After years of killings and destruction of lives and properties, the age-long boundary dispute between warring Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities of Udu Local Government Area and Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State has been resolved by the state government.
It will be recalled that the land dispute, which has lingered for decades with no acceptable solution, has claimed several lives and properties from both the Urhobo and Ijaw communities over the years.
The Secretary to the State Government, Dr Kingsley Emu, who made known the final resolution during an enlarged stakeholders’ meeting on the Aladja-Ogbe-Ijoh boundary dispute held at his office in Asaba, gave a background history of the conflict at the meeting.
He noted that past administrations of the State Government (military and civilian) had tried to intervene by setting up various panels of inquiries such as the Justice Azinge Inquiry of 1996; Justice Nwulu Inquiry of 2009, and Prof. Ekoko’s Panel of 2016 to settle the issue, all to no avail.
He stated that there was also a private initiative by some eminent Deltans to mediate in the crises, which was led by Chief Edwin Ekpoko, unfortunately, their efforts did not yield the desired results.
The SSG said the immediate past administration of Ifeanyi Okowa also made efforts to resolve the conflict through the office of the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution, which had officials of the ministries of Lands and Survey, Justice, representatives of both communities and chairmen of the local government areas at that time.
He noted that the team made good progress by demarcating the boundaries between the two communities from Warri River up to Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja road to the satisfaction of both communities, but the demarcation from this point up to Major General Dumeje’s Canal was not acceptable to them.
Emu said at this point after further consultation, the team worked with the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly to re-align the line of division for this particular segment of the boundary.
The SSG said the present administration, disturbed by the enduring stalemate on the dispute, through the Ministry of Youth Development in conjunction with the office of the SSG, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Peace and Conflict Resolutions and the Ministry of Justice, brokered a dialogue between the youth leaders and other stakeholders of both communities who presented 12 representatives each.
Emu stated that far-reaching resolutions were taken at the two-day consultation meeting with the communities where it was agreed that they should go home and meet with critical segments of their communities and come out with unanimous resolutions and recommendations which would be binding on them and they were to revert to the government on the collective resolutions of their communities.
The SSG said the outcome of this engagement with the youths led to an enlarged stakeholders meeting and reiterated that the administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oberevwori remained strongly committed to the course of development across the state, for which peace is an indispensable factor.
Moreover, it was the position of the government that this meeting with both sides would be the last mediation effort to terminate the boundary dispute and free up the area for development and for freedom to thrive, noting that the government was not willing to play politics with lives and properties.
The SSG stated that the state government had resolved that the boundary line already established by the Special Adviser on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution and his team which leads from Warri River up to Major General Dumeje’s Canal would be upheld by the government.
Emu equally stated that the state government has acquired the remaining portion of the disputed territory which starts from Major General Dumeje Canal as a reserve, stating that a gazette will be issued in due course to this effect and which will provide the survey description of the area and that His Excellency the Governor, Rt.Hon.Elder Sheriff Oborevwori will make a proclamation on the acquisition.
In their remarks, the representatives of the Pere of Ogbe-ijoh kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area, High Chief Anthony Jolomo and two others who spoke for the community, commended the state government for convening the instant meeting and urged the government not to hesitate to implement its resolutions as delays and hesitation in the implementation of previous peace initiatives had allowed the dispute to fester.
Similarly in his remarks, a representative of the traditional ruler of Aladja, Chief Otto Ogbiruruets, along with Chief Paulson Obiebi expressed their happiness for the meeting, noting that it was the first sign of very positive action on the part of the government to end the dispute but observed that sincerity should be upheld by both sides for the goal of peace to be achieved.
In his goodwill message, the Obuzor of Ibuzor, His Royal Majesty, Obi Prof Louis Nwoboshi, who represented the Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, also reiterated the need for peaceful co-existence among communities in the state, while calling on Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh communities to sustain the peace brokered between them by the state government.
At the end of the meeting, the SSG thanked Governor Oborevwori for his commitment, consistency, objectivity and political will-power to deliver on the peace process in the Aladja and Ogbe-Ijoh boundary dispute.
The meeting also had in attendance the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ekemejero Ohwovoriole (SAN); the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Agbateyiniro Weyinmi; the Commissioner for Oil and Gas, Chief Vincent Oyibode; Special Adviser on Peace building and Conflict Resolution, Chief Edwin Uzor; Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mrs Lyna Ocholor.
Others, who attended the meeting, were the Director-General, Security, Hon. David Tonwe; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth Development, Ms. Ngozi Mgbolu; representative of the Director, Department of State Services (DSS); representative of the Commissioner of Police, and the representative of the Commanding Officer, Amphibious Battalion, Warri, among others.
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