Is Itsekiri Nation safe under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration? By Chief Ayirimi Emami, the Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom A.K.A Akulagba
BEING TEXT OF A PRESS STATEMENT ISSUED AT AKPAKPA-AJUDAIBO, UGBORODO, WARRI SOUTH-WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF DELTA STATE WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2014 ON THE PROPOSED GROUND BREAKING CEREMONY OF THE EXPORT PROCESSING ZONE, EPZ, OGIDIGBEN, ESCRAVOS, WARRI SOUTH-WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT, DELTA STATE ON FRIDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2014 BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN
GENTLEMEN OF THE PRESS
Let me start by first congratulating Our President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on success of his public declaration of intent to vie for a second tenure after prolonged speculations. As a PDP Chieftain and one who strongly believe in the Nigerian project, I say Big Congratulations Mr. President, as I wish you greater days ahead as campaigns take off in earnest.
Your Excellency, as Chairman of Delta Water-Ways Security Committee who by my position can speak authoritatively on the security situation in Delta State, immediate past PDP Chairman, Warri South-West Local Government as well as a potent arrow-head in Your re-election bid in 2015 and most importantly a Chief in the pristine Warri Kingdom, by implication a Custodian of Itsekiri culture, people and tradition, I am deeply compelled to once again draw your attention and those of other well meaning Nigerians to what I consider another selfish, trouble shooting, sentimental and parochial move by Chief Government Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo and some of his Ijaw brothers to create an atmosphere of fear, intimidation and falsehood by laying claim to the land where your well thought-out EPZ legacy project is situated so as to make you once again postpone the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the dream project slated for Friday November 14, 2014 after several postponements occasioned by continuous threats from our Ijaw neighbours.
This is becoming even more worrisome because it appears Government Ekpemupolo and his co-horts are bent on using their obvious connections in government to continually take what is not theirs through the use of threats and blackmail, yet they boast across the country of their invincibility no matter what they do.
The Itsekiri Nation is only struggling to forget pains they suffered from their Ijaw neighbours during the last Warri crisis, no thanks to the death of many Itsekiris and the forceful seizure of some of our communities by the Ijaws, yet Government at all levels have done little or nothing to assuage our pains and resettle our people in their God-given communities. Perhaps the likes of Government Ekpemupolo should be reminded that despite the ugly and regrettable incidence of the protracted Warri crisis, President Jonathan’s biggest supporter amid criticisms is the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor, who interestingly is an Itsekiri. The Ijaws should also note that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan like some other illustrious Itsekiri sons and daughters have been in the forefront of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.
The recent forceful substituting of Hon. Oritseweyinmi Omadeli’s God-given mandate for Hon. George Ekpemupolo, sibling to Government Ekpemupolo due to the latter’s threat to Governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan is still fresh in our memory and it is public knowledge that Hon. Oritseweyinmi Omadeli has already contracted Barr. Festus Keyamo to seek legal redress. A lawful position that has equally seen Tompolo threatening to kill Barr. Festus Keyamo for daring to handle the case, a threat that cannot be differentiated from the Boko Haram onslaught on innocent Nigerians.
The world, particularly Nigerians must know that the land which the NIMASA Dockyard and Shipyard in Okerenkoko (Okerenghigo) which our Ijaw neighbours seem to have made their personal empire, despite being a Federal Government Project is owned by the Itsekiri people (Omadino Community precisely) and this much was again reaffirmed by a Competent Federal Court of Law in Benin City, Edo State.
While Government Ekpemupolo and his team of crisis orchestrators are brazenly making inciting security statements untouched in a Sovereign Country like Ours, Permit me Mr. President to remind discerning minds that when the Chevron EGTL project which engaged several thousands of Nigerians for many years lasted, the Itsekiri Nation which is host to Chevron accommodated the Ijaws and other Nigerians in job slots and contracts. It must be stressed that this hospitality and brotherliness of Ours will still be extended to others in Your Legacy EPZ Project at Ogidigben and therefore there is no basis for Tompolo and his Ijaw brothers’ threats to stop the much anticipated Ground Breaking Ceremony.
Mr. President, the truth must be told that the Itsekiri people can no longer fold our hands and watch Government Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo in collaboration with some of his Ijaw brothers and a few Itsekiri dissidents continue to take what God has given to us.
Your Excellency, the brazen resort to continuous threats by Government Ekpemupolo to always take what belongs to Itsekiri Nation has compelled me to ask ‘If the Itsekiri people who have been Supportive of Your Administration are Safe under Your Leadership?
Please re-assure us of Itsekiri safety, ignore the Ijaw threats against this Friday November 14, 2014 Ground Breaking Ceremony of the EPZ which you confidently told the world during your re-election declaration speech Tuesday November 11, 2014 and come to carry out this constitutional right of yours and those of Itsekiri people. We don’t expect you as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to succumb to threats from some of your kinsmen who claim to be ex-militant, yet reminding us of the bloody days of Warri crisis. The World is watching!
Thanks and God Bless
Chief Ayirimi Emami
The Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom A.K.A Akulagba
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