By Ejiro Nesisa
The people of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State have called on the state government to site meaning projects in their land along Airport Road upon which Delta State Revenue office is built or quit the land.
The people stated this on Thursday when they embarked on the mass protest along Airport Road, Warri. The protesters who carried placards with different inscriptions: “Okere- Urhobo people are peace loving but we are not stupid”, “Stop using our hungry brothers to sell their future and that of their children” , Okowa has served Delta State well, land grabbers should not drag his name into the mud” ,”Land grabbing is a crime”, among others ,said they can no longer tolerate this act of government any longer.
Speaking to newsmen, the former President of Okere –Urhobo youth Community, Warri, Comrade Festus Ofesiri Igherebue said the land in question has been like this for so many years now saying, the land was earlier acquired by the defund Bendel State under the leadership of Governor Ogbemudia to site Bendel Specialist Hospital saying,after Ogbemudia’s administration, the place has been there for many years.
According to him, in the administration of Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, he then changed the land from Ministry of Health to Ministry of Transport and sited a park where banks and others, would be built in the land saying, the park ought to be an ultra modern one adding, till date, there are still government’s structures including the ones Ogbemudia and former Governor Uduaghan built.
He said, recently, they saw new buildings emerge with the hope that, perhaps, it was government that wanted to complete the projects adding, only to their dismay, discovered that, it was unknown persons that were selling the land to themselves. He said, it is known fact that, the law says, if government acquires land of this nature, and it (government) does not use for the purpose it is meant, it is( land) returned to the rightful owners.
He said:” All we are saying is that, if the government does not want to use the land for the purpose it was acquired, it should be returned to us”
According to him, they not oblivious of the fact that, some of their brothers are involved in the land grabbing issues. They called on the government to continue with earmarked projects in the land and not to share the land for themselves, saying, they are pleased as a people when former Governor Uduaghan built the Revenue office and NDDC sited its office there, adding, if the likes of such projects are built in the land, they will provide an avenue for their people to be employed.
He said:” We will be happy and waiting for the government to continue with the meaningful projects on the land and not to share the land for themselves. Such projects will enable our people have gainful employment.”
According to him, they have written several letters to the state government without answers saying, they are taken for granted because they are peace loving people. He said:” We have written several letters to them but they have paid deaf ears perhaps, because, we are peace loving people. Those neighbours living with us in our kingdom can attest to this”.
He said if the government fails to listen to them this time around, they have no choice but to go to court to seek redress as their gentility should not be taken for stupidity.
On his part, Igho Okumagba, a Community leader said, the land was acquired for a particular purpose saying, if the Government is not willing to use the land for the purpose for which it was acquired, it should return it (land) to the kingdom adding, anything other than that, Okere-Urhobo people would not tolerate it.
He said, as rightly said by his elder brother (Igherebue),it is a fact that some of their brothers are part of those perpetrating this act. He said, it allegedly said that the land is owned by the former Governor of the Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa adding that, former Governor allegedly shared the land for himself and some of his cronies.
He said:”A source also mentioned Hillary and some others that the land has been allegedly released for them. Also, part of the land was allegedly given to Emma Uduaghan by the government “.
On her part, the Ogbo Kiti, the Priestess of Okere Urhobo Kingdom serving the deity called Agadi Nwayen said, they have different deities they serve saying, the land is not for sale. According to her, if kingdom intend to sell the land, they know how to do that adding, the government should leave it for them. She said by its (government) action, it intends to drive the deity and that would make them incur its(deity)wrath .
She said:” We have many deities in this land, do they want the deity to kill us?”.
According to her, they are the owners of the land saying, they don’t want to sell it neither they gave it to former Governor Okowa or Hilary saying, they can not use the Kingdom’s property for their selfish gains. She warned them to beware of the land so that, they don’t incur the wrath of the deity saying, whoever does not steer clear from the land as it were, he would incur the wrath of the deity adding, she should not be called upon for atonement of the deity as she was not ready not to do so.
She said:” Whoever comes to acquire the land, whatever he sees, he should bear it because, nobody should call on me to appease the gods because, I am not willing to do so”. Also speaking in the same vein is Chief Frank Okolobe, the Oguvwe of Otor-orere.
They all therefore appealed to the government to leave their land if it would not site meaningful projects on it.