A Niger Delta Activist and the Executive Secretary of Tompolo Foundation, Comrade Paul Bebenimibo speaks to Frank Efe and Christopher Odamah on the four years old invasion of Gbaramatu Kingdom by Men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF). He says that all had never been the same again with his people after the unprovoked attack.

Read on!

Please My I know you?

I am Comrade Paul Bebenimibo, activist in the Niger Delta.

On May 13^th precisely, the invasion of Gbaramatu kingdom will be four years, what is the inside story of the situation?

Well, the Joint Military Task Force invasion of Gbaramatu kingdom in May 13^th, 2009 could be described as an orchestrated move by the Federal Government. Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South Local Government of Delta State was regarded as the center of agitation for a better deal for the people of Niger Delta, and to that effect a lot of activities were going on in that kingdom and federal government eyes were in that kingdom before May 2009. So it was not a new thing to some of us that witnessed the invasion, but it was carried out in bad faith because it did not solve any problem despite the declaration of amnesty by the presidency which was seen as a vehicle that will take us to the destination. The destination is a better living for the people of Niger Delta that we have been agitating for. The issue of political, economic, social space still remains a mirage for the people of the Niger Delta. After the invasion, there were promises that were made by the government to ameliorate the suffering of the people because some communities were totally destroyed and up till now such communities have not been rebuilt, like the Okerenkoko community. Up till now, the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom are still licking their wounds, four years after the invasion by JTF.S. A lot of things are still left undone as promised by the government and it is a very pathetic thing and we are still living in a sorrowful state.

When you said that all eyes were in the community before the invasion, tell us the inside story as an insider.

You know that High Chief Government Ekpemokpolo (alias Tompolo) has been on the forefront for the struggle for a better living for his people and just because he has been in the forefront, each time there is skirmishes in the Niger Delta region all eyes are on him because they think that he must have a hand in that thing. They are always pointing accusing fingers at him. Even the issue of illegal bunkering and stealing of crude oil, the Federal Government always point at him as the one encouraging them. The last time he addressed the press, he cleared those issues that he has no hand in illegal bunkering and crude oil theft. After the emergence of late President Yar Adua in 2007; at this time the Niger Delta crisis was thick and there was a peace movement , the current president who was the Vice President then was sent by his boss to come to the creeks to talk to his agitators. He came to Gbaramatu and that place became a gathering of agitators. After that time all eyes were on Gbaramatu kingdom because it has provided a kind of leadership for the struggle. This is what I mean when I said that we foresaw that this thing will happen. There were a lot of threats when we gathered to discuss on the way forward, which the military misconstrued as a gathering to fight the authority which was not true. The rumour of the attack was actually echoed before the main attack of May 13^th 2009.

Did you see trouble coming and were you prepared for it?

Yes, we saw trouble coming and we were prepared for it and that was why when the patrol boat of the JTF came close to the camp; they were resisted because the mission was an illegal one. The authority did not ask them to go and shoot at them that time because we were on a peace deal with the Federal Government at that time. We were constantly meeting with the Federal Government and we had a committee that was constituted right there in Oporoza town in Gbaramatu kingdom. That team was made up of ten persons cutting across Niger Delta and they were meeting with the presidency constantly before that incident. In the course of resisting them there was trouble because we did not know that it will get to such extent, but that was how it all happened. We foresaw trouble coming before that very day.

How have the people been coping with the situation four years down the road?

It is terrible because as I am talking to you now the Okerenkoko community was totally leveled, the same treatment was given to other communities in the kingdom, Okerenkoko is the biggest community in that kingdom and right now there are no more buildings there to house the people. Delta State Government made a promise that they will help re-build the communities, especially Kurutie and Oporoza. But because the impact on Okerenkoko was massive, Governor Uduaghan promised to rebuild it and he actually awarded the contract to a particular company to do it. As I am talking to you, the company went to the community and did some ground preparation but could not build a single house there. They succeeded in laying some foundations but they could not build any of them. I do not know what happened but we have encountered the government through the pages of newspapers and television houses. We said that the government that promised to rebuild these communities should come and rebuild them because people are suffering. Some people are living in make-shift buildings and when the winds come they cannot resist it. They have no healthcare centers because the only one that was there was affected by the invasion. People are suffering everyday because government has not fulfilled it promises to the people. We have appealed severally and even the community leaders have written several letters to them and they have fallen on deaf ears. Recently I learnt the communities have given the government an ultimatum to come and rebuild the communities, failure of which they will carry out a protest to draw their attention. We are tired of appealing too.

