The Nation Newspaper

Tag: COMMUNITY

  • Tussle for a community’s soul

    Tussle for a community’s soul

    Who leads Ekwulobia and its people? For over one year now intra-community wrangling has been threatening the cohesion of this community in Aguata Local Government Area, Anambra State. And the issue has always centred on who controls the community. The people want peace and they have expressed this in controlled protests.

    There are two camps in the struggle for the community’s soul: the traditional ruler Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke and the President-General of the Ekwulobia People’s Assembly Mr Emeka Maduabuchi, both with formidable supporters.

    Some say the community is largely behind their town union leadership, not because they are against their king but are rather opposed to what they call his unpopular policies and programmes.

    They want Governor Willie Obiano to intervene in the matter to avert a breakdown of law and order in Ekwulobia. The people fear that lives and property may be wasted if the crisis is not resolved immediately.

    The leadership of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly has accused Igwe Onyeneke of disturbing the peace of the community by conniving with some prominent citizens including Chief Titus Anigbogu, former Transition Committee Chairman of Aguata Local Government Area to deceive the state government. The accused are said to have hoodwinked the state government into erroneously instituting a caretaker committee, which in time allegedly oversaw an unpopular election which produced a new set of leaders.

    They said recently that many lives and property would have been lost  but for the quick intervention of the Commissioner of Police.

    First National Vice President General of Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly, Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe and other elected officers and 9 Village heads or their representatives as well as 14 foreign-based branches of Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly addressed a press conference urging peace and respect of dourt judgment.

    Standing in for the President General of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly Emeka Maduabuchi, an engineer, Igbokwe said trouble started when some members of the executive met with the traditional ruler to reverse decisions taken at a general meeting of the community which resulted as betrayal of trust of the collective interests of the community and they requested for their apology which they refused leading to their suspension.

    They accused the Igwe of asking a bank to close the account of the community despite a court judgment of court and order against that move, as well as interference in the union’s activities.

    They lamented that the Igwe is directly in charge of everything concerning security and day-to-day running of the town’s activities,  whereas  it is the town union’s duty.

    They further alleged that Chief Titus Anigbogu as Transition Committee Chairman of Aguata and Igwe Onyeneke and their cohorts wanted to take land, shops and property belonging to Ekwulobia people. They said that Anigbogu took them to court over their property but they won.

    They alleged that the enemies of the community informed the state government that they are PDP rascals, thereby forestalling any challenge against them but warned that there is nothing about politics in the activities of the community but allowing truth to prevail hence they are appealing for intervention of Governor Willie Obiano.

    The community through a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Prof Ilochi Okafor of  IUC Global Chambers Awka, petitioned Governor Willie Obiano requesting his intervention in calling the traditional ruler and others breeching the peace of the community to order to avoid  breakdown of rules.

    They drew the attention of Governor Obiano to suit Nos AG/8/2013; AG/106/2013 and AG/17/2013: need for continuous recognition of elected Town Union Executievs of Ekwulobia Town and disbandment of Caretaker committee set up in error.

    They acted for the President General Emeka Mmaduabuchi and Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe for themselves and on behalf of Executive committee members of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly.

    They recalled that Hon Justice CEK Anigbogu pursuant to the suit No AG/8/2013 made an order for parties to maintain status quo ante bellum , meaning that our clients retained their various positions. This order herein annexed. It still extant having not been set aside till date.

    Obiano was reminded that his office was put in conflict with the decision of the court by setting up a Caretaker Committee to man the affairs of an elected executive of an election conducted on June 4, 2013 and would leave office by 2016 in line with subsisting and valid constitution of the community since 1994.

    This was validated by a judgment of Justice VN Agbata on June 3, 2013 in suit no AG/4/2010  between Ichie Micheal Ukwuoma Eze and 8 others vs Engr Emeka Maduabuchi and 6 others which set aside the 2010 constitution of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly under leadership of  Ichie (Dr) Michael Ukwuoma Eze.

