Ijaw Community Cries Out Against Ondo Government Ceding Their Ancestral Land To Irele People
The people of Ijaw in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have cried out against the ceding out their ancestral lands to Irele and Ilaje Local Government Areas, in the newly created Local Councils Development Areas.
The people of Ijaw in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, have cried out against the ceding out their ancestral lands to Irele and Ilaje Local Government Areas, in the newly created Local Councils Development Areas.
The Ijaw people, howeever issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Ondo state government to revert with immediate effect the ceding of their ancestral land to Irele and Ilaje Local Government Areas, in the newly created Local Councils Development Areas.
The traditional rulers, made up of Prof. Sunday Adejimola Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi land, and Pere Zaccheaus Doubra Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw, led the protesting Ijaw community.
The ultimatum was issued by the protesters led traditional rulers while staging a protest at the venue of the Public Hearing on the Bill for the Creation of LCDAs.
According to the protesters, the whole of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba were ceded to Ilaje, while part of Apoi 4 and 5 were ceded to Irele Local Government.
Also, the protesting Ijaws said they want more LCDAs to be created out of Ese-Odo Local Government instead of ceding their land to Ilaje.
Prof. Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi land, speaking at the, Public Hearing on the Bill for the Creation of LCDAs, vowed that they would defend any action leading to the ceding of their ancestral land.
"We are the only non-Yoruba speaking people in Ondo State. We are ready to defend our cultural and traditional identity. We are making our observations regarding the creation of LCDAs. The Ijaws have been marginalised a long time ago in Ondo State.
"We are special people in Ondo State because we have bitumen and abundant oil. We should be given special condition. We demand for more LCDAs in Ese-Odo. We will never concede one inch of our land to either Ilaje or Ikale. The Ondo State Government must withdraw that map." He said.
Pere Egbunu who was represented by Ondo Chairman, Ijaw National Congress, Bonsuwei Ominidouha, said they would fight against the ceding of their land.
"We are a peace loving people. We are calling on the Ondo State government to stop the nonsense. INC will fight the course to make sure that one inch of our land will not be ceded. The whole of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba are ceded to Ilaje. Part of Apoi 4 and 5 are ceded to Irele Local Government. We do not want to fight with anybody. It was failure of leadership that led to the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis and we do not want a repeat of that war." He added.
It would be recall that a total of 33 LCDAs were created out of the existing 18 local government areas of the State.
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