The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Itsekiri community

  • Itsekiri community laments abandoned hospital

    The people of Ogidigben community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State have lamented the abandoned Ogidigben Central Hospital.

    The people accused the state government and oil companies operating in the area of abandoning the facility, saying many have died due to lack of medical equipment and personnel to attend to them.

    The hospital, which should serve about five communities – Ajudaibo, Ode-Ugborodo, Madangho, Ijale, Ugbegun and environs – has been taken over by bush and reptiles.

    The Ologbosere of Warri Kingdom and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Ayiri Emami, who celebrated Easter in the community, regretted that the hospital and the Madangho cottage hospital built by Chevron, but burnt during the Ijaw-Isekiri war in 1997 and 2002, were yet to be rebuilt. He lamented that his people were dying due to lack of health care, and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to their rescue.

    He said: “My people are suffering because we have no hospital. The only place we have a health centre is at Ogborodo, which is about thirty minutes from our community. Sometimes, people die before they can get to the place.

    “It is unfortunate because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in Delta State has abandoned that hospital, which was built by the Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration. Meanwhile some people from Ogidigben even voted for PDP.

    “Snakes and other reptiles have taken over the only hospital we have. In fact, one person died from snake bite there last month. The hospital at Madangho, which was burnt by the Ijaw, is yet to be rebuilt. Though we know that funds meant for the project is already with the Itsekiri Development Council (IDC) and the project will begin after we are able to resolve some internal issues.

    “But what is more heart breaking is that the Delta State government has abandoned the Ogidigben community hospital which is a state government project, and that is very unfair to my people. I, therefore, use this opportunity to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to come to our aid because our people are dying every day because of this unfortunate situation.”

  • Itsekiri community suspends two leaders over alleged ‘coup’ against Olu of Warri

    The council of elders of Omadino community in Warri South council area of Delta State has placed two of its members on an indefinite suspension over alleged unwholesome and peace-threatening activities.

    The decision of the council was contained in a letter to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, and signed by Elder Omasan Edukugho and Elder Buge Edukugho, Chairman and Secretary of the body respectively.

    The signatories said the decision to suspend the two members of the elders’ council; Pa. Victor Ewomiewaraghan  Esu and Pa. Emmanuel Ajuyah, was reached at an extra ordinary meeting of the council held on June 22, 2018.

    But Ajuyah faulted the ‘suspension’ which he branded a ruse.

    He told reporters in Warri that the council lacks power to suspend any chief.

    The council, in its letter, said the decision to suspend Esu and Ajuyah stemmed from  alleged attempt to secede Omadino community from Warri kingdom in a sponsored rebellious publication of April 6th, 2016, without the consent and approval of the Council of Elders, which imposed “great embarrassment, not only to the community, but Itsekiri nation in general”.

    They also alleged that Esu, against the directive of the council blatantly refused to play his traditional ceremonial role of welcoming the Olu of Warri during his visit to the community on September 25th, 2016.

    The council also claimed that Esu and his group set up a parallel electoral committee to conduct a fresh election for the Omadino Employment and Development Association (OEDA) , in flagrant disregard of a valid court judgement.

    “Furthermore, Esu, in a recent publication of June 2018 is said to have disowned the Chairman and Secretary of the Omadino Council of Elders, Elder Omasan Edukugho and Mr. Buge Reece Edukugho respectively, a statement which he completely lacks the capacity to issue, being only a ceremonial member of the council of elders,” it added.

    The Council of Elders therefore urged His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, the Olu of Warri to intervene and save the situation in the community from snowballing into a full blown crisis.

     

  • EPZ: Itsekiri community threatens suit

    Another Itsekiri community, Aja-Edede, has vowed to stop the EPZ project through the courts, if it is left out of future discussions.

    An open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, signed by Pa John Edede Yonwuren, said Delta State and the Federal Government were carrying on as if the land belonged to Ugborodo and Gbaramatu alone, saying a large portion belonged to Aja-Edede.

    According to the letter, Aja-Edede was consulted in the past and met with the government, but wondered why the government abandoned it, dealing with only Ugborodo and Gbaramatu.

    “Any further attempt to sidetrack Aja–Edede in discussions will be resisted; justice, fairness and equity must prevail.

    ‘’The Delta State government and the Federal Government, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), must respect the property rights of Aja-Edede

    “The Ugborodo and Gbaramatu people are not the only stakeholders; they represent their various communities and not any other. Aja-Edede is at a loss why it was not invited to the meeting with Mr. President though Ugborodo and Gbaramatu were invited.

    “This is not acceptable to Aja-Edede community; if not consulted, we will use all legal means to scuttle the ground-breaking ceremony”, Yonwuren stated.

    The state government had been meeting with stakeholders from Ugborodo, Gbaramatu, Sokebolou/Yokri, Ikpokpo, Aja-Edede and Illaje on the EPZ to find a way forward for the take-off of the project but recently narrowed down the meeting to the two communities.

     

     

     

     

  • Itsekiri community, others protest dissolution of DESOPADEC

    •Commissioner

    There were protests over the weekend at the Warri office of the Delta State Oil Producing Communities Development Commission (DESOPADEC) against dissolution of the body by the Delta State House of Assembly.

    The protesters numbering over hundreds besieged the office carrying placards with different inscriptions such as “We’ll not take this decision by the state house of assembly” and “marginalisation can cause ethnic crisis,” among others.

    They expressed anger over the lawmakers’ action, saying the agency had not received any allocation to execute projects.

    Heavily-armed soldiers and mobile police officers were quickly deployed to secure the premises of the commission opposite the Navy base.

    Spokesman for the protesters,  Omulubi Newuwumi, said the Assembly acted in bad faith by dissolving the board.

    The Vice President of the Itsekiri National Youths Council, said: “The House rushed to dissolve this board that was fighting to bring development to the people of Delta state.

    “The board was not even allowed to approve any budget before it was dissolved.

    “The right of the legislators also borders on the right of the people and we are of the view that the sacking of the board was anti-people.”

    The commissioner representing the Itsekiri ethnic nation in the dissolved board, Chief Michael Diden, yesterday vowed not to leave office.

    He said he was appointed to the board by the Assembly, saying only the governor has the right to hire and fire board members.

    vows to stay put