Delta Muslim Community Visits Orodje of Okpe Kingdom. …Appealed to monarch to Help Them Get Own Cemetery
By Francis Sadhere
In the spirit of the Eid el-Fitr celebration, the Muslim community in Delta State yesterday paid the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Orhue I, a courtesy visit to show their allegiance to the monarch.
The Odje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Orhue 1, formally receiving the speech of the Chairman of the Muslim Cemetery Development Committee of Okpe/ Uvwie/Warri, Alhaji Daudu Abdul during the visit.
Speaking on behalf of the Muslims Alhaji AbdulAziz Amori said the reason why the Muslims brothers came to visits is to recognize the people of Okpe kingdom and the whole Urhobo nation.
While applauding the peaceful reign of the Okpe monarch, Alhaji Amori commended the monarch for accepting the Muslim community in his kingdom and for ensuring that all disputes between the Muslims and the people of the kingdom were peacefully resolved.
He condemned the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents, stressing that the sect members are not Muslims adding that Islam is a religion of peace that does not encourage the taking of live.
On his part, the Chairman of the Muslim Cemetery Developmemt Committee of Okpe/Uvwie/ Warri, Alhaji Daudu Abdu, while thanking the Okpe monarch for his kind reception of the Muslim community delegates, used the opportunity to appeal to the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom to intervene and help them make use of a land they have acquired to for the use of a cemetery in Okpe Kingdom.
According to Alhaji Abdu, the Muslim community in Delta have been having challenges burying their dead in the kingdom due to their inability to have a cemetery of their own.
He said they had been able to acquired a land at Okouvo community along Sapele/Effurun Express way within Okpe Kingdom and have paid all the necesary levies demanded by the council.
Alhaji Abdu however said they were taken aback when the same council that had given them approval later turned around and stop the work when it was 90 percent complete.
He said all attempts to resolve the issue with the council has not been successful, just as he used the opportunity to appealed to the monarch to intervene in the matter and solve the issue once and for all.
Alhaji Abdu wondered why Muslims in Delta State cannot have a cemetery of their own to bury their dead when their counterparts in Edo and other states in the south south region of the country have theirs.
Responding, the Orodje of Okpe thanked the Muslim community for recognizing his kingdom and paying him homage as the monarch of Okpe Kingdom.
The monarch said the people of Okpe kingdom are hospitable people who welcome different kinds of people to stay in their kingdom, adding that his kingdom will continue to coexist peacefully with the Muslim community
On the issue of the cemetery, the Okpe monarch assured the Muslims that he was going to speak with the council chairman and see how the matter will be resolved amicable.
The monarch however regretted that their powers have been limited by government, noting that issues like this in the past were resolved by the monarchs.
He blamed the colonial masters for limiting the powers of the royal fathers, adding that crime rate in the nation is where it is today because traditional rulers are stripped off their powers and therefore are no longer in control of their kingdoms.
He also used the opportunity to bring to the notice of the Muslim community the activities of Fulani cattle rearers who he said have continued to destroy lives and farm produce of the local people.
He called on the leader of the community to intervene in the matter and stop it from escalating into a full blown crisis.
“The issue of Fulani cattle rearers is bothering us. We grew up to see Fulani cattle rearers in our land and we have been living peacefully. Recently what is happening is unprecedented. They are cattle rearers and we are farmers. When you deliberately use your cattle to destroy my crops you do not want peace. Recemtly a woman was killed by Fulani and if not for God the matter would have resulted into a crisis between the Urhobos and the Isokos,” he said.
Responding on the activities of the Fulani cattle rearers, the Muslim community said they were doing everything within their powers to resolve the issue.
Explaining further, they however said the Fulani cattle rearers have recently being infiltrated by marauders whose identity they do not know, but assured that they will do their best to check them (Fulanis).
