Reconciliation Builds Prosperous Societies, Otu Tells Archbishop Welby

Cross River State governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has described reconciliation as “one of the strongest tools for building peaceful and prosperous societies.”

Otu commended Welby’s four-decade advocacy for justice and peace.

He made the statement in Calabar during a courtesy visit by the former Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Reverend Justin Welby.

Welby, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, who led the global Anglican Communion from 2013 to 2024, is in Nigeria to promote interfaith dialogue, peacebuilding and national development.

Otu was represented by his deputy, Dr Peter Odey, at the State Banquet held at Peregrino Hall.

Otu said, “The former archbishop’s life and ministry demonstrate that reconciliation remains one of the strongest tools for building peaceful and prosperous societies.”

Otu also hailed Welby’s role in mediating the 2005 dispute between Shell Oil and the Ogoni community. He noted that Cross River’s “rich ethnic and cultural diversity has been sustained through dialogue, mutual understanding, and respect among its people.”

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to “inclusive development, quality education, affordable healthcare, and social justice,” stressing that “no citizen should be left behind in the state’s development agenda.”

In his remarks, Archbishop Welby reflected on his relationship with Nigeria since 1978 and expressed confidence in the country’s “immense human potential.”

He urged leaders to “reject corruption and create an environment that enables talented, innovative, and hardworking Nigerians to thrive.”