Comrade Alex Eyengho is known in Delta State for his outspokenness on issues, particularly those concerning the Warri Federal Constituency of the State. He is a member of the 21-man Ogidigben Export Processing Zone (EPZ) Interface Committee, Ugborodo. In this no holds barred interview with some journalists recently in Warri, he talks about the Ogidigben EPZ Project Ugborodo, the Ijaw claim to the project and the intra communal crisis rocking oil rich Ugborodo, among other topical issues. Our Correspondent, Harris-Okon Emmnauel, reports. Excerpts.
Eyengho
What has been happening to the Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee Ugborodo since its inauguration in Asaba by the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan?
Well, we have made remarkable progress under the leadership of the Chairman of the committee, Barr. Austin Oboroegbeyi. Key players in the hitherto two factions in the Ugborodo leadership tussle who are members of the EPZ committee, have been talking together in a peaceful atmosphere, with a view to moving Ugborodo community forward and getting the EPZ Project kick off without hitch. Within this period, we have held series of strategic meetings with the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Navy Captain Musa Gemu in company of representatives of the Police, Army and SSS, with a view to ensuring that total peace returns to the area and all displaced persons from Ode-Ugborodo (Arunton), Madangho, Ajudaibo and Ogidigben during the peak of the intra Ugborodo crisis return home peacefully to reunite with their families and loved ones. Within this period, we have also held meetings with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), met with the Delta State Government, paid courtesy visit to the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse II, CON, visited four of the five federating communities that make up Ugborodo community viz: Ode-Ugborodo (Arunton), Madangho, Ajudaibo and Ogidigben. These are the troubled communities from where some persons were displaced and barred from reentering the communities by youths who have become law unto themselves. The fifth Ugborodo community; Ijaghala is peaceful, thus no visit was made by the committee. So, really, the committee has made some remarkable progress within its mandate. This, we have done with no funding from any quarter. We are doing this as mark of personal sacrifices to move Ugborodo forward.
Are you saying the committee has not been receiving funding from NNPC, the Delta State and Federal Governments? No sitting allowances?
Not even take-off grant? Not a kobo from any quarter and you can quote me on this! Members of the committee have been engaging in self-funding of their expenses in all ramifications. We do not know whether the NNPC has a budget for the committee for such things and, neither the Delta State Government nor the NNPC told us anything in that direction when we met with them. We see our involvement in the committee as a selfless service to our dear Ugborodo community. However, it will not be a bad idea for us to know, and benefit from, if there is a budget for the committee at the Federal, State or NNPC levels.
You sound as if all is well in Ugborodo now and indeed the Ogidigben EPZ Committee. But there are both internal and external problems, which may truncate the entire project (cuts in)…
Oh, really? Please tell me about them?
issue of displaced persons from Ode-Ugborodo (Arunton), Madangho, Ajudaibo and Ogidigben communities of Ugborodo being prevented from resettling in the communities by armed youths loyal to one of the two factions in the lingering leadership tussle in Ugborodo. The latest of such failed attempts by the displaced persons to go back home was on July 26 in the presence of the Navy. What exactly happened? The second problem is the Ijaw claim to the EPZ project as co-host community with the Itsekiri, and their (Ijaw) demand for the name to be changed from Ogidigben EPZ Project to something neutral. What is your take on these?
