…says Tinubu responsive

By Tunde Oso

The Mayor of Urhoboland and prominent ex-militant leader in the Niger Delta region, His Excellency Eshanekpe Israel a.k.a Akpodoro has commended the Federal Government for heeding the call for the release of the traditional ruler of Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom, HRM Clement Ikolo, who was detained by the military after he surrendered himself to the authority in the wake of the killing of 17 military personnel in Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government, Delta State last month.

His commendation was contained in a statement sent to Vanguard on Sunday, noting that only a responsive and listening leader like President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be so swift in taking action to douse the tension surrounding the arrest and detention of King Ikolo.

 

He also commended the Senator representing Delta South Senatorial district, Senator Ede Dafinone who he said secured the release of the monarch after a month of incarceration and made efforts at ensuring that the king was unconditionally released to him.

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Akpodoro’s statement said the recent development shows that the people of Urhobo nation have a quality representative in the person of Dafinone, whom he described as a legislative maestro who demonstrates deep love and affections for his people in all he does.

The king according to Akpooro remains innocent of every negative suspicion thrown up by the condemnable massacre of Nigerian soldiers in Okuama but, however, expressed gratitude to the military institution, who he said may have come to terms with the innocence of the royal father.

The Mayor stated further that no reasonable king will ever support the mayhem that took place in the Okuama to the extent of throwing the entire nation particularly the military institution into mourning, adding that since HRM Ikolo became the paramount ruler of Ewu Kingdom, he had not been allowed to rule his people and therefore, couldn’t have in any way be complicit in the the killing of anyone let alone soldiers in his domain as he extended his gratitude to all who may have played a role in the freedom granted the king.

He called on the military not to relent in their efforts at apprehending all those who are genuinely involved in the mayhem that took “the precious lives of our soldiers, killing them in their prime,” adding that Nigeria is not a banana republic where non state actors undermine the sovereignty of a nation by criminal means.

“The monarch,” according to the Mayor, “Has demonstrated integrity and bravery by surrendering himself to the military authority and that happenstance he said, is a pointer to the capacity of HRM Ikolo to stand for his people at any given time even when it was suicidal to give up at the time he did, noting that, while the crisis raged, many who were declared wanted by the army are still hiding not because they are guilty but for reason of dearth of emotional strength to defend themselves but the royalty in King Ikolo stood him out clearly for the world to see.”

“Now is the time for peace in Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom. All the players in the feud that had hitherto stagnated the kingdom of Ewu kingdom should rally the King in their collective resolve to build peace and tranquility in Urhoboland,” he maintained.

“We shouldn’t be made scapegoats for criminals because Urhobo is a law-abiding nation of people. Whoever foments trouble must be surrendered to the authority lest the innocent ones will be punished unjustifiably. Our King’s bravery speaks volumes of who we are as a people, and we must all take a cue from our royal father who has defended his fatherland at the detriment of his freedom. He was punished for what he knew nothing about. He was mocked by the enemies of Urhoboland, but we are happy that a precedence has been laid by HRM Ikolo, who has made a history in bravery,” he stated.

Additionally, the Mayor called on the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration to begin the process of bringing opposing forces to Ikolo’s royalty to a round-table, noting that the collective understanding and agreement of the entire kingdom is germane to the success of the King.

“Our people have no home to return. Their ancestry has been destroyed, and the community is completely demolished with no structure standing in that agrarian settlement due to the criminality of a few. This underscores why we must learn to tame the unbridled ones in our midst to avoid the unsavoury situation that we currently have in our hands.”

“Life in Okuama is back to the Hobbesian state of nature, everything have been reduced to rubbles, and we are crying and gnashing our teeth. My heart goes to the homeless, women, and children to whom it may be difficult to find their feet again. Residents will return as strangers to their ancestral land without food and shelter. To innocent Okuama people, life is worthless. I called on all well-meaning and spirited sons and daughters of Urhoboland to rise in support of our downtrodden Okuama residents who may be luckily alive. There are no two ways about it. We must render help to the homeless and the starving population of our people. This is the time to stand for humanity. While we shall not be tired to condole with the families of our fallen heroes, we must also lend a hand of fellowship to my people of Okuama,” the Mayor concluded sadly.