What is the Gbaramatu Kingdom doing to get justice from the Federal Government over the invasion?

After the invasion of the kingdom, the community instituted a legal action against the government and that case is still on. That is the more reason why we say let us wait for the outcome of the judgment since the government is not doing anything about it. Like Odi, which was destroyed in 1999 by the government have gotten a judgment that they should be compensated with millions of naira. Perhaps that will be the faith of the people of Gbaramatu kingdom and we believe that at the end of the day justice will be done to that issue.

How have the displaced persons being settling down to their normal life?

It has been terrible because if you go to the community, the physical trauma of the people you will see when you get there will tell you the whole story. The people have adapted to the situation they found themselves in 2009. Life is hell for them now because their lifestyle was better than what they are living now before the destruction. The people are really suffering and that was why we initiated some medical assistant to the people. People die every day in that place just because of the condition they have found themselves.

If you do get justice do you think the people will remain the same thing again?

I believe that in life situations improve and if that community is eventually rebuild the people will start living a normal life again.

Tompolo has always been the centre of attraction and now that he is an ex-militant and he has created an NGO called Tompolo Foundation to cater for his people, as the Secretary of that foundation, what actually informed this humanitarian gesture?

Let me quickly recall how the violent association came in to Niger Delta, you see High Chief Government Ekpemupolo is not a violent person. If you meet with him you will be convinced that he is not a violent person. The people of the Niger Delta gathered and said enough is enough and let the Federal Government and the oil multinationals give the Niger Delta people their due because the area is a difficult terrain. If one could make reference to the Willinks Commission in 1959, the commission came with their report and said that particular attention should be given to difficult terrains. Since then we have been agitating for a better living. At times when you go to the operational base of these multinational oil companies, and you compare them to the communities, you will be amazed and ask yourself how people could be allowed to live like that. Inside these bases there is life while outside there is no life. There was a time that the people of Gbaramatu kingdom occupied the Chevron platform at Abiteye, the women and children were shot at by the military. The people of the Niger Delta since then noticed that even to organize a peaceful protest the military still shoot at the people. In the case of Kayama declaration in 1998 several youths were killed and it was a peaceful assembly, but he military went ahead to kill these youths there. That was the beginning of the acquisition of arms by the Niger Delta that if they are going to shoot at us, we are going to shoot at them too. All of us knew where it took us to before the federal government came and say let us sit down and talk. That was how the issue of amnesty came up. So what I am trying to say is that High Chief Government Ekpemukpolo has always wanted a better living for his people and Nigeria as whole. He does not want one person to be cheated. Whoever is qualified to get something in the country should get it and that is his stand. He believes in justice and fare play. He has always been doing well as a young man and he has been helping his people. Now he just wants it to be an organized foundation for him to continue to help his people. And that is the essence of the foundation. Whatever he has he put a little to the foundation and he appeals to some of his friends to assist him with funds to continue to help his people.

It was celebration galore on April 13^th 2013 in Okerenkoko community where the Tompolo Foundation re-commissioned the once abandoned Okerenkoko Cottage Hospital. Why that hospital?

That hospital was actually built by the Niger Delta Development Commission and was commissioned in 2008. DESOPADEC took over the administration of the hospital and they employed people, bought drugs and the rest until the invasion in 2009. The invasion affected the hospital before the tenure of the former Chairman; Chief Okirika came to an end. He is a man from Gbaramatu kingdom and maybe because of his presence, there were some skeletal work going in the hospital. But as soon as his tenure came to an end that was the end of activities in the hospital. Those of you who were there saw the pictures. That place was over-run by weeds and nobody could asses that place. People were dying in that community and other neighboring communities. Before that office was abandoned people were referred to the hospital form other hospitals. It was terrible that people were dying every day and they could not transport their children to Warri. That moved the Tompolo Foundation to come and renovate the hospitals, bought drugs and employed the services of over 41 personnel and after ten days in operation you can see the joy of the people because the hospital has saved so many lives for this past ten days.

Which area is the Tompolo Foundation focused on?

The Tompolo Foundation has two projects for now. We have the education project which seeks to take care of all learning materials to schools, which we have started. Another focus is health. These two aspects are keys to human development. Most of these our projects are geared towards the rural areas because those are areas where people cannot access education and health facilities. We know that the government cannot touch everywhere, but let us at least see some level of government presence in these villages. But, take Okerenkoko for instance; there is no Delta State Government presence there. Because when the former Governor, Chief James Ibori was there, he awarded some projects which actually started but were later abandoned.

Gbaramatu kingdom was invaded and nothing was done, what is the crime of Gbaramatu kingdom?

