The recent information in the public domain that the Delta State Security Council at its recent meeting deliberated extensively on several security reports bordering on kingship and land ownership tussles within Ogwashi-Uku Kingdom and its neighbouring Communities, which had led to series of attacks and counter – attacks resulting in the loss of lives and properties thereby necessiting the need to constitute a Commission of Inquiry to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the crises and proffer appropriate recommendations for achieving lasting peace is a welcome deverlopment.
We are however worried that the report of the Commission of Inquiry may either not see the light of the day or swept under the carpet. This is so because the Ogwashi-Uku land disputes have lingered on for too long and it appears the hand of Esau is behind the reasons for why nothing is being done to those believed to have sold community land and when confronted they went on rampage causing innocent villagers injuries and in some cases killing of innocent people.
It is good that the Commission of inquiry will endeavour to unravel some of the remote causes of the crises and killings but more importantly, the appointment of the now suspended Okwabanis by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom is to us the bane of the problem.
First, the historical tradition of the Ogwashi-Uku people for about 1000 years now bestowed the ownership of the Ogwashi-Uku land on the community. It was civilization that led to the establishment of a Central Land Committee in the mid 70s. The Central Land Committee was then chaired by one of the nine Idimies who was elected from among the nine Idimies with the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku as a member of the Central Land Committee.
The Obi was made a member of the Central Land Committee because he( Obi) is a trustee of the people’s land.
It is not known in any record that the last Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom or other Kings of Ogwashi-Uku sold any land belonging to the communities because in truth the Obi is not the owner of the land.
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The present Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom however appointed Okwabanis who is were alleged to be busy selling community land. Whereas according to Ogwashi-Uku tradition, it is not the duty of Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom to appoint Okwabanis in the first place but the responsibilities of the principal chiefs of the quarters in the community also called Idimies (and they are nine Idimies in Ogwashi-Uku) that can by tradition of the Ogwashi-Uku people appoint Okwabanis.
Clearly, the appointment of the Okwabanis by the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom is a major cause of the crises that has led to killings. The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom took his role too far and it is not a surprise that the Delta State Government has suspended them.
Now that a Commission of inquiry has been set up, the Commission of inquiry if it must convince Deltans and the world that are watching that they are out to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause(s) of the disputes and killings should therefore binterfaced with contending parties and other stakeholders and brecommend the Okwabanis that have sold community land and alleged to have killed people for persecution. Second all the Communities whose land were sold without their consent should be compensated by those who sold the land or face persecution in line with the Delta State land grabbing law.
Similarly, the practice of the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom selling land using the Okwabanis should be recommended for scrapping not when the good people of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom are not known for such tradition.
In Ogwashi-Uku kingdom, Okwabanis are people brought to take care of the land, they are not the owner of the land and this must be distinctly made clear from henceforth to prevent more crises and calamities in Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.
Anything short of this will make mockery of the Commission of Inquiry that will be sworn-in on Monday, 7th October, 2024, with Hon. Justice E.N. Emudainowho as Chairman including Barr. Moses Namo Assistant Director Department of State Services Delta State amongst others.
