Oil Largesse Tears Delta Community Apart, As Indigenes Disown Embattled Monarch

Oil royalties accruing to Ogulagha community in Burutu Council Area of Delta State appears to have torn the community into two faction as a section of the community have reportedly disowned their traditional ruler, HRH Capt. Joseph I. Timiyan.

The aggrieved community people also sacked the Council of Chiefs over alleged grievous offence against the community.

They alleged that the monarch became estranged over a billion naira oil largesse which accrued to the community and was channeled through the community executives and not the monarch.

This was contained in a statement on Friday by a 24-members executive of the community led by Mr. Ambrose Guwor, acting Chairman, Pastor Christopher Isiayei, Secretary and Guwor Luwatimi, P.R.O respectively in reaction to a Vanguard publication of Wednesday, August 15, 2016 at page 39.

Some of the allegations levelled against the monarch, according to the statement include: that Capt. J.I. Timiyan does not reside in the riverine kingdom bordering the Atlantic coast but resides permanently in Ugborikoko community of Uvwie Kingdom near Warri metropolis under the rulership of HRM Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1.

They also accused the monarch of persistent and consistent interference in the community electoral process to elect the community executive leadership, accusing him of going to the extent of “even imposing candidates on the entire community”, a development which they claimed have been a major source of crisis in Ogulagha kingdom.

The community indigenes further accused the monarch of constituting an illegal Caretaker Committee against the community 1998 Constitution for his selfish reasons.

They claimed that the monarch had sometimes override the community chosen surveillance vendor and disregarded the constitutional two and half year tenure of office for its executives to suit his personal aggrandizement to satisfy oil company’s interest.

The statement which claimed that the monarch had on several occasion apologize to the community for “some of these obnoxious negative practices’, said they can no longer seat down and watch the estranged ruler mortgaged the future of their children because of pantry N20,000.00 monthly stipend which he often give to a few chiefs.

Meanwhile, they have denied the content of the Vanguard advertorial saying it is a “brazen deceit, laughable, an embarrassment and therefore should discountenanced in its entirety as it only meant to mislead the public, Government/security agencies and other well-meaning sons and  daughter of Ogulagha kingdom.

The statement denied any mismanagement or embezzlement of N1billion tenement rent payment as alleged in the publication alleging that the disowned monarch is aggrieved that the money was not made available to him and his cronies for squandering.

They stated that the said matter is even being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who should be allowed to do their job instead of setting up his own kangaroo committee for the same purpose.

While saying that in place of the estranged monarch, the Amazinawei of Ogulagha community, Chief Clement Kpuke (JP) has been appointed to oversee the rulership of the Kingdom, the statement called on both the Federal and State government to hold the disowned ruler responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the community.

They accused him of allegedly recruiting militants and thugs from some neighbouring states to come and launch attacks on oil and gas facilities in the kingdom.

The indigenes however assured the Federal Government and security agencies of their commitment towards ensuring the protection of oil facilities insisting that “we reaffirm our earlier position that Capt. J.I. Timiyan remained disowned by the Ogulagha community and its ancestors”, the statement emphasized.