We the people of Gbaramatu kingdom have asked the Governor overtime, what is the crime of Gbaramatu kingdom? The people of Gbaramatu kingdom voted for him massively and the reason why we voted for the governor is because he is from the riverine area like us. We share the same terrain, and we feel that he will understand the plight of the people here. But I am very sorry to say this, the Governor does not seem to understand the plight of the people of the riverine areas. This is a person that grew up in the rural place like most of us and expectedly he is the one that is supposed to know the plight of the people and provide the basic social amenities to them. He is a medical doctor quite alright, but it is a shame that the people in the creeks are suffering health wise. We have asked him over time what is the crime of the people of Gbaramatu people and there is no answer. We have committed our case to God.

What has the foundation done for the realization of its dream?

The Tompolo Foundation was launched about five months ago and it has done a lot. They have distributed learning and instructional materials to a lot of schools, specifically in Warri South West. We actually started from Gbaramatu kingdom and we have distributed learning materials to about 15 primary schools and two secondary schools. We did not stop there, we went to Warri South West council were we distributed instructional materials to the Chief Inspector of Education office and asked them to deliver them to the secondary schools in the local government areas. We also went to the office of local government education authority and distributed learning materials in all the local government areas which comprise Ijaws and Itsekiris. We also went to Ogulagha kingdom which is the fulcrum of Nigeria economy because it is from the Forcados terminal that crude oil is been taken from. It is a very significant place. Shell that was operating in the place before build a cottage hospital and hand it over the government, but the government is not providing enough for this hospital. It was only one doctor that we met in that hospital. There were no drugs. We went there to find out their problems and they gave us unending lists and we in our own little way bought drugs and some other equipment and donated to them. We also promised that we are going to play an advocacy role and make sure that the government does it duty in the hospital and of course, the renovation and Okerenkoko hospital. Within these five months we have achieved much and I believe with God on our side we will be able to realize our objectives and aims of the Foundation. The desire of the founder will be achieved.

Some people are saying that Tompolo has stolen so much from the society and that what he is giving out is a little from what he has stolen, how do you react to that?

That is a malicious allegation. Like I said earlier on, those that know Tompolo will attest to the fact that he is not a greedy person. He was living a good life as a contractor to SPDC. SPDC has on oil platform in his family land. So he has been doing some contracts with SPDC before he found out that he alone cannot cater for the people and that was why he went to agitate for a better living for his people. He still remains the same. He does not buy exotic cars; he does not have any house in Abuja or Lagos. The one he has being building in Warri has not even been completed. Tompolo has helped a lot of people with the little he had. Tompolo has paid house rents for a lot of people. There are a lot of things that he has done that I cannot mention.

How does he make his money?

He is a very industrious young man. The Tompolo you are hearing today is a company name and he was the Managing Director of the company – Tompolo Nigeria Ltd and that is how people knew him with that name. He is one person that has been doing his own thing and has been earning a decent living. Whatever thing that is giving to him that is what he used to give out. Some people think that Tompolo has so much money and we pray that God should give him that kind of money to continue to help mankind. That is why we do not confront people when they say such things. But in the affirmative we pray that it should come to pass and that is our prayer. I pray that Tompolo get more money because I believe that the more he gets the more he will continue to give to society.

Is Tompolo a rich man?

Riches are not only in monetary value, but Tompolo is rich in knowledge and wisdom and he has used that to help mankind.

Now, Tompolo that used to live in the creek is now seen with security men, living in exotic hotels, is Tompolo derailing?

It is not a long story how Tompolo got his security personnel. After he met the late President Yar’Adua and advised him to do certain things for peace to continue to reign in the Niger Delta, the late president identified him as a patriot, and said to him that you did not come to me and say you needed anything for yourself but things that I should do for Nigeria. The late president fell in love with him. There and then he made the request that many people do not like him because he is forthright in fighting for the people, now that he has come out of the creeks he should provide him security to enable him to contribute his own quota to the development of this country. That was when the late President asked the Inspector General to provide him with personnel and Tompolo is not flamboyant about it. Sometimes he even complained about it. He is a very free person.

What is your final word?

I want to advice the Government of Delta State led by Dr, Emmanuel Uduaghan that he should not forget his people. The people of Gbaramatu kingdom are his people. Today he is a Governor; tomorrow it may be another person’s turn. Let him try as much as possible to fulfill the promises that he has made to his people. It is very important because we share the same difficult terrain and for someone that is coming from that terrain should not concentrate on how to under-develop the people. That is my advice to Governor Uduaghan.