2014 RSF ANNUAL CONVENTION, OCTOBER 10-13 Gov. Rotimi Amaechi, Keynote Speaker SECURITY AND EMPOWERMENT: Building a Secured Rivers State that Empowers Growth and Citizenship THE WESTIN WASHINGTON DULLES AIRPORT 2520 Wasser Terrace, Herndon, VA 20171 T 703.793.3366 F 703.793.3866 www.westindulles.com Rivers State Foundation (OR copy and paste the following link into a web browser) https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=1409051887&key=28C8674D Promote your Organizations and Businesses AD: Full color page-$150; 1/2- page-$75; 1/4-page-$50 Send AD in MS Word/PDF format to [email protected] before 9/28/2014 HIGHLIGHTS OF CONFERENCE THEME: SECURITY AND EMPOWERMENT THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF SECURITY As recorded in the fundamental objectives and directive policy of state policy enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nige- ria of which Rivers State is a part, the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. However, over the past several years insecurity (and not security) has reigned supreme in our state. Rivers State and much of the Niger Delta area have witnessed threats to security including kidnappings, robberies, murders, gang or cult-related violence and killings, bombings, political vio- lence, etc. These criminal activities emanating from poverty, desperation, loss of values, moral rectitude, and joblessness have tremen- dously impacted the people negatively on several fronts including politically, socio-culturally, and economically. On a few occasions, the U. S. Department of State has warned its citizens of the risks of travel to Nigeria, recommending them to avoid all with the exception of essential travel to the Niger Delta states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers. The once-reputed Garden City of Port Harcourt that was peaceful attracting people from diverse nationalities, ethnic and socio-cultural backgrounds at one time became a place where people cannot sleep with their two eyes closed. For the average Rivers person in the diaspora who grew up in Port Harcourt we cannot but feel concerned and saddened by the sorry state of security and its attendant effects and wonder why as a people we can watch idly while things degenerate so bad. This year’s conference which has as its main theme “Security and Empowerment” provides us the opportunity to come together and brainstorm with a view to proffering solutions to address this ugly trend. We are hoping that this conference will serve as a turning point in our attitude to security in the state and therefore call on all well-meaning people, friends, and well-wishers of Rivers State to embrace this opportunity and come to share their thoughts with us as we seek ways to contribute to the place of our birth. We especially call on the political class, business magnates, academicians, security and law enforcement professionals, and the general public to attend the conference. EMPOWERMENT AS STATE COMPELLING ISSUE About 90 percent of Nigeria’s wealth comes from the Niger Delta Region and Rivers State is the foremost contributor to the national basket of goodies. Empowerment of Rivers people, especially youths and women is an issue that needs to be taken seriously and Rivers state indi- genes in the diaspora particularly see this issue as one that needs to be tackled urgently. Our youths are our hope for the future. They are our collective dreams to achieving a peaceful and stable polity so that together we can hope to achieve our aspirations as a people. Empower- ment of our youths, women, and other vulnerable groups in our society back home can come in the form of employment for the jobless and thousands of young graduates and job applicants, vocational and skills training, entrepreneurial skills development, job skills training, com- puter skills development, and leadership and nonviolence training. The state, including government, organized private sector, and non- governmental groups need to rise up and work hard to ensure that empowerment is seen as a compelling issue, for how can we explain a situation where people who come from the state that lay the golden egg have none to eat! SECURITY AND EMPOWERMENT AS A SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE One can easily take the position that security and empowerment are interrelated socio-economic issues that must be addressed in any under -developed world if it must cross the threshold of development. Why are our young people instead of being educated and placed in mean- ingful employments being destroyed by joblessness or cultism or waste away in villages looking up to governmental assistance or a mira- cle from God? Many die from increased motor accidents due to unsafe highways because of bad roads, from needless bomb blast from different fashions looking for supremacy. What is the impact of such deaths in the future of our State? Those fortunate to be “living” are confused not knowing what is next. River State indigenes both at home and abroad wonder when and how