By Ameachi Prosper
Asaba: No fewer than thirteen communities in Delta State currently in Communal crises that were said to have erupted in the early months of 2016, have unsettled Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who is reportedly making consultations with leaders of the various crises ridden communities.
Expectedly, the crisis may degenerates into bizarre blood bath if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the deepened war situation which had allegedly claimed the lives of unspecified persons, and several houses destroyed.
While it is also clear that over twenty three persons in Ibrede community one of the communities enveloped in the current crisis, are languishing in Kwale prison custody, it was reliably gathered that the state government had been allegedly foot dragging to take firm decision in some of the crisis bedeviled communities for fear of losing votes to opposition parties in the next elections.
But at a media parley on Monday, the State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Bright Adejejewhro, who confirmed to Journalists that the thirteen communities in Communal conflicts may get out of hand, explained that steps were being taken to ensure the situations were laid to rest, regretting that despite government efforts, over nine out of the thirteen communities hitherto have turned down settlement initiatives.
In his words; “Thirteen Communal crisis have bedeviled the state since the Administration of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and the communities are as follows; invasion, looting and vandalisation of Delta Shopping Mall (Shoprite), Effurun, youths unrest in Effurun, Ekpan Ugorikoko and Ugoroke communities, notification/request for autonomous status/replacement of the title of ‘Ogwude’ Olubor with Obi in line with our neighbour s, settlement of dispute between the Traditional Council of Ndokwa East and the Local Government Chairman over a petition and consistent disrespect for the Traditional Institution, imminent crisis at Azama community following the purported imposition of Ikechukwu Onwards as Enyia Obi (leader) of the community by HRH Kenneth Ezegbunam 1, Obi of Nsukwa Kingdom, pandemonium at Ibrede community over the plans to set the release of some of its members incarcerated in Kwale prison prison for allegedly destroying and burning properties belonging to Ugbo family.”
Others are; “request by Abala-Obodo community for issuance of a commission of inquiries to investigate the purported creation of a new community by Uganda Quarter of Abala-Obodo and purporting same to be an Autonomous community, Emuhu request for Autonomous community, issues involving Asaba Capital Territory and Oshimili South LGA on Ogbeogonogo market among others.”
Sources alleged that while killings, burning of houses thrive in the worse hit communities, many residents of the areas have fled to neighbouring communities where they presently seek refuge for fear of the unknown. In Ibrede community for instance, some residents who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, accused the state government of insensitivity and lack of focus to address the lingering crisis.
“There will be no peace when the state government lacks the focus to address the root cause of the crisis apart from its insensitivity”. In Azamu community, the crisis bedeviling the community was followed by the alleged imposition of one Ikechukwu Onwards as Enyia Obi (Leader) of the community by the monarch, HRH Kenneth Ezegbunam I, the Obi of Nsukwa Kingdom. But in swift reaction, Obi Ezegbunam said the genesis of the crisis was followed by the illegal declaration of Enyia Obi by one Ikechukwu Kenneth, insisting that it was a taboo to have two Obis in the community.
He said: “One Ikechukwu Onwards committed a taboo by installing himself as Enyia Obi when I’m the rightful Obi of Nsukwa”. Investigation revealed that settlement moves by the state government on the dispute between the Traditional Council of Ndokwa East and the Local Government Chairman over a petition and consistent disrespect for the tradition institution, had broken down as the parties involved have refused to allow peace to reign.
In another development, a total of sixty-five destitute (36 male and 29 females) were rescued by officials of the State Women Affairs’ Ministry while out of the figures, fourteen destitute were Delta State origin with six of their children repatriated to the Ministry from other states of the federation.
Rev Shola Williams, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs who confirmed this at a media briefing in Asaba on Monday, disclosed that the State has 370 in the various homes across the state, while twenty five of them who were certified well and those with children among them have re-united with their respective families across the state.
On maintenance of pals (i.e. persons living with leprosy), the commissioner explained that’ eight resettlement’ centers across the state (namely Eku, Aboh, Ogwashi-Uku, Ukwuani, Ibrede, Ute-Elugu, Jedoto, Ayakaromo, and Ossiomo in Edo State) are Quartered, fed and paid monthly stipends for up keep, adding that a total of 421 inmates in the various settlements while 128 of them in addition to their being paid monthly stipends are also fed once daily with their children.
