…Two First class monarchs lead Ese- Odo to protest marginalisation, give ultimatum

…We’ll Cancel LCDAs In Crisis-ridden Areas – Ondo Speaker Threatens

Protests and rowdy sessions yesterday characterised the public hearing on the creation of additional 33 Local Councils Development Areas (LCDAs) bill, by the Ondo state government.

The Public Hearing was organised by the State House of Assembly, in Akure, the state capital following backlash on the secrecy in making public the list of the new LCDAs and their headquarters by the state government.

Some leaders and youths in Akure, the state capital, distrupted the sitting when they stopped a monarch, the Iralepo of Isikan, Oba Olugbenga Ojo, from making his presentation on the need to create Isikan LCDA in order to bring recognition to the people of Isikan community.

But, the timely intervention of the Speaker, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji saved the rowdy situation from degenerating as he called the youths to order.

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Oba Ojo, pleaded with the Assembly that “the initial nomenclature of Akure West be changed to Isikan LCDA, which comprises of ward 1 to 3 in the old Akure South LGA.”

Also, two first class monarchs in Ese-Odo council area of the state, the Kalasuwe of Ijaw-Apoi Oba (Prof.) Sunday Adejimola Amuseghan and the Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw land, Zaccheaus Doubra, led the people to protest marginalisation in the creation of new LCDAs.

Placards displayed by the protesters from Ese- Odo at the lnternational Event Centre, Akure, venue of the Public Hearing on the Bill for the Creation of LCDAs, include: “ODSG Stop Pushing Us to the Wall, Arogbo Ijaws Demand For Ukparama LCDA, Two LCDA for Arogbo-Ijaw in Ese-Odo, We Don’t Want Repeat of Ijaw/Ilaje Crisis, ODSG Allow Us to Breathe Stop Suffocating Us, Map Ceding Arogbo-Ijaw Land be Withdrawn Immediately, ODSG, Dont Incite crisis between Ijaw and Ilaje and ODSG Instigating War, amongst others.”

The protesters said the whole of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba were ceded to Ilaje while part of Apoi 4 and 5 were ceded to Irele Local Government.

Besides, the protesting Ijaws said they want more LCDAs to be created out of Ese-Odo Local Government instead of ceding their land to Ilaje.

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“We are asking for more LCDAs and we say total no to the ceding of our land to Ilaje and Irele Local Governments.”

Speaking, Oba Amusegha said that “We are here to make our observations known to the whole world, particularly to Ondo State regarding the creation of LCDAs in Ondo State.

“We the Ijaw people in Ondo State, we have been marginalized for a long time but we are thanking God that the time for God to rescue us to to bring glory of the Ijaw back to us and we are her to say that to the whole world.

” In Ese-Odo, we share boundaries with Ilajes and Ikales, but we are here to tell the whole world that we will not cede one inch of our land to either Ikales or Ilajes because we are special people in Ondo State.

“We have bitumen and petroleum resources and that why the Constitution and the law establishing NDDC and OSOPADEC recognise we the Ese-Odo as oil producing local government and because of this position, we should be given special consideration by splitting Ese-Odo in more LCDAs.”

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The monarch said that “We you consider Ijaw in Nigeria, we are the fourth ethnic group in Nigeria and that is why Bayelsa was given to us because of the special position and geographical area we occupy in Nigeria. So, we should be given more LCDAs.

“We will never concede one inch of our land to either Ikales or Ilajes. There is a new Ondo State map ceding our communities to Ilaje and Irele. Whether through or not the government of Ondo State must withdraw that map with immediate effect.”

He added that “We are peace-loving people, we want to live in peace with other nationalities in Nigeria and we pray they too should consider this and live in peace with us.”

Also, the Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw land, Zaccheaus Doubra, said that ” We are asking for more LCDAs and we say total no to the ceding of our land to Ilaje and Irele Local Governments.

Speaking through the Chairman, Ijaw National Congress, Ondo State chapter, Bonsuwei Ominidougha, said “Ijaw man will not agree for anybody and INC will fight this course, the Arogbo man will fight the course, the Apoi people will fight the same cause to make sure that one inch of our land will never be ceded to anybody.

“We are giving them 21 ultimatum to withdraw that map. We don’t want to fight with anybody because it was the failure of leadership the other time that caused the Ijaw-Ilaje crisis.”

He added that “We don’t want that one to repeat itself, therefore we are calling on Ondo State government and even our neighbour’s that nobody should try it because Ijaw man will never agree for anybody.

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“We are a peace loving people. We are calling on the Ondo State government to stop the nonsense. INC will fight the course to make sure that one inch of our land will not be ceded.

“The whole of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba are ceded to Ilaje. Part of Apoi 4 and 5 are ceded to Irele Local Government. We do not want to fight with anybody. It was the failure of leadership that led to the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis and we do not want a repeat of that war.”

Other petitions submitted by various stakeholders include changes in the names of some LCDA, change in the citing of headquarters while some are also clamouring for additional LCDAs.

Other speakers from council areas pleaded that paramountcy in traditional institutions in their communities should not be altered in the process of creating new LCDAs.

Reacting to the development, the Speaker of the states Assembly, declared that the state government “would not hesitate to cancel or suspend the creation of Local Council Development Areas in any community or Local Government areas where there is crisis or court injunctions.”

Oladiji lauded governor Rotimi Akeredolu, “for choosing to tow the line of other southwest states which had earlier created their LCDAS with a view to fast-tracking development at the grassroots.”
VANGUARD