    The returning officer of the election was Prince Anayo Ezenwa and immediate past PG Ichie Michael Ukwuoma Eze was a signatory to the results announced that elected 11 positions with additional three orderlies making it 14 officers to pilot the affairs of Ekwulobia People’s Assembly.

    The crisis is becoming intense as hundreds of placard carrying women and men as well as youths from the nine villages of Ekwulobia  staged a peaceful protest against the leadership of the traditional ruler of Ekwulobia, Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke , an engineer who retired from PHCN and the former Transition committee chairman of Aguata Local Government Area, Chief Titus Anagbogu, a son of Ekwulobia. They asked them to leave the community alone and face their own business.

    They specifically want the Igwe to face his throne and issues concerning leveraging the community culturally and traditionally and allow the elected town unions to face the administrative policies and programs of the community.

    They said they elected him Igwe of Ekwulobia and would want him to remain Igwe of Ekwulobia but should stop interfering in the town union leadership and villager leaders as well as all organisations and unions in Ekwulobia or face the wrath of the community who in the first place elected him.

    They appealed to Governor  Obiano to set up a panel of inquiry into what is happening in Ekwulobia before intra-community wrangling tears the community apart. They added that they have written enough letters and made enough submissions about the high-handedness and autocracy going on in their community to warrant intervention before it turns to war.

    Some of the placards read: “No to tyrannical Igwe”; “On Ekwuloba Peoples Assembly we stand”; Titus Anigbogu and Igwe Onyeneke must give peace a chance”; ”We have right to elect our leaders, please Igwe”, among numerous others.

    Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke, when contacted, said he would not join issues with any illegal union even as he dismissed the allegations levelled against him. He insisted he would not speak about all the issues raised by the body not known to him.  He said Ekwulobia People’s Assembly stopped existing since January 2013 and was replaced with Ekwulobia Development Union.

    He said government is aware of what he is saying and every community has its own fair share of crisis.

    Former Transition committee chairman of Aguata, Chief Titus Anigbogu dismissed the allegations and wondered how he can be deceiving a retired Deputy General Manager at PHCN, describing those making the allegations as rascals who have lost focus. He said Ekwulobia has nothing in common and it can never be true that he is fighting his people. He denied taking the community to court or that he flouted a judgment of the court. He equally dismissed all the allegations against him by the community.

    Anagbogu said:  “That I am deceiving a retired Deputy General Manager, PHCN, who retired after 35 years of service? They are some rascals in  Ekwulobia motor park talk.  Don’t mind them because they are not saying he truth. I am not quarreling with any of them and it is not true, please.”

    After the peaceful protest, the Umuada Ekwulobia led by their President Mrs Ngozi Obeke prayed for Igwe Emmanuel Onyeneke. The men also gathered and poured libation to their forefathers asking for a solution to the Ekwulobia challenge because they don’t want bloodshed.

    But for the intervention of the National Vice President Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly, Mr Onyebuchi Igbokwe and some leaders of the villages, the protest would have gone violent but they held them at Okpo Primary School premises where they gathered, even thinking of taking the protest to Governor Willie Obiano at the Government House.

    A stakeholder, Amobi Ezeifediba informed that hundreds of youths were prevented from hijacking the protest as they were set to burn down the palace of the traditional ruler but they are striving to follow due process in the protest, hence they wrote the police for the protest and are doing everything possible to ensure the peace is maintained until government intervenes but wondered why the government is keeping quite waiting for destruction of lives and property before it intervenes.

    Addressing Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly the National President of Umuada Ekwulobia ,, Mrs Ngozi Obeke reminded that they have no problems with Igwe Onyeneke as their traditional ruler but that they have problems with his obnoxious leadership styles as he has imposed levies and contributions they must make when giving out their daughters in marriage which according to her is outrageous and uncalled for.

