Groups call on Gov. Okowa to urgently resettle Diebiri Kingdom 24 years after destruction
Ijaw groups in Delta State have called on the Delta State Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Dr. Ifeanyi A. Okowa to urgently prioritize the resetlement of Diebiri Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area, sacked 24 years ago.
This was contained in a joint press statement issued to newsmen in Warri, signed by Comr. Esegha W. Morris, Chief Coordinator, Fix Diebiri Movement; Rt Hon. B. Collins Igetei, Deputy Speaker, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)-Mobile Parliament; Comr Goodwin Yokiri, President, Diebiri Youth Council (DYC) and Comr Edoukumo Victor, Chairman, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC)-Diebiri Clan, a copy of which was sent to The Liberator Newspaper.
According to the statement, Diebiri community, the ancestral headquaters of the Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State was sacked on March 12th 1995 by the people of Aladja, an Urhobo settlement in Udu Local Government Area over what the people of Diebiri had alleged to be a transfer of aggression.
The statement had explained that Diebiri had always being a peaceful community until their Urhobo neighbours of Aladja had to vent their anger on them for having crisis with the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State which resulted to sacking of the community with heavy loss that the people are yet to overcome years after.
The groups had in a strong worded statement called on the Delta State Government headed by Okowa to see the issue of ressetling Diebiri back to their ancestral headquaters during his second tenure as a top most priority that must be achieved under his reign as a SMART Governor of the Delta.
The groups have maintained that series of efforts had been made by the Diebiri people over the years, drawing the attention of successive state governments in Delta State but all to no avail, stressing that Okowa must get this right under the present regime.
However, the groups had vowed that if the Delta State Government under Okowa fails to address this issue of ressetlement of the Diebiri people, they would nolonger keep mute as no one has the monopoly of violence, adding that they have the capacity to retaliate where peaceful approach fails.
In their words: “Enough is enough, 24 years living outside our ancestral headquaters is not a joking matter, we have endured more than enough, we have been pushed to the wall, we can’t take it anymore.”
They had particularly wondered on how the Delta State Government would only be concerned about the Ogbe-Ijoh, Aladja and sometimes Isaba crisis without saying anything to ressetle Diebiri that has been sacked many years ago from this same crisis, despite several measures put in place to draw the attention of the Delta State Government and other stakeholders to their plight.
The call for political inclusion of Diebiri people in Delta State
Meanwhile, the groups had also challenged the Delta State Governor to put an end to what they described as the political slavery meted out on the Diebiri people, despite the political and economic contributions towards the growth and development of Nigeria and Delta State.
The statement had noted that Diebiri as a Kingdom is an autonomous Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State that is hosting not less than 42 Oil Wells, a Flowstation and several companies operating in the Kingdom without any comensurable benefit to the people.
They had declared that Diebiri Kingdom and her people must not be relegated to the lowest background politically and should be allowed to get political appointments in the state as a natural reward for their contributions in the state.
The statement had regretted that Diebiri Kingdom, despite its economic viability, is lacking all social amenities ranging from portable drinkable water, school, hospital and all that could make life meaningful.
Pukon calls for calmness
On his part, the deputy leader, Warri South West Legislative Arm, Rt. Hon. Frank Pukon has called for calmess among his Diebiri brothers, stressing that peaceful approach will be used in resolving the lingering matter.
The lawmaker made his position known to our reporter in an interview recently in Warri, while addressing the state of affairs in Diebiri Kingdom.
Hon. Pukon is the councilor representing the people of Diebiri in the Warri South West Legislative Arm, Delta State.
He had however called on the Delta State Government to urgently look into the issues raised as it bothers on the economic, political, social and cultural survival of his people.
About The Author
