Kingsley Kuku : Purveyor of Niger Delta Peace Craves For Tinubu’s Dimension
Hon. Kingsley Kuku is back in the Nigeria after few years abroad, where he studied and bagged additional academic qualifications. He has upon his return to Nugeria held strategic meetings with important actors across the Niger Delta for the purpose of sustaining the existing peace in the South South region.
The former Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Program recently wrote a piece in which he commended the Niger Delta leadership for the peace and stability ensured during the reign of late President Yar’Adua in 2009. In the same piece, Kuku equally lauded the same Niger Delta actors for the peace they activated and security they consolidated during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015.
In a similar vein, the former lawmaker had consequently urged for historical and cultural imperatives amongst the Niger Delta actors so as to communalise peace, stability and security to capture centrum spot in President Bola Tinubu’s development agenda.
He boldly stated that the natural Niger Delta owe themselves a divine duty to support, strengthen and deepen the Bola Tinubu Dimension (BTD) for the existential stability and prosperity of the South South region.
Kuku however, commended President Tinubu for his antecedents and audacious steps so far taken in numerous sectors. He particularly commended the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the National Security Adviser, Barr. Nyesom Wike as the Federal Capital Territory Minister as well as other continous strategic engagements of the president with pivotal leadership-actors in the Niger Delta.
He equally pointed out that the administration of President Tinubu clearly values the nucleus spot of the Niger Delta and assured that he would not disappoint people of the region. Kingsley Kuku, nonetheless admonished the South South people to play their strategic part in the deal of peace and development offered by President Tinubu.
It is worth recounting however, the invaluable achievements recorded by Dr. Kingsley Kuku when he meritoriously served as Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme during the regime of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Kuku helped with the restoration of sustainable and lasting peace to the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. He was also instrumental in the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of more than 30,000 former agitators to the civil society.
It was also to the credit of Kingsley Kuku the he helped in the scaling up of the nation’s daily crude oil output from 680,000 barrels to 2.8 million barrels. It was also to his credit that he faciliated the enrolment of more than 800 ex-agitators in 72 universities in United Kingdom with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid. He equally ensuref the placement of over 300 repentant agitators in various universities across the United States of America with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid.
It is also on record that Kuku facilitated the registration of appreciable number of the ex-agitators in leading Malaysian and Ghanaian universities with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid. He likewise went ahead with the enrolment of more than 700 former agitators in Igbinedion University, Okada Edo state with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid. It is also to his credit that he ensured the placement of 400 repentant agitators in Benson Idahosa University, Benin with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid.
Similarly, Kingsley Kuku ensured the enrolment of 200 ex-agitators at the prestigious Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid. He equally registered 156 repentant agitators at Novena University for undergraduate programmes with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid. It was also during the time of Kuku as the Chairman of Presidential Amnesty Programme that worked for the academic placements of more than 2,000 former agitators in overseas universities in UK, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa and the United States with all fees and monthly stipends fully paid.
Another major achievements of Kingsley Kuku as the Chairman of Presidential Amnesty Programme was the renewed confidence of Nigeria in the international oil market and the ability to exercise enormous influence in OPEC and other sub-regional bodies. He also succeeded in ensuring reduction in the incidences of kidnapping and killing across the Niger Delta and this turned out to provide conducive environment for the repairs of oil and gas infrastructures that were damaged during the period of militant agitation. He also succeeded in ensuring major reduction in the violation and vandalization of oil Nigerian facilities.
Undoubtedly, Kuku made visible impacts on the lives of the ordinary masses, especially the youths in the Niger Delta region. He also emplaced vigorous human capacity building programmes for the production of intermediate manpower in under-water welding, piloting, seafaring and marine engineering. Additionally, he also facilitated the training of former agitators in diverse skills acquisition programmes and vocational trainings such as auto mechanics, boat building, safety programmes and ICT.
The environmentalist did so well with the provision of wide scope of training for former agitators which ranged from ocean diving in Sri-Lanka; under-water welding in Ghana; boat building and seafaring in the Philippines and piloting in South Africa. Added to his achievements was the training of an army of middle and high caliber manpower to provide services in the various oil, gas and agro-allied industries.
Kuku, likewise exposed substantial number of repentant agitators to agricultural training in Israel, ICT training in India and crane operation and pipeline welding in Poland. He equally exposed a good number of former agitators to trainings in helicopter maintenance, engineering and piloting in Italy.
In an unprecedented manner, Kingsley Kuku succeeded in relieving ex-combatants of the burden of violence and the same youths have now been given career lifelines through formal education, vocational training and acquisition of entrepreneurial skills. Also, he subjected all the repentant agitators to non-violence training at the Obubra camp of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. In addition, Kingsley Kuku engaged in a
sustainable and proactive re-orientation of youths in the Niger Delta region.
Having been away for few years, Kingsley Kuku has scheduled a thanksgiving service for late December, 2023 at his Arogbo-Ijaw town. The event is expected to have in attendance captains of industries, political, business, opinion and Niger Delta leaders from across the country.
Kuku intends to use the opportunity of the thanksgiving to appreciate God for divine protection and guidance over the years he was abroad. Above all, he also intends to use occasion of the thanksgiving to appreciate the Almighty God for the opportunity given to him to impact and transform several thousands of lives in Nigeria and the Niger Delta areas in particular.