    She alleged that Igwe was dictating for them on how to run their affairs which is undemocratic and has committed actions best referred as abominations against the women of Ekwulobia but encouraged him to turn a new leaf now and earn their respect. She queried why they should give out their daughters hands in marriage for N1,000.00 and give the palace N300.00  among others. She further encouraged Igwe to allow the Ekwulobia Peoples Assembly function properly as the legitimate leadership of the community warning that the children of Ekwulobia born and unborn won’t be slaves in their land.

    But for the Chairmen of 9 villages including Igwe’s village Ula, Nze Chukwuma Udoh who was even Igwe’s election committee campaign chairman ; Umuchi Village-Anslem Ezenwankwo; Okpo Village Hon Christopher Ezekwe  and representative of Umuchiana village, as well as Iruokpala Nze Samuel Eze, their problem with the Igwe was his interference with leadership of the Town union who were equally elected like himself to pilot the affairs of the community. They asked him to leave the leadership of the town union alone and think of the progress of the community rather than their selfish interest with those alleged as enemies of the community patrimony.

  • Guida: A community stuck to its beliefs

    Guida: A community stuck to its beliefs

    Guida village is a tiny community off Kubwa Expressway. It hosts such a mix of other tribes that it is difficult to differentiate between a typical villager and a settler.

    But that is not what stands the communtiy out. It is its traditions and beliefs, some of which outsiders like to term superstitious.

    The Guidna are very traditional people who although with the infiltration of foreigners in their midst which seems to have changed a lot in the aspect of dressing.

    Originally, the Gbagi women dressed in black blouses and headscarves and carried their articles, including food items and firewood, in calabashes on their neck instead of the head.

    To ensure continuity in terms of intermarriage, the Guida community ensures that any woman from another tribe who marries a Gbagi man is schooled in their traditions and culture. The new bride, on her wedding day, must be dressed in the Gbagi traditional attire and educated in the Gbagi tradition because she automatically becomes Gbagi, is accepted into the Gbagi family and the children she bears will be Gbagi.

    Although the community is generally known as Guida which is a Hausa pronunciation, the typical Guida villager will tell you that the original pronunciation is Guidna. Edna means stream, several of which surround the village. Gui means mahogany, a tree that was in abundance in the area when the first settlers arrived. The combination of both names produced Guidna.

    The little community has few social amenities although it is only a N50 motorbike-ride from the village to Arab Road in Kubwa. The village cannot boast of a primary health centre or a junior secondary school. There is no pipe-borne water. The villagers’ only source of clean water is the five boreholes located in strategic positions and donated by the Area council and Rotary Club.

    The Chief of Guida, Umar Danladi, said Guida village has existed for more than 200 years. Their communtiy, he added, used to be merged with Kagini when they all lived on top of the mountains, until his forefathers pulled out and established their own village just behind the original inhabitants.

    Guida is extremely superstitious, according to the chief. Most of the cutoms of the land are strictly adhered to by the citizens because they are aware of the repercussion of disobedience.

    “We have some traditional attitudes that we avoid in this village. Pounding in the night in our community is prohibited totally because we believe that pounding at night creates problems for the spirits of the dead; we believe that the spirit of the dead enjoys their peace and quiet and become restless when disturbed.

    “If you pound in the night especially knowing that you’re not supposed to, the person may become mad, blind or other things but as for strangers who are not aware of the tradition and culture it is different because an ignorant person cannot be harmed by what he does not know.”

    “We also have specific masquerades Amumo, Aguayi, Aguribe, which are the three most dangerous masquerades that only come out at night, women are not permitted to set eyes on them , any woman that does is asked to make sacrifices of goats or chickens to the forefathers of the land, any woman that mistakenly sees it will have to talk immediately and our forefathers will know the next thing to do but if she doesn’t, she will definitely die.” He added.

    He also said that, although it is an olden days tradition, the people of Guida still strongly believe in their cultures and traditions.

