HIGH CHIEF GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO
(Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation)
No 1, Pere Road, Oporoza Town, Gbaramatu Kingdom,
Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria.
RE: DELTA EPZ AND MATTERS ARISING
MY TAKE IS ON JUSTICE, EQUITY AND JUSTICE
So much has been said about the $16 Billion Export Processing Zone (EPZ) which is
meant to galvanize Nigeria’s economic growth through adequate gas processing
and supply, using our dear Delta State as the hub. For one, I am happy as a Deltan
that this laudable project is being planned and nurtured in my time, especially
on the heels of our fight for the need by government to industrialize and enhance
our economic well-being in the oil-rich Niger Delta Region.
Nonetheless, I am not persuaded by the nebulous and loudly-echoed ‘economic
and industrial gains’ slogan being orchestrated by some forces hiding under the
EPZ Project to re-launch a back-door move for the acquisition of lands belonging
to the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area
of Delta State. In this regard, I stand on the side of my people as I have always
done, to ensure that the voice of reason was raised and heard by the powers that
be. As a peace-loving Kingdom, the people of Gbaramatu had used all civil and
legal means to ensure that justice was done by the federal government by not
going ahead with the planned ground-breaking ceremony in the face of clear
injustice, unfairness and inequity.
As a result, many insinuations and perverted comments have been made by
both interested and rented parties to the effect that ethnic colourations have
been brought to the fore by linking the justifiable postponement of the groundbreaking
to President Goodluck Jonathan’s ‘soft-spot’ for the Ijaws of Gbaramatu
Kingdom.
It should be noted however, that the struggle of the people Gbaramatu Kingdom
for both political and economic rights pre-dates the Jonathan Presidency. History
is replete with courses of events as far as the struggle of the oppressed people
of Gbaramatu Kingdom is concerned. It is no longer news to all that our Itsekiri
neighbours, using all advantages of being in government and power since the
time of former governor, Chief James Ibori(whose mother is Itsekiri) as well as
the incumbent governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan(also an Itsekiri) who both
as commissioner and later Secretary to State Government under Ibori, cannot
insulate himself from the calculated attempt by the government-backed Itsekiri’s
attempts to enslave Gbaramatu Kingdom.
It should therefore be placed on record that if the belief of the people of Gbaramatu
Kingdom in their just and fair struggle saw them through thick and thin since the
time of Ibori till date, the same spirit still lives on; and such does not need the
‘soft spot’ of a Nigerian President of Ijaw extraction to take the people to their
rightful place. It was (still) this belief in a just and fair struggle that in spite of
glaring attempts by both Ibori (then) and Uduaughan (now) to exterminate the
Gbaramatu Kingdom to the advantage of their kinsmen, I made conscious efforts
to respect the institution they represent. In essence, I refrained from abusing
their persons as some Itsekiri leaders have mindlessly done in the case of the
postponement of the ground-breaking ceremony by the President.
Perhaps, it is unfortunate to note that all those Itsekiri leaders, especially Pa J.O.
Ayomike who betrayed uncontrollable and misplaced sentiments by abusing the
person of the president and calling for his resignation would have achieved better
things and indeed, much development would have come to their impoverished
Itsekiri villages if such energy was deployed to ginger their son, who is now
governor, to bring development to their areas. The Ayomikes of this world should
rather be expressing worry and bury their heads in shame that the over 12 years
of their sons in government and power in Delta State are more of curses than
blessings to their people. The case of those vilifying President Jonathan is that
of bottled-up anger and transferred aggression ordinarily targeted at those who
looked the other way in the face of the sufferings of their people to a man who
tried to do justice by listening to all sides of an issue.
What Does Festus Keyamo Want?
This question has become imperative in view of the rented roles the Lagos-based
Lawyer has played in the last couple of weeks in the affairs of the state especially
as they relate to the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local
Government Area of Delta State. Before now, I had seen Keyamo as a young
promising lawyer whose passion to fight oppression was unquenchable. I see
him as a brother and friend because there is still time for him to stratify rented
and commercialized struggle from passionate human and civil rights crusade.
As a matter of fact, Keyamo’s continuous linkage with me to purported attempts
close crime is unacceptable to me. At best, Keyamo knows too well that those
whose flair for injustice I fight against, those who have been severally linked
to murders in Delta State who today are his latter-day friends, are not men of
conscience. As a human rights lawyer (as claimed by Keyamo), his efforts to
unearth the killers of Onokpite Ogbe were applauded by many, including me.
I was even tempted to disbelieve others when accusations of ‘unpalatable
practices’ trailed Keyamo’s sudden u-turn to abandon the Onokpite’s case. But
today, I have no reason to disbelieve such against the backdrop of Keyamo’s role
in the orchestrated EPZ Crisis. In the face of Keyamo’s sudden u-turn in character,
it is absurd to ask him if would have not have done what I did on behalf of my
people should he find himself in my shoes. I therefore find very curious Keyamo’s
attempt to demonize me especially when it is obvious that since I willingly
embraced the Federal Government Amnesty offer, I have selflessly, at high risks
too, contributed to the enhancement of peace and security in the entire Niger-
Delta Region. I will therefore urge Keyamo to be on the side of truth and justice
rather than being on the side of injustice because conscience is an open wound,
only the truth can heal it.
Conclusion
My appeal to all men of conscience is to ensure that justice and fairness are
made the cornerstone of human existence. Where these do not exist, it will be
difficult for society to make progress. The case of the plight of the people of
Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta is clear
and unambiguous. The precepts for injustice and ingredients of inequality are
daily being planted by those who find themselves in positions of authority and
influence, especially in Delta State.
It should therefore be known that those who deliberately drag the name of
President Jonathan into this blackmail game are doing this to perpetuate injustice.
This is the crux of the matter. But little do they know that the struggle has been
an age-long one, predating the president’s ascendancy to office and through the
will of God, my people have been forging ahead. In the same vein, the struggle
might also post-date President Jonathan unless the issues of injustice that have
continually set the Gbaramatu and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities against each are
permanently resolved. The Gabramatu people cannot be intimidated by any
resort to blackmail, using ethnic cards. Similarly, I will not succumb to any cheap
blackmail aimed at weakening my resolve to fight for my people because this is
a matter of conscience and posterity. I shall not waiver even in the face of threat
and intimidation of all sorts until justice is done.
Thanks and God bless
SIGNED:
HIGH CHIEF GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO
RE: DELTA EPZ AND MATTERS ARISING
MY TAKE IS ON JUSTICE, EQUITY AND FAIRNESS