Thank you very much. First, I see these not as problems but as surmountable challenges. Whenever something good is about to manifest, there are bound to be challenges, which should, and must be dealt with and overcome. The Ogidigben EPZ Project Ugborodo will not be different. The historical trajectory of the intra-Ugborodo leadership crisis between Chief Ereyitomi Thomas and Mr. David Tonwe peaked during the last quarter of 2013 and got even more complicated in January 2014. This led to the intervention of the Federal Government through the Delta State Government. The Chief of Naval Staff and the Inspector General of Police summoned critical stakeholders in the matter to the Defense Headquarters in Abuja. There in Abuja, various undertakings were signed by both factions and it was resolved that a fresh 21-member Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee be set up. It was also agreed that the issue of the leadership of the Ugborodo Community Trust between Chief Ereyitomi and Mr. Tonwe be left for the Court to decide, since the Tonwe faction had already dragged the Ereyitomi faction to court, wanting the Court to determine which of the two factions is the authentic leadership of the Trust. Both factions nominated 10 persons as members of the Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee Ugborodo, while the Delta State Government appointed Barr. Austin Oboroegbeyi as Chairman of the Committee. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan inaugurated the 21-man committee sometimes in May this year, at Asaba. Part of the mandate of the committee is to ensure that all displaced persons from Ugborodo communities return home safely without any molestation by anybody. This, the committee was to do with full backing of the military (Navy, Army, SSS and Police). The committee and several other stakeholders held series of meetings with the military in Warri for the purpose of achieving this objective. Two efforts were made by the military to resettle the displaced persons but were thwarted by some criminal elements and mercenaries planted in some of these Ugborodo communities. On Monday July 21, 2014, the military led by the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Navy Capt. Musa Gemu, held yet another meeting with Ugborodo stakeholders on the same subject matter. Present at the meeting were Mr. David Tonwe, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Chief Ayiri Emami, the Olaja-Ori of Ugborodo (Benson Dube Omadeli), the Igbajo of Ugborodo (Prince Perry Atete) former Chairman of Ugborodo Community Trust (Pa. Sandys Omadeli-Uvwoh), Mr. Isaac Botosan, and Chairman of the EPZ Committee (Barr. Austin Oboroegbeyi) among others. There, Chiefs Ereyitomi and Ayiri agreed that Ogidigben and Ajudaibo were under their control, while Mr. David Tonwe boasted that Ode-Ugborodo (Arunton) and Madangho were firmly under his control. The meeting resolved that all displaced persons from these four communities must be taken back home by the military on Saturday July 26, 2014. Chiefs Ayiri and Ereyitomi were mandated to draw up a list of their loyalists and other persons displaced from Ode-Ugborodo and Madangho, While Mr. Tonwe agreed to draw up the list of his loyalists displaced from Ogidigben and Ajudaibo. They all agreed to submit their list to Capt. Gemu latest on Thursday July 24, 2014. Before the proposed Saturday exodus, the Olaja-Ori of Ugborodo was also billed to visit Ajudaibo and Ogidigben to preach peace. All this agreements were carried out. Those displaced from Ajudaibo and Ogidigben who wish to go back home have since done that. Olaja-Ori visited Ajudaibo and Ogidigben without any hitch. The only exception is David Tonwe who reneged at the last moment. This was responsible for the incidents of Saturday July 26, 2014 in Madangho and Ode-Ugborodo, when violent youths and mercenaries in these communities turned the returnee displaced persons (women and men in 4 boats led by Mr. Isaac Botosan, Prince Perry Atete, Pullen Esimimajemite etc) and the military back to Warri. David Tonwe should be held responsible for this yet another failure of resettling the displaced persons and any crisis that may arise thereafter. I am sure that you are aware for instance that the homes of Mr. Isaac Botosan and Mr. Julius Atete (Ugborodo National Youth President) in Ode-Ugborodo were completely razed by these criminal elements on Sunday July 27, 2014. They embarked on this criminal act because Mr. Botosan and Mr. Atete were among those who dared to come back to their hometown! This is unacceptable in any sane society.
Why do you think these people were being prevented by the youths from reentering Ode-Ugborodo and Madangho? The youths say the displaced persons must perform some traditional ritual ceremonies, and that about four youths loyal to David Tonwe under detention at the Okere Prisons in Warri be released, before they (displaced persons) will be allowed to come back and resettle in the communities.
Do you agree with this, for peace to reign?