    To keep their tradition alive, the Guida community organises, cultural festivals like most tribes in Nigeria where their full tradition is displayed to include masquerades and semi nude dancers.

    Although Guida, which falls under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) is very aware of how much the environment has changed from the time of old with the infiltration of strangers and foreigners into Guida, their women dress in other clothing’s including trousers as well and the traditional attires have been relegated to cultural festivals and special occasions alone.

  • Foundation provides water for community

    Foundation provides water for community

    The days of Guinea worm and water-born diseases appear over in Ebonyi State. How? Organisations such as Carter Foundation are sinking boreholes across the state to keep people from sourcing unhealthy water from ponds and streams.

    Carter Foundation is one of the orgnisations leading the fight against Guinea worm and other diseases, simply by sinking boreholes in Ebonyi communities. Another is the Chinedu Ogah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    This has resulted in the reduction and even eradication of the disease, as the state has not witnessed fresh outbreak of the disease for years now. The eradication of the disease being a welcome development, yet still, there is a snag. Many communities in the state still do not have clean source of drinking water.

    To complement government’s effort in providing potable water for the people, the Chinedu Ogah Foundation has sunk two boreholes in Oriuzor and Nkomoro, two communities in Ezza North Local Government Area of the State.

    Speaking during the inauguration and handing over ceremony at Oriuzor, the founder of the foundation, Comrade Chinedu Ogah commended the people of the community for being law-abiding. He urged them to continue their support of policies and programmes of Governor Martin Elechi-led administration.

    Ogah, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Chiboy Group Limited, promised to assist eligible youths of the community get employment in the state civil service.

    He also advised members of the community to liaise with the local government chairman and the community leader in the area to estimate the cost of their electricity project and forward same to him for quick completion.The chairman of Oriuzor Ward, Hon Cyprian Abaji thanked the foundation for providing the borehole for the people which he said will alleviate the plight of the people.

    He said: “At the Nkumoro Market where Comrade Ogah also inaugurated another borehole, he urged the youth to be law-abiding, avoid thuggery and violence, especially during the forthcoming elections.He said: “Do not allow politicians to deceive you. If they give you guns and other weapons to fight for them, tell them to bring their sons and daughters to join you to carry the guns.”

    He also donated some amount of money to women and youths as part of his poverty alleviation programmes.The traditional ruler of the community, Ezeogo David Nworie expressed his gratitude to the foundation for carrying out the project for the community.

  • Community leader’s murder sparks outrage in Warri

    Community leader’s murder sparks outrage in Warri

    UNTIL Sunday, March 2, Comrade Ajulisan Akumagba was the President of Niger Delta Youths Movement, a very formidable youth group in the South South. He was also the Treasurer of Usor Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Akumagba was brutally murdered in cold blood at the notorious Morogun Waterside Junction of Warri metropolis that fateful. The motive and masterminds of the heinous act remains yet unknown.

    Eyewitness said Akumagba was brutally stabbed by his assailants, who were apparently waiting for him at the crime-ridden area that fateful Sunday evening when he was returning home from an engagement. The incident occurred around the Iyara Road end of Essi College at about 8pm.

    Crime experts told our reporter that his killer was a professional because the single thrust of the blade was aimed at his left chest just under his breast and it probably went straight through his heart.

    It was gathered that Akumagba’s death was one of numerous unresolved killings in the notorious enclave where poverty, dearth of infrastructure and total absence of security presence make residents and visitors easy prey for hoodlums, drug users and gamblers in the area.

    The Police Area Commander in charge of Warri Area, Mr Rabiu Husseini, who was contacted by our reporter, refused to comment, saying: “Speak to the Police Public Relations Officer, please.”

    The PPRO, Celestina Kalu, confirmed the report saying: “The matter is under investigation and one person was arrested.”

    The spokesman of Usor Community, Mr Billy Ekele, hinted that Akumagba’s killers were probably hired assassins.

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed to provide essential amenities for them.

