Madam Irerevwo Oyokoko, the spokesperson of the Ewheya (women folk), who spoke on behalf of their leader, Madam Ayovota Ahor, said their action was a last resort and an appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan and the world to save the town from the excruciating grip of soldiers.
She said it was in reaction to continuous, indiscriminate arrest and torture of innocent people, wanton destruction of buildings and household properties, forced closure of shops, ejection of market women from market place and destruction and setting of fire to the community Egba shrine by men of the Army.
The invasion of Kokori followed the arrest of notorious crime lord, Kelvin Oniarah, whose actions have placed the community in the news for the wrong reasons.
Oniarah was arrested in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on September 25, barely one week after he issued a 60-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to develop the town and Urhobo land or face dire consequences. The declaration was witnessed by scores of singing and dancing women and youth of the community.
But Madam Oyokoko, who led the naked protest, lamented that women of the town were being profiled as people who encourage criminal activities. She said the naked protest was against the activities of troops who have laid siege to the community.
Speaking with our reporter who visited the town, the women leader said their protest was not in defence of crime as being construed, but the invasion of the town in search of alleged criminals and the chief priest of Egba Cult, known as Osegba and arrest of innocent persons by the troops.
She particularly faulted the action of the marauding soldiers, who she accused of indiscriminately shooting and killing of their children, vandalism and willful destruction of property in the town.
She accused the soldiers of carrying out indiscriminate arrest of all their male children and husbands, destruction of shrine located on Market Road as well as disrupting their traditional worship.
“They destroyed our Egba shrine, they set fire on it. They destroyed many things inside the shrine. For what reason do they have to do so? The soldiers have shrine and deities that protect them in their communities”.
When our reporter visited the shrine during one visit, the women built a human wall around the shrine by holding hands. They said the move was to prevent soldiers from moving in and chopping down the age-less trees and other artifacts that are symbols of their history and traditional religion.
The protesters this time were adherent of the Egba shrine, who feared that soldiers were planning to invade the town with motor-saw, axes and other chopping tools to hew down the protective trees around their shrine. Mrs Omotejowho told our reporters that the shrine was their worship place, stressing that there was no law that prevented them from offering sacrifices to their gods.
Speaking in the same vein, a trader in the town, Mrs. Alice Onowhokpor, wondered why security agents were continuing their siege to the town even when they had arrested the alleged notorious criminal, Kelvin Oniarah. She said the Egba deity, contrary to allegation that it was the power behind the crime lord, is a protection for the entire community from external attacks.
“It is not a place where individuals go to do charm or anything. The soldiers went there on many occasions to destroy the shrine. The soldiers beat our people when they were coming from service on Sundays. The soldiers beat up our children who were going to school at Isiokolo. They destroyed many cars and motors belonging to our people in their compound.
“Governor Uduaghan said we should stay in-door as from 6pm to 6am, but I tell you that when you come here at night you won’t see soldiers or policemen on the streets. But when day breaks you will see the soldiers on their armoured vehicles and trucks coming to Kokori to deprive the people from carrying out their normal business.
“You will see them torturing innocent people doing their daily business or going to farm. They have broke open our doors and windows. Kokori is not developed by the Government.”
Speaking on the women’s support for criminals in the area, particularly Kelvin, Mrs Onowhokpo and Madam Elizabeth E. Umukoro, said it was wrong to ascribe the deed of a few women to the entire community. Umukoro, a retired civil servant, said it was not true that all women of the town supported the said declaration.
“The women who were present and spoke at the event where Kelvin issued 60-day ultimatum to the government went there on their own. They are not representatives of Kokori community,” she averred.
Nevertheless, she said it was difficult to entirely fault those who did because of the prevailing hardship and poverty in the oil bearing community.
“Kelvin and members of his gang took to what they are doing probably because they were not given the basic essentials of lives from youth. Maybe, that is why they took to Arms. The women who were there reason with Kelvin that Kokori and Urhobo are not develop and that the place should be develop. Kelvin did not share money to the entire people of Kokori women. If he shared money, then he did so to very few people who come his way. So by right, the women are entitled to freedom of speech and to air their grievances.
“Kokori women are very hardworking people, they are great farmers. In the business profession they are known all over Delta state. They have produced many renowned personalities in the globe. They also rejoice with their children during their graduation in the higher institution of learning. So I am calling on President Goodluck Jonathan and world leaders to prevail on soldiers to leave our community to allow peace reign in the area. Soldiers should stop destroying our community,” Mrs. Umukoro added.
Speaking in the same vein, Onowhokpor said government should use the opportunity to develop the town and other oil producing Urhobo communities in the state. She said it was unfair that in spite of their position as oil bearing communities they remain impoverished and grossly underdeveloped.
“Kokori is producing oil that the government is using to develop other parts of the country. Why is it that the government is not developing the area. Look at the road linking Kokori and Ofuoma-Ughelli both communities have oil flow stations and yet the road is un-tarred.
“Governor Uduaghan awarded contract to Wokson Construction Company to tar the road in 2008 yet the road remain un-tarred as the project was abandoned. Both communities protested to the state government in 2009 and 2010 and yet the road is still abandoned. The government says they will empower our youth in our local government area, they built a house in Kokori for skills acquisition. The building is overgrown with weeds as government could not provide equipment to train the youths,” she added.
However, the protest was not only against government. The homes of prominent indigenes of Kokori were ravaged by aggrieved youths who exploited the peaceful protest by the women.
They attacked and vandalized the private residence of the monarch, HRM Ogurimerime Ukori 1; country home and Otobrise Hotel of the member representing Ethiope Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Akpodiogaga Emeyese. The houses of renowned legal practitioner, Chief Efe Akpofure SAN and Sir Bernald Agbomiyeri, a former DESOPADEC Commissioner and were vandalized and destroy.
Dozens of property, cars and other valuables were also ravaged in those dark days.
A top official of the JTF, who spoke on condition of anonymity, denied allegation of vandalisation and looting leveled against troops of the task force. Our source, who asked not to be named because he wasn’t “cleared to speak on Kokori”, said attack on the monarch’s house and destruction of cars were carried out by supporters of the criminals in the area.
“We know that the women were compelled to embark on the protest so that our men (soldiers) can be forced out of Kokori and so that the boys can continue to do what they have been doing all these while. But, the women did not deploy soldiers so they cannot recall soldiers from Kokori,” our source added.
Meanwhile, life was gradually returning to normal in the town at the time of this report on Tuesday. Some schools in the town were being reopened just as commercial activities were beginning to pick up in the main market.
Yet, residents said it would take a very long time for their lives to return back to normal. “We are counting our losses and we are still sleeping with one eye opened because we do not know what or who to believe as it is now. The eyes of the soldiers still watch over from afar.”
