give peace a chance,” he concluded
