Stakeholders in the Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State have urged traditional institutions in the kingdom to use the burial of late Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, King Theophilus Princewill to unite the people and improve development of the community.

A Professor of African Social History, Waibinte Wariboko, made the call at a public lecture organised as part of month-long activities for the burial of the late King, in Buguma City, Asari-Toru local council.

Prof. Wariboko who spoke in a lecture entitled: “Identity constructs and social formations: their implications for the unity in the evolution of Kalabari history”, said the competing identities of Bakana, Buguma and Abonnema communities, led to the disappearance of the Elem-Kalabari identity.

“Before the out migration from the city state of Elem-Kalabari, the competing identities of Bakana, Buguma and Abonnema never existed. Have we asked ourselves this question? At what point did we become self-identifying as an Abonnema man against being a Kalabari man?. At what point did I become an Abonnema man rather than a Kalabari man?. How do you self-identify and what conditions make you self-identify in the way you do? If you answer this question, more of the problems we are talking about can be easily resolved,” he said.

The regent of Kalabari Kingdom, Charles Numbere, said there was the need for traditional rulers in the kingdom to unite in achieving needed development.

The Chairman of the public lecture and Secretary of the Central Working Committee (CWC), Prof. Victor Omuaru, said the burial of King Princewill has given the people of Kalabari Kingdom an opportunity to strengthen their unity.