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By SIMON EBEGBULEM

UTAGBAN—ELDERS of Utagban, a sleepy community in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State and the Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties in the state, Comrade Didi Adodo, are at daggers drawn over an alleged attempt by the commissioner to forcing Osahon Richard Olaye, alias Churchil and Johnson Aghayere on them as Enogie and chair respectively of the community.

The Odionwere of Utagban, Pa Roland Aghimien, traced the brewing crisis to the alleged installation of some persons as community heads, alleging that the commissioner supervised the act in company of some hired thugs.

Complaints to Oshimhole allegedly disregarded

Comrade Didi Adodo, Edo
Commissioner for Establishment & Chair, Utagban Community Development Association, Friday Odigie.

He said they had written several letters to the governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, to draw his attention to the impunity, but to no avail. According to him, “Somebody who is not elected is using the commissioner and they invaded Utagban on the 19th of November to impose somebody on us. They came to carry out an illegal installation but they were resisted, so they went and wrote petition against me that I am a cultist.”

“Sadly, the money we are supposed to use to develop our community is now channeled to litigation; they are bent on destroying our community, because of their selfish interest.”

They ‘re selling govt land—Adodo

However, in a swift reaction, Commissioner Adodo, who debunked the allegation that he invaded the community with thugs, challenged the complainants to show evidence that they had the mandate of the people to parade themselves as community leaders.

“They are not telling you people the truth, we are not issuing new certificate to anybody. All we are doing is renewal. Let them show you the certificate issued to them in the first place to indicate that they are the authentic leaders of that community. Let them come forward with proof and I will renew it for them. I have never been to the community, not to talk of invading it with thugs as they claimed.

“As l speak to you, the matter is before the Assistant Inspector General of Police. They encroached on government land and they wanted to sell it, they have been selling government land. Anybody selling government land will be arrested,” adding, “I have personally reported the matter to the Commissioner for Lands and Survey,” he said.

Govt officials trouble us every day—Friday Odigie

Chair, Utagban Community Development Association, Friday Odigie, who regretted that the looming crisis would divert the attention of the public from the developmental needs of the community, urged the warring factions to allow peace reign to attract government attention to their needs. He said: “Today government agents harass us on a daily basis, we want them to come and demarcate their boundary for peace to return. For the leadership crisis, I am happy to say that the leaders have put their feet on the ground to fight the illegality by these same persons.”

“We are surprised that the Commissioner gave them a duplicate of the Community Development Association, CDA certificate because our own had expired and he denied us the opportunity to have a new one”.

Troublemakers

Adodo, who also reacted to the allegation, said, “If they were given an old one for instance, they should bring it so we can see. They are just usurpers trying to cause crisis in that community and that was why we reported the matter to the AIG office so that security agents will deal with those fomenting trouble. They have no certificate to show for anything, that is the truth.”

Community raises fresh alarm

Meanwhile, the community elders through their solicitors, Udochi & Udochi, in a petition dated 5th December, 2016, have called for  an urgent resolution of the crisis to avoid bloodshed. They alleged a fresh plan to invade the community with thugs with a view to unleashing mayhem on the people. The petition alleged that the plot was to install Olaye and Aghayere as Enogie and chair of the community.

He said: “Utagban community development association is governed by a constitution, which makes membership of its executives mandatorily subject to the democratic process of voting by members of the association. The community has not held any election in respect of membership to occasion inauguration of a new executive.” “The installation of an Enogie in any Bini community is the prerogative of the Oba of Benin and the purport to install an Enogie is a direct challenge and rebuff of the institution of the Oba of Benin.”