COMMUNITY REPORT
Olodiama: Governor Obaseki, Oba Of Benin Have Declared War Against Ijaws; We’ll Resist Them, IYC Vows
Oba of Benin
Foremost Ijaw youth organisation, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide, has vowed to resist the order by Governor Godwin Obaseki for the arrest of the newly installed Pere of Olodiama Kingdom in Edo state, describing the directives an an open invitation to war between the Ijaws and Benins.
The group stated that by the order, the governor and Oba of Benin has declared war against Ijaws in Edo state and the entire Ijaw nation.
BigPen Online recalls that the coronation of the Olodiama monarch had attracted mixed reactions from the palace of the Oba of Benin as well as Edo state government who were said to deployed soldiers to stop the event.
The alleged seige on the community had triggered reactions from other Ijaw traditional rulers including the paramount ruler of Gbaramatu Kingdom, HRM Oboro Gbaraun II, Aketakpe (Agadagba), who was denied access to witness the coronation ceremony which apperantly went on.
Following this, the Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki in a statement by the Secretary to the state Government, Osarodion Ogie, ordered the arrest of the Pere of Olodiama, describing the alleged planned coronation as “egregiously abominable, sacrilegious and criminal”.
The Oba of Benin also warned the Pere of Gbaramatu in Delta State to avoid falling foul of relevant laws of Edo State.
Reacting however, in a statement by its President, Barr. Eric Omare on Thursday, IYC condemned vehemently the assertions by the Edo state government which purport to create the impression that Ijaw land and people of Edo State do not exist, describing the statement as not only provocative but an invitation to war by the state government.
The statement reads in full: “The attention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has been drawn to a statement issued by the Edo State Government and the Benin Traditional Council as published in pages 33 and 39 of Vanguard newspaper of Thursday November 16, 2017 to the effect that the coronation of the traditional ruler of the indigenous Ijaw people of Olodiama, Pere of Olodiama in Ovia North East Local Government of Edo State is sacrilegious and that those involved should be arrested and prosecuted.
The IYC having carefully gone through the statement by the Edo State Government and the Benin Palace; wishes to state as follows THAT:
The IYC on behalf of all the Ijaw youths all over world congratulate His Royal Majesty, the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom on his ascension to the ancient throne and wish him a successful reign over his people.
The statement by the Edo State Government and the Benin palace is a declaration of war against the Ijaw nation.
The government of Edo State under Governor Godwin Obaseki by the content of the press statement issued and signed by the Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodin Ogie has lost the moral and constitutional right to govern over the Ijaw people and land of Edo State namely, the Ijaws of Olodiama, Okomu, Gbarain, Egbema and Furupa Kingdoms.
The IYC in the strongest terms condemn the statement by the Edo State Government and the Benin Palace which purport to create the impression that Ijaw land and people of Edo State do not exist.
This statement is not only provocative but an invitation to war by a state government and this is totally unacceptable. It is a deliberate and wicked attempt by Bini officials of the Edo State Government to rewrite history. The Ijaw nation would vehemently resist this attempt.
For the records the Ijaw people of Olodiama, Gbarain, Okomu, Egbema and Furupa Kingdoms in Edo State are aborigines in the lands where they are living and were there for so many years even before the Benins came to their present land under the leadership of their own traditional institutions.
The Ijaws of Edo State have never been under the traditional institution of any other ethnic nationality in Edo State or elsewhere in Nigeria.
We call on the Edo State Government to immediately withdrawn its statement and render an unreserved apology to the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom, Ijaw people of Edo State and the Ijaw nation”.
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