That is bunkum talk! Do youths decide in traditional matters? Why are they trying to be the policemen, prosecutors and judge in their own case? These youths are interested party and indeed loyalists of the David Tonwe faction. What ritual are they themselves going to perform for burning down the houses of Mr. Botosan, Mr. Atete, Pullen Esimimajemite, Mr. Edonmi Igbiaye and many others? Suffice it to say that all those who have been criminally barred from entering Ode-Ugborodo and Madangho are people perceived to be loyal to Chiefs Thomas Ereyitomi and Ayiri Emami faction in the leadership crisis of the Ugborodo Community Trust. Those detained at the Okere Prisons in Warri have issues with the government. The police, and not individuals detained them. They should sort themselves out with the police or the courts. Another thing eating up the system in Ugborodo is the plot by David Tonwe and co to perpetually keep the loyalists of Chiefs Ereyitomi Thomas and Ayiri Emami out of Ugborodo communities, particularly Ode-Ugborodo and Madangho, until August ending 2014, when the 2nd tenure of the Chief Ereyitomi-led Trust is expected to come to an end. This would now pave the way for them to organize a kangaroo Trust election at the Town Hall in Ode-Ugborodo and subsequently announce David Tonwe or his loyalist as Chairman of the new Trust. Little did they know that this is a pipe dream that will never come to reality. There is also the political angle to this whole struggle where these same persons are fighting hard to impose a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Ugborodo people by all mean possible. This selfish plot is seriously heating up the political space in Ugborodo communities. Let’s face it; what is happening in these communities is simply acts of criminality. It is nothing but acts of local terrorism being perpetrated mostly by mercenaries under the protection of some indigenes of the communities. Under the laws of Nigeria, any law abiding citizen is free to settle in any part of the country without hindrance or molestation by anybody or group of persons. That is the law, which must be protected by the Federal, State and local governments.
What do you think is the way out of this? Some persons have suggested that the Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee should be dissolved for reason of its failure to bring peace to Ugborodo Community. What are your thoughts here?
Though I respect the opinion of those calling for the dissolution of the EPZ committee, I do not agree with them totally. It is their personal opinion, which they are entitled to. I must point out that the challenges in Ugborodo predate the inauguration of the Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee. Whatever is happening now was not created by the committee and to that extent; the committee cannot and should not be held liable for the many challenges in Ugborodo community. If anything, despite nefarious activities of fifth columnists within, the committee is trying its very best to bring a lasting and enduring peace to Ugborodo, and not peace of the graveyard. Having said that, I think what is needed is a reconstitution of the EPZ Committee. I say this because some persons in the committee do not really want the committee to succeed. David Tonwe and all that he represent ranks top among such persons and I say this with all sense of responsibility. What he did, for instance by thwarting the most recent effort of the Navy to resettle some displaced Ugborodo indigenes to their various communities, is a confirmation of my statement. So, such fifth columnists in the EPZ committee should be weeded off without further delay, and replaced with dedicated Ugborodo indigenes that are committed to total peace in Ugborodoland. Secondly, it is time for the military to enforce peace in Ugborodo. Enough of handling criminal elements with kid gloves. The thing to do now is to militarize Ugborodo community particularly Ode-Ugborodo and Madangho. This will bring sanity to the area the way the militarization of Kokori brought sanity to the community. It is sad that there is no single police station in the entire Ugborodo area. The only security presence in the area is those guarding oil companies operating in the area. So, criminal elements are laws unto themselves in the community. They decide whom they want to stay in the community and those they don’t want to see. They are the police and court in the community. This is not acceptable except we are saying Ugborodo is a banana Island. For now, these troublemakers are local terrorists. Government of the day at all levels must not create the room for these criminals to be emboldened and graduate into Niger Delta Boko Haram. The government must act fast by militarizing the area and flush out all criminal elements using the area as hideout. That is the only sure panacea to peace in Ugborodo community. Trust me.
So much for the internal problems. Now, let’s look at some of the external problems facing the EPZ Project. The Ijaw have raised some concerns.
First, they said they own 70 per cent of the location of the EPZ. They have also challenged the Itsekiri to show receipts where the Ijaw pay as customary tenants to Itsekiri in the affected land earmarked for the EPZ Project. What is your take here?
Let me answer this question by referring you to a 2-page rejoinder of the Ugborodo Community in the Vanguard of Wednesday July 30, 2014, to all the publications by the Ijaw of Gbaramatu in various newspapers including Vanguard. Your question and other issues were clearly answered in that rejoinder. I urge you and any other person interested in knowing the facts of this matter to look for the said Vanguard and read the Ugborodo rejoinder. Having said that, I must say very categorically that the Ijaws have no claim whatsoever in the Ogidigben EPZ Project. In the context of the EPZ Project, there are two projects in one: the Ogidigben EPZ Gas City Project covering an area of 2,560.89 hectares of land and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Jetty Project in 300 hectares of land. The land acquired by the Delta State Government for the Nigerian Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) for the establishment of a Gas City, lies between Ogidigben and Ajudaibo. The Notices of Revocation of the Rights of Occupancy as published respectively in the Pointer of Thursday 12th November 2012 and Vanguard of Thursday 6th December 2012, expressly show that the land is between Ajudaibo and Ogidigben, which are in Ugborodo Community. The NPA Jetty that will occupy 300 hectares of land is between Madangho and Kpokpo in Ugborodoland. Courts of competent jurisdictions have adjudged these lands part of Ugborodoland in various suits. Receipts where Ijaws pay, as customary tenants to Itsekiri were part of documents submitted in these suits and part of the facts that gave Itsekiri court victory in those suits.
