Niger Delta elders apologise to youths •Say, ‘we have failed you’

Tribune

9 February 2012

Niger Delta elders apologise to youths •Say, ‘we have failed you’

Elders of the Niger Delta region have tendered an apology to their youths for failing them over the years.

A former minister, Chief Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas, who spoke for the elders at a one-day peace concert, organised by the Association for Non-Violence in the Niger Delta and held in Port Harcourt on Thursday, also warned youths not to allow the Boko Haram sect onslaught tempt them to taking up arms.

The Niger Delta elder statesman, while explaining the spirit behind the parley held recently in Lagos, said though some people might have misconstrued the agenda it was not to break Nigeria. It was aimed at organising a conference of nationalities towards solving the nations myriads problems.

“We have come a long way and most of you are reacting because you feel we the elders have failed you. We failed you. I have been minister four times in this country, I have served very intimately four presidents; General Ibrahim Babangida, General Sani Abacha, General Abdusalami Abubakar and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. So if you are talking of those who know the country to some depth, I’m one of those, I have served this country and I have paid my dues.