Until the killing of 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army, many people never knew about the tensions and skirmishes between Okuama, an Urhobo community in Ewu Kingdom, Ughelli South Local Government Area and Okoloba, an Ijaw community in Bomadi Local Government Area, all in Delta State. Both communities have lived side by side for “over 300 hundred years,” according to the Pere of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom, HRM Pere Kalanama VIII, who is an Ijaw monarch with some Urhobo roots, according to some sources.
Okuama and Okoloba people have intermarried and speak each other ’s language, so this crisis might not have arisen if the situation was well managed and there was level- headedness. This is a time for patience, understanding, levelheadedness, restraint and mutual respect. There is need for justice and peace to embrace so that the recently signed peace accord between the two communities will be enduring.
My interest today is on the way forward and achieving a lasting peaceful co- existence between Okuama and Okoloba communities. During the week, the leaders from the two communities signed a peace accord, initiated by the Bomadi Local Government Chairman and brokered in collaboration with his Ughelli South Local Government chairman.
The Chairman of Bomadi LGA, Hon. Dagidi Andaye, who anchored the peace meeting, said it was convened with the knowledge and backing of the Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, who mandated the peace meeting to raise, discuss and iron out all contentious issues between the two communities. That is very important. Similar agreements have been reached in the past and breached. So, there is need to get to the bottom of what is causing the crisis. Whatever led to the failure of previous peace efforts should be unearthed and solved.
I will summarise the points and discuss in brief the importance and implications of some of the points agreed on: one, an immediate ceasefire and an end to all hostilities, renouncing of violence and reconciliation of both communities. This does not require much explanation because without these, the peace accord will be an exercise in futility. Two, granting free access to farmlands and farming activities within the communities’ respective boundaries, considering the fact that both communities rely on farming and fishing for their livelihood. The economy of both communities was already being affected by the skirmishes before the army invaded and levelled Okuama, so this agreement is very important.
Three, joint patrol along the Forcados River bank to ensure safety, security and free passage of boats and passengers along the Forcados River bordering both communities. This is another very important agreement. Before now, there had been attacks of passengers and boats. In all cases, it is blame and counter blame by both communities. Hopefully, there will be no further attacks. Also, people from other communities who want to use the past hostilities between Okuama and Okoloba to commit crimes around the stretch will be caught.
Four, the meeting agreed on the release of properties allegedly stolen during the invasion of Okuama. This kind of restitution will be wonderful. The soldiers had scarcely vacated Okuama when some bad elements descended on Okuama to steal what the soldiers did not destroy or partly destroyed.
Five, agreement to resolve future disputes through dialogue and peaceful means. Also, agreement to engage in community outreach programmes to promote peace and understanding. This is another very important point. I was born into and spent my early years in a communal setting. As young as I was, I remember that when there was a dispute between two families, the landlord or oldest man in the compound settled the dispute. There were times when two children would fight. Sometimes, the parents of the aggressor would beat him so hard that the other family would plead with the child’s parent, “ehwenatere”(The beating is enough). But there were also parents who would never accept that their children were at fault. This led to family quarrels and fights. This kind of defiance can also lead to communal clashes.
Finally, a 10-man monitoring committee was also set up to monitor the peace accord. This is like a postmortem and very important. Everything must be done to ensure enduring peace. Two days ago (September 26), I read an advertorial by Oleh Development Union on page 27 of Vanguard on the boundary dispute with Ozoro. I met this dispute in 1973 when my family relocated to Ozoro. Our official residence, a small bungalow, was the last house on the Ozoro-Oleh road. It was about five miles (eight kilometres) from the disputed boundary, but concerned indigenes deemed it fit to tell us so that we could be on the alert. This is an intra-ethnic (Isoko) dispute. Border disputes can be intractable. All hands must therefore be on deck to resolve the Okuama-Okoloba dispute.
I have written about four articles on this crisis. I also made suggestions which are mostly taken care of above, but I also expressed the need for the border between the two communities to be properly demarcated. One of the major reasons of this crisis is land. Leaving out the border demarcation means the job is not yet completed. Delta State government has an agency in charge of border demarcation. The government should not shy away from this all-important point if we truly desire a long-lasting peace between the two communities.
On return of Okuama people to their ancestral home, I heard the contractors have started bringing building materials to site to start the rebuilding of Okuama starting with the schools, community hall and health centre. I have also been informed that Ughelli South LGA is going to play a major role in the rebuilding and resettlement of Okuama people. The chairman of the local government, Hon. Lucky Iroro Avweromre, is an indigene of Ewu Kingdom, but that is beside the point. The entire Ughelli South is his turf. Okuama people do not need any favouritism, but he understands what life is like the in riverine areas of Ewu, so he has his work cut out.
Though new in office, he has had enough time to visit the IDP camp to see the Okuama people there, but he has not. That is not good enough. People first before physical structures. The last time, I learnt, he came to the camp was when he was campaigning for the chairmanship position. The chairman of neighbouring Ughelli North LGA, who was sworn at the same time, has not only visited the camp but celebrated his last birthday with the Okuama people in the IDP camp. Their joy knew no limit.
That said, he should pursue the resettlement of Okuama people with utmost vigour. They have been in IDP camp, eating free food and living their lives devoid of their daily routine of family life, farming, fishing and trading. It is like a body builder who stopped going to the gym. The longer he does that the more his muscles disappear. Okuama people should go home soon before their bodies become too flabby.
My last advice to the chairman is that should liaise with the chairman of the IDP camp committee, Abraham Ogbodo. Ogbodo has some wonderful ideas that will make his work easier and faster, and facilitate the return of Okuama people to their ancestral home.
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Comments expressed here do not reflect the opinions of Vanguard newspapers or any employee thereof.