Certainly, Itsekiri have copies of these receipts. They are integral part of the various judgments delivered by Judges of these Courts. In any case, such things are public documents in the courts! The Ijaw have also maintained that most of the court judgments Itsekiri are laying claims to are still at various stages of either the Appeal or Supreme Courts.
For lands that have been litigated upon, the only evidence of ownership is the judgment of court(s) in favour of the claimant(s), be it High Court, Appeal Court or Supreme Court. Itsekiri have these and have always quoted this as appropriate, in all their publications. In all the publications by the Ijaws of Gbaramatu and Sokebolou Ogulagha, claiming to have 70% of the land for the EPZ Project, none has shown any map to reflect their positions or has cited or referred to any document including Court judgment(s) in their favour in respect of the land of the EPZ Project location. Perhaps the Gbaramatu and Sokebolou people do not know or are confused about the site or location of the EPZ and NPA Jetty Projects, or are not looking at the appropriate map.
The Ijaw have also argued that as a result of the Governor’s intervention, the Ijaw and Ilaje were accommodated in the EGTL project sharing formula to the extent that the Ijaw, Ilaje and Itsekiri have their separate blocks in the EGTL project. Though the Itsekiri had the highest percent but the Ijaw and Ilaje had their separate blocks in the sharing formula. Why can’t this be replicated in the Ogidigben EPZ Project? Why can’t they have their own EPZ Interface Committee?
It is good to hear that they agreed that they don’t have land in the EGTL project area! The Itsekiri people have made it manifestly clear that they recognize the presence of the Gbaramatu people who settled in Itsekiriland land and the Sokebolou Ogulaha people as their neighbours; the same thing for the Ilaje. It is for this reason that they (Ijaw and Ilaje) have benefited from projects within Ugborodo Community like the EGP, EGTL etc. This was done in the usual Itsekiri spirit of accommodation, magnanimity and hospitality. For the Ogidigben EPZ, Itsekiri are prepared to accommodate these people, not as of right or by falsehood and threat or violence but as a privilege to neighbours. They can have as many EPZ Interface Committees as they desire if and when the project come to their land. For now, the entire land (about 3, 000 hectares) acquired by government for the EPZ Project belongs to the Itsekiri. End of discussion! Let me tell you, the EPZ project is 3 times bigger than the gradually winding off EGTL project. There is so much to go round not just Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje but Delta State and Nigeria as a whole. It is a big project that will open up the entire riverine areas in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State. Itsekiri are not greedy about this. For instance, the Itsekiri, Ijaw, Ilaje and a few others not from that area are involved and indeed benefiting from the initial stage of the EPZ project, which involves clearing of the area by Julius Berger Nigeria and preparing the site for the groundbreaking ceremony by President Goodluck Jonathan. A very senior Ijaw Chief from the Gbaramatu axis, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) for example is a major contractor at this stage of the project. Can the Ijaws be this magnanimous if the project were to be in communities firmly under their control? For instance, activities are already going on in the proposed Shipyard, Dockyard and Marine University in the Gbaramatu axix; will the Ijaws remember their Itsekiri neighbours? Will they consider the Itsekiris for any contract in these two major projects under their control? Your guess is as good as mine.
They have also maintained that the name should be changed from Ogidigben EPZ Project Ugborodo to a more neutral name. Do you agree?
I don’t agree. For the fact that the land acquired for the EPZ Project is between Ajudaibo and Ogidigben in Ugborodo, it can be named after any one of the two towns. Therefore, naming it after Ogidigben is in order. There should be no further argument about this, neither should attempts be made to blackmail or threaten Governor Uduaghan or President Jonathan into stopping the groundbreaking ceremony. Nobody has the monopoly of violence.
The post Ijaw have no claim to Ogidigben EPZ Ugborodo –Eyengho appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.