    Some residents who spoke to our correspondent on the issue lamented that the community had been without electricity for long.

    A resident, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that they could predict when light would be available in their community; an amenity most communities have been enjoying for years.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light.  There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made the community to be stagnant.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.

  • Itsekiri community protests

    Itsekiri community protests

    Hundreds of Gbokoda Community indigenes, including elders in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, are protesting over the state of affairs in the Itsekiri Regional Development Council (IRDC) under the leadership Chief Emami Ayiri.

    They want Ayiri to stop any further dealings with Besidone Megbuluba as executive of the community.

    The angry protesters accused the former community executives of embezzling funds meant for the development of the community.

    They stormed the IRDC office in Warri.

    The protesters lamented that after seven years of misrule and abysmal performance by the ousted executives, they still continue to parade themselves as the authentic leaders of the community even when their tenure has since expired.

    The protesters carried placards bearing different inscriptions, such as: “IRDC give us our entitlements”, “IRDC stop Megbuluba from stealing our money”, “IRDC, we are peace loving community”, “IRDC Megbuluba has ruled for 7 years without calling for a meeting” among others.

    The protesters led by Olaraja (spiritual leader), Pa Monday Estede and Pa. Francis Jemegbe, secretary, Gbokoda Elder Council, said the community is aggrieved over the recognition of the former chairman and want such recognition to be stopped.

    Pa. Estede (the Olaraja of Gbokoda) argued that since a new executive committee has been selected, no further dealings should be done on behalf the community by the old executive.

    In the same vein, Pa Jemegbe, who is also the Secretary of Gbokoda Elders Council while lambasting the old executive for impersonation, urged IRDC to recognise only the new executive.

    He added that “All the projects in the community are uncompleted and they have embezzled money belonging to the community. Whatever that is due to the community was not seen by the people. After seven years, the former executive has nothing to show as what the community has benefited from their 7 years tenure. Because of this, the community decided to inaugurate a new executive.”

    They said what is due to the community should be communicated to the new executive led by Henry Olley.

    They said the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse ll, mediated in the leadership tussle and ordered that the old executive should give way.

    Olley said despite the inauguration of his executive, the old executive still claims to represent the community, a situation, he said, could ignite crisis in the community.

    “According to our constitution, they were supposed to rule for three years but this year made it 7 years they have been there. For the 7 years, no community meeting, and no report and not to talk of development, they are running the community as their personal business.

    “This issue has gone to the palace of Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse ii, and he has ordered Itsekiri Regional Council to give all that is due to Gbokoda community to the new executive. In spite of this order, they (IRDC leaders) still don’t recognise us. We shall continue to be here protesting peacefully. We will not fold our hands and allow these people to take what belong to the community as personal property.”

     

  • Foundation’s free medicare, food for community

    Foundation’s free medicare, food for community

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Joseph Amuta Adeyi Foundation (JAAF),has provided free healthcare services to the residents of Jahi community populated by Gbagi and Gwari people. The

    community is one of the many slums within the heart of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It has over 400,000 people.

    However, in spite of being close to the seat of power, the community is an irony of what Abuja should be known for in terms of provision of basic amenities. The features of the settlement are such that give first-time visitors the impression of a people long abandoned to their fate.

    The community, which is sandwiched between highbrow Ministers’ Hill in Maitama and Gwarinpa can only be accessed through  a narrow and dusty road. To a first-time visitor to the community, the picture of Jahi is that of desolation. The forlorn atmosphere witnessed on getting to the community gradually transforms into a beehive of activities as one gets to the community. Within the community, people burble as they go about their business activities. Wares displayed in most of the shops are mostly food items, clothes, shoes, handbags, electronics and firewood.

    The settlement, like other slums in the FCT, is characterised by the multiple shanties and glowing waste water which is ever running even in the dry season.

    Cars are parked haphazardly. People, cars motorcycles and hand drawn water carts mingle freely. Ironically, the community is already being fenced-in by beautiful high-rise edifices owned by top government functionaries, politicians, businessmen and big time contractors who have secured land allocations in the area.

