Our grouse is against Orubebe, not Ijaw nation

By: Tonebsky Nesta

The 23 Itsekiri oil producing communities in Delta State under the auspices of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee have made it clear that their grouse is against the Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe and not with their Ijaw neighbours.

Their position was made known Tuesday July 20 at the Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, Secretariat in Warri during a protest cum press conference addressed by chairman of the IRDC, Mr. Mofe Pirah in the presence of executive members of the IRDC, National Chairman of Itsekiri National Youth Council, Hon. David Tonwe and hordes of Itsekiri women and youths.

According to Mr. Mofe Pirah, Orubebe’s “venom against the Itsekiri remains boundless to such ridiculous extent of not considering our land for a single project despite our status as the first oil producing ethnic nation in Delta State”. He accused the Hon. Minister of moving 20 housing units allocated for Itsekiri ethnic nation from Ode-Itsekiri to Ijaw area on the excuse that the Itsekiri will be considered for the second phase. He further explained that Itsekiri protested to President Goodluck Jonathan who according to him directed the immediate reversal of Elder Orubebe’s action. The IRDC Chairman alleged that contractors already given mobilization monies have refused to mobilize to site and the Honourable Minister “has refused to compel”, them to start work.

While noting that Itsekiri is not the only ethnic group “short changed by Elder Orubebe”, Mr. Pirah opined that it will amount to suicide if the Itsekiri oil producing communities close their eyes and keep quiet while “an individual like Elder Godsday Orubebe has unrepentantly opted to subject” them to “untold injustice and orchestrated under development”. The Itsekiri oil producing communities also called on the federal government to incorporate their indigenes who participated in the disarmament exercise in the proposed training of 13,000 ex-militants overseas.

The press release which was signed by 26 persons, including former Warri South West Council Chairman, Hon. David Tonwe among 4 point demands, called for the immediate construction of the Naval Forwarding Base slated for Madangho as well as the categorization of all advertised projects to be undertaken by the Minister of Niger Delta on State basis when advertising and in multi-ethnic states like Delta, the benefiting communities should also be outlined on ethnic basis.