Okuama, Okoloba Communities End Hostilities, Sign Peace Accord

UGHELLI – The Okuama community in Ughelli South Council Area and Okoloba Community in Bomadi Council Area both of Delta that has been in a protracted land dispute have signed a peace accord aimed to stopped hostilities and embrace a pathway for a final peace.

The peace accord was championed by the Bomadi Local Government Chairman Hon Dagidi Andaye and his counterpart in Ughelli South Council Area Hon Dr.Lucky Avweromre was held at the Governor office annex Warri marking a turning and defining moment for free flow of marine transportation and began of trade and commerce in Delta riverine communities..

The traditional ruler of Akugbene-Mein Kingdom HRM, Stanley Luke, Kalanama viii from Bomadi Council Area, the Ewu monach HRM, Clement O.Ikolo, the urukpe 1 of Ewu kingdom from Ughelli South Council and HRM Solomon Okukeren iii Ovie of Arhavwarien kingdom were the Royal fathers present at the meeting.

The security chiefs, the Divisional Police officer of Bomadi Council Area and that of Ughelli South Council Area, DSS we all there to witness the voluntary peace accord signing . Also, the Head of Personnel Manager and other top Council officers of both Councils in the State were there to observed the process.

The Bomadi Council Chairman Hon Dagidi Andaye addressing the warring communties to embraced the path of peace and allow government to come out with an everlasting solutions.

He noted that the two communties were supposed to be fighting their common enermy the sea pirates rather than fighting themselves.Andaye held that the meeting was not to go into the issues that led to the crises but for them to first embrace peace and allow normalcy to return the area, as the crises affects all communties along that axises of river Forcados.

Also, the Ughelli South Council Chairman, Dr. Lucky Avweromre disclosed that they the council Chairmen the Bomadi Council Chairman and himself was given a maching order by his Excellency Governor Sherrif Oborevwori for them to struck a peace deal between Okuama and Okoloba Communties that have being in crises over land dispute for over six months.

Avweromre emphasizing the utmost importance while both communties must live in peace sayings the people need themselves to co-exist together.”we the Urhobos depends on our Ijaw brothers and women for fish while we the Urhobos also sell garri and starch to them, we also inter marry “.

Dr. David Akpoboloukaemi who spoke on behalf of Okoloba Community noted that there was no option for peace . He held that the reason the members of Okoloba Community came to attend the meeting was to seal the peace deal being enuciated by the State government .

Pastor Edewor Egedegbe , Secretary-general of Ewu Kingdom who spoke on behalf of Okuama communty thanked the State government for given succur to the people who sufferred crime they never committed , that’s March 14th, 2024 killing of seventeen soildiers that led to the leveling the community to rubble.

Egedegbe used the opportunity to called on the Nigerian Army to play the game by the rules and seek legitimate means to prosecute the arrested 29 members of the community.

He further charges Governor Oborevwori to hurry up the rebuilding of the Okuama for the people who are internally displaced to leave their tents and go back to there ancestry homeland.

Egedegbe asserted that the Okuama communty are desirous of peace, that was the reasons they have been sent to sign the peace accord.

The high point of the gathering was the signing of the peace accord by four leaders of both communties and the exchanged of warm embrace by members of the communities, to end hostilities.

They thus agreed saying; we the undersigned representatives of Okoloba Community in Bomadi Council Area and Okuama communty in Ughelli South Council Area hereby afirmed immediate ceasefire, denounce violence, looting and destruction of property.

They also affirmed and swore to work toward reconciliation and forgiveness; to carryout joint patrol and allow and grant free access to farm land and fishing lakes; Allow free passage along the river Forcados ; both communties appeal to the Chairmen of the two counci area to lunch a thorough investigation into all the theft belonging to neighbours.

They also agree to resolve dispute through dialogue and peaceful means and they agreed to engage in communty outreach programme to promote peace and understanding.

The Council Chairmen said in order to ensure full implementation of the peace accord they set up a committee headed by both of them, the two councilors representing the Okoloba Community and Okuama community, the community chairmen of both communities and other leaders .