The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111, has urged the Itsekiri people to sustain the ongoing peaceful protest against the alleged shoddy implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
The royal father spoke on Wednesday through the palace chiefs led by the Ologbotsere of Warri kingdom, Chief Oma Eyewuoma, on a solidarity visit to the aggrieved protesters.
The protesters had since on Monday converged at the entrance of the Warri Zonal Office of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) to press home their demands.
They had picket the Warri zonal office of the regulatory body over the alleged move by the Commission to undermine the position of the Olu of Warri on the PIA.
Recall that the king had compiled a list of Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) in Iwereland which some indigenes had kicked against, noting that it was not specified in the PIA.
The protesters armed themselves with placards bearing inscriptions like: “Allow IOC to do their jobs”, ” The Olu of Warri’s decision is final”, ” No more divide and rule”, “NUPRC must do the right thing” and among others.
They defiled the torrential downpour that lasted for several hours on Monday and Tuesday catching fun and dancing to their traditional music supplied by a hired Disc Jockey.
Of course, a caterer was also hired to prepare food for the teeming protesters, an indication that they were not ready to shift ground until the needful was done.
Addressing the people, the Ologbotsere said that they would resist attempt by few group of individuals to continue to covert their common patrimony to their personal benefits.
He said that the same group of individuals were trying to upturn the PIA board constituted by the Itsekiri people at the instance of the royal father.
“We are demanding what is ours. We do not want anybody’s own. What is ours should be giving to all of us as Itsekiris.
“The step that the Olu of Warri has taken to ensure that every person benefits from the largess that God Almighty has put in our land. A few group of people are trying to scuttle it, that is what we are against and that is why we are here.
“We are here because lies have being told to the NUPRC and they are likely to take decision based on the lies they have been told.
“So, we the Itsekiri people are saying enough is enough. We want everybody to hear us, see us, listen and sympathise with us,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief Eugene Ikomi
said that the Itsekiri people had suffered enough, noting that the leadership of the Atuwatse 111 had brought a new direction into the Itsekiri nation.
Ikomi said that the Itsekiri nation belonged to all of them and not few individuals.
“Our people have suffered more than enough, now we have a new government that has brought direction to the Itsekiri nation.
“I want to let everyone know that the time Itsekiri belong to a small of people is over. We are gathering here to take back our communities and by the grace of God, we will take it,” Ikomi said.
On his part, Chief Francis Omatsone urged the people to remain united in order to move the Itsekiri nation forward.
“In oneness, unity and solidarity, we will move Itsekiri forward through a peaceful protest not by fighting,” he said.
