By Chancel Sunday

Prince Doubra Baro, newly inaugurated chairman of the Ojobo Federated Community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, speaks on his administration’s vision for sustainable peace, infrastructure, and human capital development in the oil-rich but long-neglected community nestled in the creeks of the Niger Delta.
Excerpts:

You’ve been elected as chairman of the oil-rich Ojobo community. What are your goals for the people?

First and foremost, I want to thank the people of the Ojobo Federated Community for the trust and confidence they’ve reposed in me by giving me this mandate. I assure my people that I will not let them down. My tenure will focus on fostering sustainable peace and driving meaningful development across the community. Ojobo is blessed with both natural and human resources. I am honored to lead at a time when these assets can be harnessed for the benefit of all. My priorities are clear: to pursue all initiatives that bring progress, and to decisively discourage anything that sets us back.

One of our immediate concerns is the long-abandoned gas turbine project initiated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in 2001. This project was designed to provide electricity to Ojobo and its federated communities but remains incomplete.

Now that Renaissance Africa Energy Limited—a consortium of Nigerian and international oil companies—has acquired all of SPDC’s onshore assets and liabilities, including those in the Niger Delta, it is imperative that we reopen discussions to ensure the completion of this crucial project.

We will provide an enabling environment for all investors to thrive, but at the same time, we urge all indigenes to respect the community’s constitution and operate within its framework. This leadership is committed to following through on the gas turbine project, and we call on all sons and daughters of Ojobo to support this mission.

Ojobo was once a thriving oil town known for its academic excellence. A leadership crisis later damaged that reputation. Do you believe Ojobo can regain its lost glory?

Absolutely. I firmly believe that Ojobo can and will regain its lost glory. That is precisely why I ran for office. Our mandate is to bring back the excellence and peace that once defined this community.

There is a saying: Ebi-Ojobo —the beautiful Ojobo— has gone into the interior forest. Our goal is to bring that beauty back to the forefront. We want to illuminate this community—both literally and symbolically.

I am deeply inspired by the legacy of my late father, Chief Photo Baro, who was elected chairman of Ojobo in 1987 and re-elected for another year in 1988 due to his outstanding leadership. He was even urged to run for a third term, which he humbly declined. He remains one amongst the only chairmen to have served two consecutive terms in the community’s history.
Today, after years of leadership challenges, the elders have agreed to extend the chairmanship tenure from one to two years for administrative efficiency—beginning with my tenure. I am determined not just to replicate my father’s achievements but to surpass them and lead Ojobo into a new era of peace, unity, and prosperity.

Accessibility has long been a challenge. The Tuomo-Ogbobagbene-Tamigbe-Torugbene-Ojobo road project stops short of Ojobo. What are your plans regarding this?

Yes, the lack of road access is a major concern for everyone living in this riverine region. You’ve witnessed firsthand how difficult it is to navigate the creeks.

We strongly appeal to the Delta State Government to revisit and complete the Torugbene-Ojobo segment of the road project. Although the project was initially included in the state’s 2022 budget, it was later removed for reasons unknown to us in 2025 budget. We now call on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently restore and execute this critical infrastructure project. Road access will greatly enhance economic activities and improve the overall quality of life for our people.

What message do you have for the multinational oil companies operating in Ojobo?

Our message to the oil companies is simple and clear: this new leadership is committed to collaboration, transparency, and mutual growth. We will create a conducive environment for them to operate, provided their activities align with the interests of the Ojobo Federated Community.
We expect them to fulfill their corporate social responsibilities and to partner with us in areas such as youth empowerment, education, and infrastructure. Working together, we can build a community where both local stakeholders and investors thrive.