Swept Under The Carpet?
Several months after the Delta State government inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry to look into boundary dispute and communal clashes in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom and its’ neighbouring communities, no White Paper has been released
By Ovie Edomi
A section of the people in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom in Delta State are in unpleasant mood when the magazine’s Reporter visited the kingdom early this month. This is so because the white paper on the Commission of Inquiry to look into boundary dispute and communal clashes in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom and its’ neighbouring communities has not been released despite the fact that the seven-member commission, led by Hon. Justice Ejiro Emudainohwo, inaugurated in October last year, completed its hearings in November 2024 and has submitted its report to the state government.
It would be recalled that Ogwashi-Uku community was embroiled in internal crises bordering on kingship and land ownership tussles. This was after the present Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom appointed Okwabanis, were accused of selling community lands. Whereas, village sources say, it is not the duty of the traditional ruler in the person of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku to appoint Okwabanis how much more for the Okwabanis to go about selling community lands rather it is the Principal Chiefs of the quarters in the community also referred to as Idimies that appoints Okwabanis for the community. Hence the people revolted the move on the part of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku when he appointed Okwabanis. The result was the crises that followed leading to killings and destruction of properties in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom
Villagers say for some years now that there has been rift between some community leaders and the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, there is this prolonged fears in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
In what was described as a disregard to the Ogwashi-Uku cultural heritage and tradition, a Chief who does not want his name to be mentioned stated that the appointment of the Okwabanis by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku was the cause of the crises in the kingdom and its environs.
Another Chief from one of the affected communities told this Reporter that in the nine affected communities namely, Ibusa, Otulu, Ubulu-Okiti, Okpanam, Olodu, Ewulu, Azagba-Ogwhashi, Aboh Ogwashi and Olloh-Ogwhashi communities, it is a tradition of over 100 years that is at stake and if allowed to stand, the traditional ruler will now have power to appoint Chiefs ( Okwabanis) that will sell community lands whereas by the tradition of Ogwashi-Uku people, all lands belong to the community. According to the Chief: ” There was a central Committee established in the mid 1970s but later went moribound in the mid 1980s. When the Committee was functional, there were nine Idimies that were appointed by the nine communities with the traditional ruler as equally a member of the Committee. Meaning that before a decision to sell land in any of the communities is taken, the Idimie of that community must be in the know”.However under the present Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, he appointed Okwabanis ( Chiefs) who according to community sources who know Ogwashi-Uku tradition, are people vested with the power to take care of land.
The contention is that it is the Okwabanis appointed by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku that are now selling the lands on behalf of the traditional ruler, a development which those who spoke to the magazine’s Reporter say never happened under any past traditional ruler of Ogwashi-Uku except the reigning king.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Ogwashi-Uku Obiship or kingship title is in contention at the court and the opponent of the present King, his elder brother, a Lawyer is confident that when he wins, the Ogwashi-Uku kingdom will return to the tradition of the fore fathers.
For now, all eyes are on Governor Oborevwori who stated that the committee’s findings would provide the state government with valuable insights into the origins of the prolonged crisis.
Besides Governor Oborevworis emphasized that these insights would help develop a roadmap for achieving sustainable peace and security, not only in Ogwashi-Uku and its surroundings but also throughout the entire state
Now that the report has been submitted, watchers say Governor Sheriff Oborevwori should promptly review and release a white paper on the findings otherwise the feeling in some quarters would be that the report has been swept under the carpet. Time will tell.