    A cursory look around the settlement reveals that only two blocks of classrooms, with one malfunctional borehole, are the only mark that signals government’s presence  in the community of over 400,000 inhabitants.

    However, given the numerous beautiful houses which have formed a shield for the slum, it becomes a paradox of existence that such life of squalor, complicated by long period of utter government neglect, goes on silently within the area without the FCT authorities siting any basic amenities.

    It was further learnt that a lot of pregnant women die in the process of delivery because the only health centre in the town lacks equipment and personnel to handle emergencies resulting from complications during labour. It was also revealed that maternal mortality is on the increase due to unprofessional and local methods employed by local midwives during labour.

    Investigations by Abuja Review also revealed that a lot of women have lost their lives while being conveyed to the hospital during emergency cases arising from prolonged labour.

    In addition, it was discovered that a good number of women prefer hiring the services of of the native midwives, to going to hospitals in the town due to the distance that they would trek before they get vehicles that would convey them to the town.

    The Chief  of Jahi community,  Salihu Adamu, told Abuja Review that lack of  motorable road and good means of transportation in the community contribute to the death of several women during childbirth. Adamu also blamed the several deaths on poverty, saying that most of the locals prefer to patronise local midwives because they cannot afford high medical fees which both private and government hospitals located in the city centre charge.

    Chief Adamu, who spoke when a medical mission organised by the Joseph Amuta Adeyi Foundation (JAAF), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), provided free healthcare services to the people of the community.

    He urged the FCT Administration to come to the people’s aid.

    “Health is life, that is the most important thing,” Adamu said, adding, “our women die because we don’t have  a health centre here in the community. This community has over 400,000 people. If government can provide one health centre, it will help us.”

    He called on the government to help sink functional boreholes in the community since the river which is their primary source of water is not only unhygienic but dries up during the dry season.

    The Chief  praised JAAF for the drugs and health services which it freely donated and provided  for the members of the community.

    One of the women in the community, who identified herself as Salmatu Halisu, recounted how she lost her baby during delivery, saying the hospitals are far from the community.

    On why women in the community do not patronise the hospitals in the town for them to be delivered of their babies, she said when a pregnant woman is in labour at night, there is little she could do than to call in the local midwives.

    Even though she argued that the native midwives are experts who have been assisting expectant mothers in the community for many years, she admitted that several lives, including those of babies and their mothers, have been lost in the process.

    The founder of JAAF, Albert Adeyi, told Abuja Review that the foundation decided to assist the community in their little way because of their pathetic condition.

    Adeyi, an engineer, said the medical mission was in the community to conduct medical examinations, treatments to those in need and to provide free drugs.

    He said the NGO also distributed free drugs and food items worth millions of Naira to the people. He said the gesture was meant to alleviate the health challenges confronting the people of Jahi.

    He stated that about 100 adults, including men and women,  were examined for high blood pressure and provided them with medications while over 500 children were de-wormed.

    He said a sub-group in the foundation, whose duty it is to go round Abuja and identify communities with such challenges, located Jahi community, hence they stepped in to lend a helping hand.

    Adeyi  expressed shock that the community, despite being so close to the seat of the Federal Government, has no single healthcare facility.

    He urged good-pirited Nigerians to locate such communities in their areas and extend health and other essential  services to them.

    He further explained that the mission of the foundation was to assist the less-privileged in areas of education, skill acquisition and health services.

    Adeyi stated that the gesture was part of the foundation’s contributions to the development of the society and humanity and not for any material or political consideration, adding “as an engineer, I am called to be a pastor and not a politician.”

    He said JAAF was established as a result of his desire to give back to the society, in fulfilment of a promise and commitment he made to God. He also said he was able to achieve the mission by setting aside a percentage of his income monthly.