will these come to a stop; is there hope for the Garden City of Nigeria and how? Why is the Nigerian economic, social, political, religious, and cultural system broken and dysfunctional? What are some of the sources of the violence in our land? Stan Chu Ilo, a Catholic priest from Adu Achi, Oji River, Enugu, Nigeria summarized the answers this way: “The problem of Nigeria is a dysfunctional value syndrome which afflicts us all and which re- flects in everything we do as a people whether at home and abroad... Our values as a people are unhealthy and cannot sustain a well- functioning, well integrated, and well organized social structure of multiple and diverse peoples.” The following are the highlights of the reasons from his point and those of others like him: 1. Impunity of the corruptive actions of those in power, 2. Lack of authentic social and communal morality 3. Abuse of religious and political authority, the indiscipline, dishonesty, and social and judicial injustice 4. The lack of credible leadership and visionaries who model desired moral behavior for the people they lead 5. The collapse of social value from the lack of social conscience 6. Over reliance of oil wealth and its impact on creativity, innovation, agriculture, etc 7. Lack of credible pathways for social reconstruction. 8. Extreme poverty (of purpose, stewardship, direction, self-leadership) in the mix of extreme wealth, greed, selfishness, and exploita- tion ) These symposia (panel discussions) are designed to help us better understand the impact of security and lack of em- powerment programs on the functionality of a state like Rivers State in empowering the socio-economic develop- ment and vitality of its people, and how indigenes in the Diaspora can be engaged in the rebuilding of a more se- 2 CONFERENCE LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Understanding the security situations in Nigeria and how they impact Rivers people 2. Identifying the challenges and sufferings of our people and the possible ways to address those challenges 3. Identifying the gaps of empowerment of the Youth in the State and strategies for addressing youth empow- erment 4. Developing deeper engagement of Rivers People in the Diaspora in the security and social entrepreneurship that empower success CONFERENCE PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS DAY 1, FRIDAY OCTOBER 10, OPENING WELCOME/RECEPTION-DC/MD HOSPITALITY DAY 2, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11; SYMPOSIUM 1: Identifying the security challenges in Nigeria and how they impact Rivers people WORKSHOP 1: SECURITY AWARENESS AND MITIGATION SYMPOSIUM 2: Dealing with security related sufferings and challenges of Rivers people WORKSHOP 2: PERSONAL AND EMPOWERMENT LEADERSHIP TRAINING DAY 3, SUNDAY , OCTOBER 12; SYMPOSIUM 3: Identifying youth empowerment gaps in the State and strategies for addressing them WORKSHOP 3: SECURITY AND EMPOWERMENT AS A SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPERATIVE SYMPOSIUM 4: Developing deeper engagement of Rivers People in the Diaspora in the security and social entrepreneurship that empower success CONVENTION BANQUET, GALA, AND RIVERS CULTURAL FESTIVAL DAY 4, MONDAY , OCTOBER 13; CLOSING AND BOARD MEETING CONFERENCE COST AND REGISTRATION CONFERENCE REGISTRATION ADULT: $50 Adult, FREE (Children) (3 Breakfast free, discounted 2 Lunches at $13, 1 Saturday Dinner (TBA)) Sunday Gala Banquet: $50 Adults and $25 (children over 10 years) Conference Registration, please contact Conf. Chair: Dr. Suanu Wikina [email protected] (202) 445 0365 All other questions about RSF, call, Prof. Sylvanus Wosu: [email protected] 412-298-8261 RSF ROOM RESERVATION (Rate $83/Day with Breakfast) Please book your room reservation now to get the Group Rate Available only till October 3, 2014. 2520 Wasser Terrace, Herndon, VA 20171 T 703.793.3366 F 703.793.3866 www.westindulles.com Attendee Rivers State Foundation (OR copy and paste the following link into a web browser) https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/res?id=1409051887&key=28C8674D 3 The Keynote Speaker RSF, INC SPEAKER’S BIOGRAPHY Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is the Governor of Rivers State. His educa- tion started at St. Theresa’s Primary school from 1970 to 1976, and continued at Government Secondary School Okolobiri in 1977, earning his West African School Certificate in 1982. He continued his education in 1983 at the Univer- sity of Port Harcourt, where he received his B.A. in English Studies and Litera- ture, honors in 1987. Governor Amaechi’s political life started in 1992, after serving his National Youth Service Corp, and a brief stint in the labor market, when he joined par- tisan politics and emerging as the Secretary of the National Republican Con- vention in Ikwerre Local Government Area. Since then he has served as Spe- cial Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State and also a member of the Board of Directors of West Africa Glass Industry as well as Risonpalm Nigeria Limited.