![]() |
President Muhammadu Buhari receives The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli and delegation during an audience at the State House in Abuja. PHOTO; SUNDAY AGHAEZE. FEB 23RD 2018. |
...say they are in
support of Nigerian maritime university, okerenkoko
The people of Ugborodo Community in Warri South West Local
Government Area of Delta State have told President Muhammadu Buhari that the
recent visit of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli to him at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja was nothing but a sham just as they restated their total support
for the establishment of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
President Buhari last Friday in Abuja met Olu of Warri and
he promised more goodies for the Niger Delta Region.
But in a Petition to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday,
the people described the visit as a sham and deceitful aimed at covering up
alleged atrocities carried out against the people of Ode Ugborodo on February
11, 2018.
The Petition was
signed by Hon Thomas Metseagharun (The Toritsemogha of Ugborodo Land) and
Pastor William Agbajor (The Balogun of Ugborodo Land.)
According to them;"Mr President, we the peace loving
people of Ugborodo Community want to let you know that the visit of the Olu of
Warri and his entourage to you on Friday, February 23, 2018 is a sham and
deceitful in order to cover up the atrocities committed against the people at
Ode Ugborodo on February 11,2018 by Chief Ayiri Emani, the Ologbotsere of Warri
and his co-travellers who have been
causing mayhem, arson, killings, vandalization of property and looting in the
area with the help of illegal Military,
Police, ethnic militias and hired thugs. Mr President, they have
brought untold hardship to the
people and you have been deceived by the visit of the Olu and his
entourage".
"Mr President, there have been reoccurring incidents of
this manner over four times in this Ugborodo Community where the Olaja-Orori,
Dube Omadeli is the head and leader of the people, where four persons- Chief
Ayiri Emani, Chief Ereyitomi Thomas, Mr David Tonwe and Tuoyo Omatsuli and
their cronies will not allow our Communities of Ode Ugborodo, Ogidigben,
Ajudaibo, Mandagho and their environs to know peace for the past Thirteen
years".
"These
communities are underdeveloped because choice contracts such as Madangho
to Ogidigben shoreline protection contract awarded to Chief Ayiri Emani, the
Ologbotsere of Warri for multi million Naira without execution and Ode Ugborodo
shoreline protection was also abandoned. Mr President, few persons who have turned themselves into money
bags and political hawks are milking our Communities dry. We the people of
Ugborodo Community are deeply worried over the way things are going. We are
being subjected to unnecessary hindrances when God has blessed us so much. All
agents of destabilization should leave Ugborodo area alone. Chief Ayiri and his
co-travellers disturbing the peace of Ugborodo should be called to order by the
Federal Government".
They called on the President to prevail on the Inspector
General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to
investigate the raid on Ugborodo Community, allegedly masterminded by Chief
Ayiri Emami, the Ologbosere of Warri kingdom, an action which they claimed led
to the death of three persons in the community on February 11, 2018.
They alleged that
Chief Ayiri in company of heavily armed Police, Nigeria Army and hired
mercenaries numbering more than 50 patrolled Ugborodo in gunboats and suddenly
there were sporadic gunshots which caused panic, pandemonium and everybody ran
into the bush for fear of being killed in the ensuing gunfire.
They claimed that
three persons were instantly gun down and others in the process of
escaping, sustained different degrees of life threatening injuries.
They claimed also that the house of the Olaja-Orori of Ugborodo
Community, Benson Dube Omadeli was set
ablaze following the alleged instructions dished out to the hired mercenaries
by Ayiri, who massively damaged the house under construction in the community.
They alleged
that the property belonging to the National
Youth President of Ugborodo Community, Mr. Ofe Penda Nene, were destroyed and
others set ablaze.
They further alleged that
the property of Richard Arubi and Williams Agbajor were also not spared
as they were equally destroyed and set ablaze in Ugborodo community.
They claimed that
Ayiri based his actions on the ground
that Omadeli declared
himself the king of the community, hence the raid on his people.
According to them, Ugborodo is an autonomous Community in
Warri South West Local Government Area and
host to many oil firms and has been existing since the 13th century,
saying that;"It predates Giniwa, the first Olu of Itsekiri, then also the
Colonial Masters and our present day Nigeria where the present head and
spiritual leader, Dube Omadeli, the Olaja-Orori of Ugborodo land, Suoo V 1 and
his people are autonomous Community.
"Ugborodo is an autonomous community. We have been in
existence since 13 AD. It is the oldest community in this area and we are not
under anybody. The leadership of this community is under the leadership of the
Olaja-Orori under the leadership of
Benson Dube Omadeli. Because of the wealth found in this community, people
outside started calling us all types of negative names. There are some people
who are hell bent on destroying this community. We are fighting against these agents of destruction and stabilization
and we are saying that we can no longer allow people to use us again. All the
people fighting us are not living in this community. You cannot change who we
are. We know that we originate from Ode in Ijebu land. We are from the Yoruba
lineage,” they added.
According to them;"Since the advent of oil exploration
and exploitation in 1959 to date, the whole ecosystem both land and water have
been polluted and degraded. Our lovely means of livelihood of fishing and
farming are gone. We do not have good water, no electricity, no schools, no
hospitals, no houses, no means of transportation and other necessary modern
social amenities are lacking, yet some few individuals have enriched themselves
at the detriment of the people and their communities".
"Mr President, we are in total support of the Nigerian
Maritime University already located in our next door neighbour of Gbaramatu
Kingdom and this our support for the University is making those in Warri area
to be angry against Ugborodo land and Gbaramatu Kingdom. The establishment of
the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko will bring rapid development to
the area and the entire Niger Delta Region. We are next door neighbours and
nobody can come between us", they said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment