By Admiral Festus Porbeni, mni, CFR
I write this open letter with a heart heavy with concern and a conscience that will not allow silence. This is not an intervention driven by politics, personal loyalty, or ambition. It is the anguished appeal of an elder statesman, a patriot, and a lifelong servant of Rivers State who has seen its promise, lived through its trials, and understands—perhaps more than most—the grave cost of political conflict left unchecked.
There are moments in the life of a people when silence becomes betrayal. This is one of such moments.
My relationship with the governance of Rivers State is neither recent nor opportunistic. It is rooted in duty, sacrifice, and direct responsibility, stretching back to the formative years of the state itself. In 1971, when Rivers State was still finding its footing, I served at the Brick House under the administration of Alfred Diette-Spiff, the first Military Governor of the state, in my capacity as a Sub-Lieutenant. Those were years when leadership decisions carried enormous consequences, when peace was fragile, and when the wrong choice could plunge an entire state into uncertainty.
In 1978, duty once again placed me at the very centre of Rivers State governance during the military administration of (Retired) Admiral Suleiman Saidu. As Lieutenant Commander and Executive Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship Akaso, I served as his second-in-command while he simultaneously bore the burden of governing this state. I witnessed firsthand the delicate balance between authority and restraint, between power and responsibility. Those were not times for ego or rivalry; they were times when unity of purpose was essential for stability.
My service to Rivers State continued between 1994 and 1996 under the administration of (Retired) Colonel Dauda Komo. During this period, I worked closely with the state government while serving as a member of the Provisional Ruling Council and as Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command. These cumulative experiences gave me an intimate understanding of the Brick House—not merely as a seat of power, but as a symbol whose stability determines whether Rivers State thrives or bleeds.
These years gave me something more enduring than rank or title. They gave me memory. And it is memory that now fills me with deep unease.
What is unfolding today between the Governor of Rivers State and the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory is painfully familiar. The tension, the hardened positions, the growing mistrust—all echo the bitter political crisis of 2017. Rivers people remember that period vividly: governance was strained, institutions were weakened, loyalties were fractured, and development slowed to a crawl. Ordinary citizens paid the price for elite conflict.
History is relentless in its warnings. When its lessons are ignored, it does not merely repeat itself—it returns with harsher consequences.
Rivers State is too important, too richly endowed, and too scarred by past conflicts to be dragged once again into avoidable turmoil. This state cannot afford prolonged political warfare. Peace is not a luxury; it is the foundation upon which democracy and development stand. Without peace, governance becomes ineffective. Without stability, investors retreat. Without unity of purpose, progress becomes impossible.
This moment demands wisdom, restraint, and humility from all parties involved. Political power is temporary. Office is fleeting. But the consequences of today’s actions will endure long after titles have been relinquished. History will remember who chose dialogue over confrontation, who placed the collective interest above personal pride, and who allowed ego to imperil the future of an entire state.
There is an urgent need to restore calm, mutual respect, and cooperation in Rivers State. Investors—both local and international—are watching closely. Political uncertainty breeds fear, erodes confidence, and drives away capital. When investment leaves, it is not politicians who suffer most; it is the ordinary people—traders, workers, youths, and families—whose livelihoods depend on a stable and predictable environment.
I recall vividly that when I exited public office in 1999 as a Federal Minister, Rivers State ranked ahead of Lagos in terms of investment potential and strategic economic importance. At that time, embassies and major federal institutions were relocating to the newly established Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Rivers State stood at the threshold of immense opportunity. Yet history took a different turn.
Today, Lagos stands as one of Africa’s leading economic hubs, boasting one of the largest economies on the continent.
Rivers State possesses equal, if not greater, natural, human, and economic resources. What it lacks is not potential, but sustained political harmony and selfless leadership. No state can maximize its destiny while consumed by internal strife.
I therefore make this passionate appeal to the Governor of Rivers State and the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory: rise above ego, personal grievance, and partisan loyalty. Rivers State must come first. Its peace must come first. Its future must come first.
This is not a time to win battles; it is a time to save the house we all live in. The people of Rivers State deserve governance anchored on cooperation, dialogue, and a shared vision for prosperity—not endless cycles of conflict that leave scars on institutions and wounds on the people.
I speak not as an enemy, not as a partisan, but as a father figure who has seen what happens when leaders choose confrontation over compromise. Power may be lost and regained, but peace, once shattered, is painfully difficult to restore.
May wisdom prevail.
May restraint guide decisions.
May Rivers State find lasting peace.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
God bless Rivers State.
God bless the Ijaw Nation.
Porbeni is a retired Admiral, diplomat and Federal Minister.