  • Court orders Shell to pay Delta community N305.637m

    AN Asaba High Court has ordered Shell Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to pay N305,637,381.60 as special and general damages to no fewer than 400 people in the fishing community of Okia in Burutu Local Government Area of the State.

    Delivering judgement in a suit instituted in 2001 by Pius Gbenevei, Benson Barda, Chief Francis Gold, Chief Ben Ekiokanga and Reuben Braboke on behalf of the communit, Justice Ibrahim Buba said the money was special and general damages for the destruction of the plaintiffs properties and capital value for temporary loss of income in fishing rights.

    The judge also awarded allowance for drinking water for the plaintiffs.

    The plaintiffs prayed the court for N232,837million as capital value for the temporary loss of income from fishing; N9,019,068 for fishing nets, graded; N4,500,000 as allowance for fresh water supply among others.

    The plaintiffs averred that sometimes in August 1998, there was crude oil spillage from the defendant’s Forcados Offshore loading terminal baseline called 48″ Forcados Loading Spill August 20, 1998 in which some barrels of crude oil spilled into the Forcados and Ramos rivers.

    They alleged that the defendant negligently allowed the spill to be dispersed by tide, current and sea waves, thereby spreading to Okia community and resulting in the extensive damage to fishing gears, ponds, farmlands, crops, fishing channels swamps, among others.

    The plaintiffs averred that as a result, “the community resources for livelihood became irredeemable devoid of the wealth of fish and marine snails, crabs, periwinkles and mollusks for fishing as a result of escape of fish from the rivers and creaks and by direct annihilation of the fish and marine snails, crabs among others in the swamps, lakes, ponds and canals.

    They had claimed that the soil could no longer supports the growth of crops and that the forest, production of native salt and wood essential to their wellbeing were adversely affected by the spillage.

    According to the plaintiffs, the property of the inhabitants of the community,s including fishing nets, fishing lines and fishing traps which were set in the canals, rivers, lakes, creaks and ponds were completely destroyed by the spillage from the defendant’s 48″ Forcados Offshore Loading terminal base/line consequent upon which they claimed to have complained to the defendants on August 26, 1998, asking for compensation.

    The plaintiffs claimed to have written a letter to the defendant through their counsel, Ugwuka Nnmadi on September 25, 1998, informing them of the devastating effect of the spillage on their property and requested for compensation.

    They averred that up till the time of the institution of the suit, the defendant allegedly refused to carry out a joint field investigation and assessment of their claims as promised but that instead the defendants continue to carry out normal operations in the area since 1998 till date.

    While waiting for the supply of relief materials, assessment and verification of their claims and payment of compensation by the defendant based on the assurance by the state government, the plaintiffs claimed that the defendant instead wrote to the community on November 29, 1999 that its management has approved N400,000 to the fishing community as ex-gratial payment so as to maintain cordial relationship with the host community.

    They averred that it is only when spillage occurred and is investigated by the defendant and found to have occurred as a result of sabotage that the defendant can offer ex-gratial payment purely to maintain cordial relationship with the host community, adding that this was not the case in the said spillage that occurred at 48″ Forcados Offshore Loading terminal base/line.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Community pleads for amenities

    Community pleads for amenities

    Bothered by the continued lack of basic amenities in the community, the residents of Tokulo in Bwari Area Council have called on the council’s administration and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to provide essential facilities for the community.

    In a chat with our correspondent on the issue, some residents lamented that the community is still living in darkness as they were yet to experience the pleasure of electricity in the area for a very long period.

    One of the residents, Mamuud Idir said it was unfortunate that the residents cannot predict when light which is one of the basic amenities most communities have been enjoying for years would be available in their community.

    “As I am talking to you now, I don’t know when we will be able to enjoy light. There are no poles, no electricity cables and no transformers. For me, it would be a miracle if this community is provided with electricity. I wonder why we should continue to say that we are in the FCT when we do not have light,” he said.

