A New Year reunion party of indigenes of Brass Island in Bayelsa State brought together former political adversaries, offering a fresh push for reconciliation after years of divisions driven by political differences.
The event, organised by the group Old Time Friends in Brass Island and sponsored by former federal lawmaker Rt. Hon. Israel Sunny Goli — who represented the Nembe/Brass constituency in the House of Representatives — took place at the Banquet Hall of the Government House. It drew traditional rulers, politicians, youth and women leaders, signalling a collective desire to move beyond past animosities.
Attendees described the atmosphere as enthusiastic and hopeful. HRH Moses Theophilus Kenibara V, the traditional ruler of Moko Ama, Sangana, expressed delight at the gathering and called for sustained peace.
“The enthusiasm among those present was contagious,” one participant noted, highlighting the warm interactions among long-estranged kinsmen.
High Chief Dr Kune Igoni Claudius, who chaired the occasion, described the reunion as historic. “The forum and today’s celebration are a signal of better things ahead,” he said. “What is happening here should serve as an awakening of all of us. It reminds us that friendship should last longer than misunderstandings, and that old quarrels, like expired phone numbers, should not be redialed.”
Claudius praised the sponsor, noting Sunny Goli’s track record in fostering unity. “Rt. Hon. Sunny Goli has a gift for bringing people together. Unity is his profession,” he said. “He would have retired with honours. The initiative reflects his belief that leadership is not about titles alone but about bringing people together, especially those who have not seen each other since hairlines were still negotiating peacefully.”
He urged residents to seize the moment as a turning point. “Life is too short, and reunions are too rare to waste time on grudges that even we can no longer remember clearly,” Claudius added. “The people of Brass Island should rejoice together rather than return to the animosities of the past.”
Sunny Goli, the event’s initiator, framed the gathering as a revival of traditional communal ties. “The gathering has shown the positive disposition of all Brass Islanders to the issue of reawakening social life on the island,” he said. “It is to bring people who have not seen each other for a decade or two together.”
He emphasised broader implications: “It is a message to all that the social and economic life of our people should return in the atmosphere of peace.”
The reunion underscores ongoing efforts in Brass Island — part of Brass Local Government Area — to overcome political fractures that have strained families and communities for decades, with organisers positioning it as a foundation for renewed harmony and progress.
