CHIEF Rita Lori-Ogbebor yesterday at the palace of the Olu of Warri narrowly escaped death at the ongoing Itsekiri National Conference organized by HRM Ogiame Atuwatse 11 to chart a new path for the Itsekiri land when some politicians invaded venue of the conference and wreaked havoc on participants, communication gadgets and other equipment put in place for the August event.
The week-long event, which kicked off last Sunday with a Church Service, was scheduled to be attended by only Itsekiri professionals and intellectuals, as all other groups have had their turns.
Trouble started when at the opening of the days’ event Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor asked one of Delta State governor’s security aides (names withheld) to exercise patient and allow the professionals to finish their contributions to the debate on how to move the Itsekiri nation forward before entertaining questions and comments.
However, the special assistant, accompanied by other Delta State government officials who drove to the palace with Delta State government vehicles insisted on addressing the crowd and with, perhaps a predetermined mind set, went wild destroying everything ranging from canopy to microphone and beating up people.
Not done with this initial disruption, the security aide and his team went to mobilize more troops who came to ensure that the conference was thwarted.
But unfortunately for them, men of the Nigerian Army got there before them and in the fracas that ensued, the soldiers had no choice but to shoot sporadically into the air to disperse the trouble makers.
A visibly shaken Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor surrounded by Chief Sunny Irone and other prominent Itsekiri sons and daughters presiding over the conference, got more than they bargained for when the run-away thugs re-mobilized and moved towards the palace venue again.
This forced the now angry soldiers to forcefully chased them away before the meeting was re-convened and adjourned for Saturday.
Speaking to Saturday Vanguard on the issue, Itsekiri activist and youth leader, David Iwere, condemned the action of the politicians, even as Mr. Alex Eyengho said the action of the boys was a betrayal of the Governor Uduaghan’s indiscretion in appointing them to high position above their mental capacity.
Loyalists to the conference and most Itsekiri youths then stormed different parts of the oil city venting their anger on property suspected to have any dealings with all those that disrupted the conference, including government buses.
In the ensuing melee, one of the wives of the mastermind of the fracas narrowly escaped death by the whiskers through the sheer grace of mobile policemen that ensured her safe passage from the palace.
Vanguard authoritatively gathered that the mayhem caused by the group was well planned to disorganize the conference.
Chief Rita Lori_Ogbebor allegedly called one of the trouble makers to ascertain the truth of their plan, but the youth leader told her he was not part of the game, saying he was out of town.
As at the time of this report, supporters of the dissident group that disrupted the all important Itsekiri conference were still going about harassing innocent Itsekiris in all parts of Warri because the soldiers have vacated the scene.
Making her final address to the poeple, Chief Rita Lori_Ogbebor told the crowd that a revolution has started in Itsekirland that would sweep the nation clean ones and for good, assuring that the incident only serve to further inspire her to do more for her people and advised them to turn out enmasse for tomorrow’s event without fear of intimidation from any quarters.
I use to have this great respect for the Governor of delta state.but i no longer have regards for him after some silly appointments he made.How can the gov.saturate the goverment house with thugs like micheal diden AKA ejele, somebody with bad record .snatching peoples wives through fetish means and causing pain to their families.He did it to my uncle and everytime my uncle sees him he wants to commit murder..If given an opportunity he will snatch the governors wife. is the governor not aware of this? now he has started fighting the palace and the entire itsekiris. Your death is near
If Governor Uduaghan did not plan the whole invasion and desecration of the palace of the prestine Warri Kingdom, then he should within 48 hours sack all the Government officials who participated in the taboo. These are all people known as his boys. It would be sad indeed to know that our governor is a promoter of violence as against jaw-jaw. These unrepentant militants must be brought to justice.
We need changes in Itsekiri kingdom, revolution as just began.
We should look at the AGENDA of the meeting.Is it there that questions follow after the discussions?The sequence of items in the AGENDA for the Meeting of the day should prove which faction is right or wrong.
Normally,in a meeting of such,the question time comes after the discussions,so i think that the security aide should have waited as directed till after the discussions before he could make his comment or ask his questions.
In a well organised meeting,people follow the Agenda of the day.
In a wedding ceremony for instance, item 7 is time for eating and drinking.
My people make una learn.
I agree with mofe completely on this. People should wake up face reality instead of going round in same circle.
Why would the Itsekiri fight their people,why would they desroy their own property,cant understand,As Rita Lori- Ogbebor,she is married to an Edo, man, why is she now, presiding over such an important conference of the Itsekiri people, where are the great men of the Itsekiri land?They should told her, her place,we know, she can also help in the development of the state, but, she can not rule, over the great men of the Itsekiri land.
Ah! is this woman Rita Lori-Ogbebor still alife?:.
She deserves that bitter treatment. I have no sympathy for her. She is a troubleshooter, who does not mean well for her tribe
someone should tell the truth about what really happened…I smell a rat in this story,..This is like a story that a 10 years child will tell with the impression of being smart.
I am from warri and understand such lies when I see one.
The Olu Palace is not a place where Government officials or personnel can just misbehave no matter how highly or lowly placed.
So Vanguard ..why are you playing this Itsekiri fraction Politics with Rita Lori-Ogbebor.
Please Stop bringing embarrassment to the city of warri and its people with your half baked stories filled with lies.
I witnessed just lies on the media during the warri crises and now it is deja vu all over again
delta state government is associated with thugs and militant.rewind and see our the governor carried tompolo above the deputy gov.during the last swearing in of 12 commissioners