By Jimitota Onoyume 

Residents  of Port Harcourt and other parts of Rivers state  have commended the founder of Rivers Grassroots Movement, RGM,  Chief Sobomabo Jackrich,  aka Egberipapa, for his commitment to good governance and development in Rivers and the Niger Delta region. 

Comrade Ineye Philip in a statement spoke glowingly of Chief  Sobomabo.

He said: ” Chief  Sobomabo Jackrich aka Egberipapa, founder of the Rivers Grassroots Movement ,  is a household name when it comes to the contemporary history of the struggle of  Niger Delta people  for a better deal in the nation’s   federalism. 

“He is so passionate about  good governance for Rivers state. As the founder of  the RGM, his focus is to  unite people across the state to support good governance.

“Sobomabo Jackrich is walking the path of great leaders like  Adaka Boro, Chiefs Harold Dappa Biriye, Chief Edwin Clark and other prominent Ijaw leaders who literally  lived their lives agitating for a Niger Delta where its rich oil and gas resources will translate into meaningful development for the people.

“In the early 2000   Sobomabo who  is  widely known  in the Niger Delta and the country by his nickname Egberipapa   confronted criminal elements in the creeks   indulging in sea piracy , oil theft and related acts that  almost discredited  the  genuine struggles of insurgents in the region for better attention from the federal government of Nigeria. 

“Interestingly the economic survival  of the Nigerian state derives largely from the oil and gas  from the region  but  communities in  Rivers state and the Niger Delta are grossly underdeveloped with many living   far below the poverty line.

“When the federal government during the administration of former president Umar Yaradua made appreciable commitment to address challenges of poverty ,underdevelopment in the region and appealed for an end to insurgency for development to thrive Egberipapa was one of those that embraced the presidential amnesty programme of the government. The federal government had rolled out a presidential amnesty programme for insurgents to achieve the  needed atmosphere for  development to take place.

“Egberipapa has remained driven by his passion to see development in Rivers state and the entire region. Today he heads the Rivers Grassroots Movement, a development purpose driven initiative  he established. We are totally with him “, he said. 

At  a meeting of members of the RGM in Port Harcourt , Sobomabo said the body was ready to welcome new members. 

He said: “I had a meeting with a cross section of new and old members of the Rivers Grassroot Movement in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area who visited to Express their solidarity and unfeathered support for the movement.

“As a Grassroot people oriented movement, we have made it a continuous process to constantly engage with the people which has built the formidable web of support across the 23 LGAs in the State.

“Our doors are open to receive all Rivers people in our quest to unite the state for one purpose, one voice and for one Rivers State that is on a path of sustained growth and progress.”

Like Ineye  Emeka in Ogbunabali  also  pledged his loyalty to the Egbeirpapa’s led RGM.

“We have confidence in High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich aka Egberipapa. He has remained  focused  on his struggle for a better Rivers state and Niger Delta region . We will continue to work with him”, a youth in Ogbunabali, Emeka said.