By Francis Ewherido
The Delta State Governor, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, recently told a delegation of Urhobo Traditional Rulers Council that the displaced Okuama indigenes will be going home “soon.” I got the information that the contract for the building of the primary and secondary schools and health centre had been awarded a few weeks ago, but I kept the information to myself because it was a private discussion. I decided to wait for an official announcement. I know the importance of scoops (exclusive stories), but I was also taught the boundaries as an undergraduate. Social media has led to the abuse of “breaking stories” or “exclusives.” These days, unless families act fast, relatives will know about the death of a beloved family member online. In those days, having exclusive stories led to accelerated career growth of some journalists. I do not know the reward people get these days on social media, but people need to use their common sense which unfortunately is not common.
After I heard about the building of the schools and health centre, one of the thoughts that came to my mind was where are the people going to stay. I had a discussion with the chairman of the IDP committee, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, who shared a brilliant idea. He or the government also has the responsibility to make it public. I am not into breaking news stories.
The IDP Camp Committee has done a remarkable job. The Ewu IDP Camp is the brainchild of the Delta State Government necessitated by the levelling of Okuama community in the aftermath of the unfortunate killing of 17 officers and soldiers. We are still expecting the military and other enquiries to tell us what actually happened. The soldiers not only levelled and razed Okuama, not a single soul was left behind. Some indigenes lost their lives while others ran into the forests, where they stayed throughout the period the soldiers occupied Okuama. Some lucky Okuama indigenes took refuge in homes of relatives in neighbouring communities.
After the soldiers vacated Okuama, it took a lot of effort for the indigenes to come out of hiding and there was no home to go back to anyway. An IDP camp became a necessity. The government had three options: the immediate resettlement of the returnee Okuama people in Otu-Jeremi, the headquarters of Ughelli South Local Government which Okuama is part of; building an IDP camp in Ewu Town, headquarters of Ewu Kingdom; while some people suggested building the IDP camp in Okuama. This did not make sense to some of us because of security and logistics reasons. Moreover, IDP means internally displaced persons, why leave them in Okuama? Settling for Otu-Jeremi would have been a quick fix, but that is another kingdom and it would be a hard sell for Okuama people. Ewu town we thought was easy turned out to be a hard sell also.
During a flood a few years ago, which sacked Okuama people, an IDP camp was set up in Ewu. Okuama people claimed that Ewu people did not treat them well. Convincing them became a herculean task. The governor had to invite Okuama leaders to Asaba, the Delta State capital, and assured them that the new IDP camp committee will look into their grievances and avoid a reoccurrence. While all these backs and forth were on, insults were being hauled at the governor for lack of action and delay in sorting out the IDP camp issue, but I guess all public officers who are sure of what they are doing have to get used to such insults.
Based on what the governor said, which Ogbodo, a former editor of The Guardian Newspaper confirmed, they never had a close relationship. The governor saw him talking on TV and decided to saddle him with the task of being the chairman of the IDP camp. I told the governor he could not have picked a better choice. I went on to tell him a project Ogbodo and I and a few others worked on, the Okugbe Microfinance Bank, an initiative of Olorogun Moses Taiga, the immediate past President General of Urhobo Progress Union. It was meant primarily to make access to finance easy for ewheya (Urhobo women) and ighele (Urhobo youths). Ogbodo was the co-ordinator; I was his assistant and Dr. Benson Uwheru was the secretary. The committee also had some other bright minds. Contrary to expectations of many people, the committee surpassed the initial N300m target and raised N409m.
Unfortunately, CBN did not give us the license. The subscribers held a meeting where the committee volunteered to refund people’s subscription. Majority of the subscribers objected and said the project must come to fruition no matter what and how long it took. But we also decided that those who wanted their money back should apply for a refund and that has gone on smoothly. After those who exited, the committee still has over N300m left.
I do not understand why some people do not like giving others their flowers. It does not diminish you, so what is your problem? Gov. Oborevwori gave the IDP committee an initial N10m to put the camp in place. By the time he saw what Ogbodo and his committee did with N10m, he was pleasantly surprised and openly confessed about the prudence of the committee. Ogbodo has since used his personal contacts to get individuals and groups to donate five cows, many bags of rice, beans, garri and other food items to the camp. Other members of the IDP committee have assisted Ogbodo to do a great job. I cannot mention all their names for lack of space, but I commend the camp commandant, Deacon Austine Ohwofaria. Those of us who did NYSC know the job of a camp commandant. Managing children and women is tough. Some of us with only one wife dey sweat; you can imagine a camp commandant managing hundreds of women and children.
I remember in my previous article, I admonished Ewu indigenes who are members of the committee to be very diligent and upright. So far, I have not received a report about them.
I want to reiterate what I said previously that the Delta State Government needs to demarcate the boundary between Okuama and Okoloba. The government also needs to invite Okuama and Okoloba people and drum the necessity of living together in peace into their heads. Okuama people bore the brunt of this crisis. No one knows the outcome of a future crisis if both communities do not learn to live in peace. It is okay for them to intermarry and enjoy inter-ethnic sex, but ordinary living together in peace is a problem. They should know that they are like male organs (Penis and scrotal sac). The same water washes both, notwithstanding the fact that they are Urhobos(okuama) or Ijaws (Okoloba). Do you know some of the children in the IDP camp are Okoloba children? Their Okuama mothers fled to the bush and later IDP camp with them. Tempers could have flared up in the camp over this but common sense prevailed because technically they are Okoloba people because we are a patrilineal society. That common sense should prevail when Okuama people return home.
Let me also appeal to outsiders bringing politics into the IDP Camp and sundry matters to leave politics out of it. If political consideration was involved, the governor would not associate with me on this project because it is an open secret that I worked for his APC opponent in the last election. Some of the Ewu contingent in the IDP committee are APC members. The governor told me from the beginning that he was not interested in party affiliations, but committed Ewu indigenes when nominations of the IDP camp members was on. It is a humanitarian assignment, not sharing of political largesse. Those troublesome Ewu people who tried to create confusion at the IDP camp a while ago should not allow that to reoccur. The governor made it clear from the beginning that his interest is the welfare of the Okuama people in the IDP camp.
