Ugboro crisis: Warring factions embrace peace

Peace has finally returned to the war-torn Ode-Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
The peace was facilitated by Pa J.O.S. Ayomike, Olaja-Orori Benson Omadeli and Eghare-Aja, Pa Wellington Ojoghor, recently at a reconciliation meeting with the warring factions.
It will be recalled that the internal feud was between two factions of the Ugborodo Trust Fund led by Mr David Tonwe and Dr Ayo Ayomike, over who controls funds accruing to the community spanning over five years.
The community played host to the multi-billion naira Chevron Tank farm and the Gas City Project hosting the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) projects.
Pa  Ayomike, while mending fences, listed the disadvantages brought about by the feuding parties to include underdevelopment and loss of direction.
To ensure a lasting peace, the octogenarian at the meeting suspended the two community factional executives of the Ugborodo Trust Fund who had been at centre of the crisis.
He called for unity of  the factions in order to, in one voice, fight and demand their legitimate rights from the companies operating in their area.
He traced the origin of the Ugborodo crisis to too much money and the greed by oil multinationals which lured some community youths into signing a Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) which was rejected in 2001 by leaders and elders of the community.
He alleged that they often colluded with outsiders to abandon well-meaning project that could benefit their people.
Ayomike cited the Koko and Escravos Shore Protection project and the Ogidigben Grammar School project, alleging that in spite of the only 10 per cent job done, executors of the project had already drawn and squandered about 98 per cent of the projects fund.
Meanwhile, the Ugborodo community leader, Mr Isaac Botosan, has said that the reconciliation meeting was the greatest thing that has happened to the community in recent years.
He added that all the warring factions have sheathed their sword, while exiled indigenes of the community are begging to return home.
The Chairman of the EPZ Interface Committee, Mr Austin Oborogbeyi, charged elders and youths to sustain the new-found peace and unity.


SOURCE: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE