Benutzer:NormandThiel21

Itsekiri Higher Chief Ritalori Ogbebor, in this interview with Musa Odoshimokhe, speaks on restructuring, underdevelopment in oil-generating areas and the future of the nation.


Will the restructuring of the nation promote the interest of the minorities?

This debate had been on-going for a extended time, and when we look at the several responses and positions taken by Nigerians on the subject, 1 could say that some individuals do not essentially comprehend what the topic is all about.


I want to make it clear that restructuring does not mean the country will fall apart. It is not a call for separation or disintegration of the country as being speculated. It is merely the contact for us to get items appropriate. The get in touch with is to ensure justice, fairness and equity in Nigeria. There is no sense in how the nation is at the moment being managed because lots of injustices permeate the land.


This is a nation where minorities are living like second class citisens or slaves. These who belong to the dominant ethnic groups dominate the political life of the country and the program appears not recognise the minorities position. Minorities do not have a say on how the nation is run. The minorities have been relegated, to the extent that the sources they produce are becoming managed with impunity and this should stop. They need to be allowed to advantage from their God provided mineral resources. In my location, the Itsekiri land, exactly where the oil is getting extracted, the whole land had been desolated due to the right after effect of the oil exploration. Agricultural goods cannot do properly, aquatic life is virtually zero and the fishing communities are finding it challenging to survive. The environmental pollution and human degradation brought on by the refinement of the crude oil in the minorities’ belt is aching. We do hope that restructuring will appropriate the imbalance in the way resources are allocated since what is good for the goose is great for the gander. When justice, fairness and equity turn into the barometer to govern Nigeria, point will be far better. The circumstance has degenerated to the extent that nearby collaborators do not want the situation to modify some are even in search of the instrumentality of the law to perpetuate the heinous crime on their individuals.


Could that kind portion of the reasons why you took some Itsekiri leaders to court more than the management of funds meant for your neighborhood?


This is the second injunction I have obtained to safeguard the dollars meant to create Itsekiri land. But incidentally, some individuals are nevertheless mismanaging the funds. I obtained the injunction to guard the Itsekiri Regional Development Council (IRDC). The funds quantity to N2.1b, which was provided by Chevron to create the communities. These are places being exploited by the oil providers. It is meant to bring the individuals back to standard business enterprise life, since their lands have been rendered virtually useless due to oil spillages and air pollution. The funds are anticipated to provide schools, develop clinics or hospitals for the individuals, and develop the cottage industries for individuals. These are the items that the funds is meant for, but sadly, after more than 10 years, these individuals are but to see any meaningful developments regardless of the cash provided to the leaders of the communities. The unfavorable deed of those whose hands the revenue fell is weighing on the individuals. We are brothers and sisters and that is why we marry foreigners quickly because most of us are so related that we cannot marry ourselves. And for them not to feel for the individuals, shows how callous they are. So, what ever misdeed carryout from one particular community impacts the other communities. When the income is sent, the so-known as elders collect the income for their individual use without having following due approach. This is the purpose, young and promising individuals are moving to the city for greener pasture. Our land is losing its shine mainly because the youths are not willing to remain in the location. Youths who handle to stay there have grow to be vagabonds, they are now beggars, this is producing individuals like me, to begin to get agitated and fully prepared to save the community from further destruction. We are all saddened by this development, where is the future of our young children and these not yet born.


Do you have the assistance of other leaders on the fund challenge?

The predicament was so unpredictable until the new Olu came on the throne. What the Olu did when he came on the throne was to say that all these who have been in charge of managing the money for the development of the communities without having any visible project to show for it should hand off. I feel that was the ideal issue a leader need to tell his followers. This is one thing that we all had been wishing he came on the throne and set about correcting the shortcomings that had devastated the communities. There were these so-referred to as leaders who disagreed with the Olu’s position they wanted to continue to have the money without having bothering about the individuals that the funds is meant for. They do not have the fear of God. They do not have conscience and are not worried of the greater consequences of their action. The next issue they did was to take the Olu to court, they did not only institute a suit against him, but they ensured that they took him out of his kingdom over the matter, where he would have to be travelling to defend the suit against him. Now, the Itsekiri individuals are aggrieved that they can not take the Olu to court due to the fact when the Olu speak from the throne of his forefathers, whatever he says is binding. It is our duty to implement what the Olu has stated it was unfortunate that about 3 chiefs are in this matter.


So, what is the implication of taking the monarch to court?

At council meeting, I told them that they must don't forget that they pledged to assistance the Olu in order to promote the welfare of the individuals. They must remember that the day they were made chiefs, that was the day they pledged their loyalty to the throne. Those who betray the Olu betray Itsekiri land and whatever prayer provided to them by the Olu would be reverted, if they betray him and that becomes a curse. All these do not mean something to them they are just soon after the cash. They went to court to quit the Olu, when we discovered that we could not condone the scenario, we went to court and they beat us over the matter. They striped the females naked, when we protested that the court was not in our jurisdiction, they took the matter from Asaba to Ughelli and from there to Agbor. They lastly took it to Effurun and I found this definitely nauseating. That of course was indiscipline in Itsekiri land, no one really should tolerate it. I told them when they were breaching the laws of the land and the palace that they were undermining the credibility of the Olu. You do not play with the credibility of the throne since the throne of Itsekiri stands for credibility. There are particular thrones in the South which no one should really play with. You don’t joke with the Benin throne, Olu of Warri throne, the Alafin of Oyo throne and the Ooni of Ife. These are thrones that have stood the test of time, these thrones are incredibly vital to the society as the case may well be. The emirate has it throne, so when I saw this adverse trend and as a chief, I have to defend the custom.


What has been the government response to the scenario?

These boys are utilizing their political parties’ affiliation to oppress the throne. They have far more respect for the parties than the throne. They are even prepared to dethrone an Oba. They use their political power against the throne and these are the items I will not accept. It will not be in my time and in Itsekiri land will descend so low. I saw them undermining and disobeying the throne, so I went to court myself. This time I want to prove to them that they are thieves and criminals. It is not the throne that is at fault, they are the a single at fault. I reported the matter to the police, EFCC and to other law enforcement agencies. That was when the Police identified that seven various accounts have been illegally opened. They have been misusing the dollars for ten years but, I felt I need to not condone that as a mother. They can bribe anyone to look the other way when issues like that occur, but not me. I told the Olu that the throne has to be powerful. And for the throne to be powerful the individuals ought to be powerful and if the individuals are not sturdy, the powerful can not be robust.


I want to use this medium to appeal to all Itsekiri wherever they are that they cannot abandon their residence since of the worry of some individuals. They ought to join hands to make certain that our villages and communities are created. We have N2.1 billion and we nonetheless have other cash that Chevron has not paid.