Tsekelewu and Okirigbo communities of Egbema Kingdom, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State have warned the Ondo State government not to start a communal war between them and their Ilaje neighbours over fusing them into Ondo State through the recent creation of Local Council Development Agencies (LCDAs).
The communities gave the warning in a letter signed by Hon. Chief David Ugedi, Engr. Dr. Bright Abulu, Boundary Committee Chairman, President General, Leader of Thoughts, Opuama Polobubo (Tsekelewu) and Revd. Doyah Clement, Chief December Aweh, Boundary Committee Secretary, Chairman, Opuama Community
Secretary General Tsekelewu made available to journalists on Wednesday in Delta State.
The communities’ representatives alleged that a controversial map earlier produced by the Ondo State Government Performance and Implementation Monitoring Unit (ODSGPPIMU), annexing Opuama (Atilabo), into Ilaje East Local Development Area (LCDA), under Ugbo Ward 5 of Ilaje L.G.A., Ondo State, which was earlier denied, appears to have materialised.
They described the seeming fusing of Opuama and Tsekelewu communities in Delta State into Ilaje and Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State as imperialistic and provocative, thereby cutting them off their Ijaw kith and kin.
“When we wanted to react, we came across a press statement released by Hon. Donald Kimikanbo Ojogo, Member, House of Representatives, Ilaje Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, dated (12/08/2023).
“However, he was particular about the protests by Arogbo-Ijaw Kingdom and Apoi-Ijaw due to the perceived ceding of their ancient towns to Ilaje and Irele Local Government areas, respectively.
“However, he affirmed that there were obvious flaws in the said map but, that they were not intentional, and he was already interfacing with relevant officials of Ondo State Government to clear all grey areas.
“In the same view, the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, also reacted to the protests on Tribune of 12th August 2023.
“She said, that no land in the said map was ceded or awarded to any community, it did not belong in the state (Ondo), and that the map in question was part of instructional materials and textbooks produced in 2022 and was distributed recently to public schools.
“She proceeded further to state that, “In the map of Ondo State distributed, there were juxtapositions in names and some names were put where they should not be.”
“Also that, it was an unintended error, which upon its discovery the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology moved swiftly to withdraw the materials.
“She concluded by saying that, “This act of inadvertence has no link with the current process on the creation of new LCDAs in the State and should be disregarded completely.”
“We felt, the publications of the aforementioned high-ranking political officials of the Ondo State were viable reasons why we should believe that, the development was indeed unintentional, so we held our peace.
“But sadly, the reality now dawn on us by the fresh publication of Ondo State LCDAs Administrative Map covering 33 newly created LCDAs and 18 LGAs.
“In this fresh map, our communities that were earlier found in the first erroneous maps are captured in Ilaje East LCDA, under Ugbo Ward 5, of Ilaje LGA. Could this be further error, or a daring affront and invitation for War?
“This unhealthy political development has been a concern to Opuama, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) and Egbema at large, as this is not the first time, the government of Ondo State has attempted merger of the towns (Opuama and Tsekelewu) with Ondo State,” the communities noted.
The communities, therefore, warned the Ondo State government to desist “from incorporating Opuama and Tsekelewu into any political arrangement/creation in their state, since the two towns are ‘integral component of Delta State’; this status of the towns has been variously proved beyond reasonable doubt, in high quarters.
“From the foregoing facts of the towns, it is crystal clear that we are age-long dwellers in Egbema Kingdom, and we have acclimatized to the ethnic, cultural and traditional experiences of the people in the kingdom. Hence, awarding us to Ondo State would be suicidal and unacceptable to our posterity, talk-less of the present generation of Opuama and Tsekelewu.
“We say NO. “Delta State is our own home”. The general public, federal, state and Local Governments should intervene and emancipate us from this conceived / attempted slavery of a people like us for economic benefits derivable from our lands. We would continue to resist our merger with Ondo State, no matter what it may cost us! War or peace!!”
. TheWitness