    Mohammed Dogo, who owns a shop at the area stated that “availability of electricity brings about economic development in any community, even as he added that lack of it has made life in the community boring.

    “Wherever there is electricity, there is development. I own a shop here but because of lack of electricity, there is no maximal improvement in my business. My drinks are hardly cold. Things I would have loved to preserve in the fridge are always spoilt.

    “We have a makeshift place where we go to charge our phones. The owner puts on his electricity generating set and collects N50 from us to charge our phones.  It is rather unfortunate. We hope that something will be done for our community this year.”

    Another resident, John Igo, said the community lacks good roads that could link it to neighbouring communities, adding that lack of potable water is another serious issue members of the community are suffering from, as they depend on the local stream for their water supply.

    “I am calling on the area council to help us. I hope this year will be a good one for us and our forgotten town,” he said.

  • Strange water: Residents of Kebbi community throng muddy stream they claim has curative powers

    Strange water: Residents of Kebbi community throng muddy stream they claim has curative powers

    A MUDDY water at the outskirt of Yari village in Jega Local Government Area of Kebbi State has become a ‘Mecca’ of sorts. All sorts of people now throng the muddy stream owing to the claims by the people of the village that it has healing or curative powers.

    According to sources, the muddy water, which flows from a rock in the sleepy village, located about 30 kilometres away from the state capital, Birnin-Kebbi, was not accorded any significance until an elderly resident of the village gave the water to her sick pregnant daughter in-law and she allegedly received instant healing.

    If that was regarded as a fable by some people, a further confirmation of the powers of the water soon came when a blind woman allegedly regained her sight after bathing with the strange water.

    And before you could say Jack Robison, news of the healing powers in the water travelled far and beyond, leading to serious scramble by hundreds of people to get a little drop of the water.

    Ironically, before the strange discovery, Unguwar Yari, despite its short distance from the state capital, was just another little dot on the map of Kebbi State. But all that has become history now, as the village has become a serious topic of discussion among the people of the state, with more and more people eager to confirm the efficacy or otherwise of the strange water.

    When our correspondent visited Unguwar Yari, the residents confirmed the story and all agreed that the water was a blessing from God. The village head, who said the state Director of Health drank from the water when he visited the village, confessed that he was happy to witness the ‘blessing’ during his own reign.

    19-year-old Fatimah Muhamadu, who said she had been sick for about 12 years, claimed she was healed after she drank the water from the stream.

    The Chairman of Jega Local Government Area, Haruna A. Haruna Mai Jega 111, said he had visited the site with a team of medical practitioners to ascertain whether the water was germ-free or not.

    He said the team discovered that the water contained no germ, and that the government had put in place measures to ensure that unscrupulous people do not turn the water to a business venture.

    How we accidentally discovered the strange stream —Village head

    THERE is a story of a miracle water with healing powers in the village. How true is this?

    Yes the story is true. But the real story of its discovery was accidental. A girl who had been ill for a long time, even after visiting several hospitals, was healed after drinking the water. The mother of the girl went to the bush to get herbs. But after she saw the water gushing out of the rock, she had an instinct that she should take home the water and give to her daughter. But we believe that it was God that made the healing possible through the water. The woman said she decided to keep the miraculous healing to herself until she became uneasy and started having a feeling of guilt. But since she came out to tell her story, people have been rushing to the stream to get the water. Another man who was suffering from asthma also drank the water and got healed. The man has stopped his daily use of inhaler since then.

    Aside from these ones, a woman who was blind received her sight after she washed her eyes with the water. Also, a mad man was brought to the stream. He became normal after her was washed with the water.

    Like how many people do you think visit this place every day since the discovery?

    Since the discovery, we have at least 2000 people who come here every day to get the water. Some use it here, while others bring containers to take the water to their homes. People come from as far as the Niger Republic to get the water.

    What is the village doing to control the number of people who rush to get the water?

    A committee has been set up to ensure a proper maintenance of the vicinity of the water.