ENCROACHMENT ON EDOLAND BY NEIGHBORING STATES By Alhaji Mohammed Osaruyi Ighile What is encroachment? It means going beyond what naturally belongs to others. Edoland is richly blessed by nature with abundant Black Gold which is popularly known as timber in our Forest Reserve in nearly all parts of the State, mineral deposits, petroleum and highly fertile farm land for cultivation. It is indeed regrettable that communities in the neighboring States have illegally infringed on the rights of the Edos by encroaching on our God given land unchallenged, and with the affected communities watching helplessly. This bastardized act has in no small measure robbed our children of the benefits they would have derived from the natural wealth it has pleased God to bestow on us in the areas being encroached upon by the invaders. Added to this, encroachment on our land has adversely affected our ecosystem as the rationale for such encroachment is for total exploitation aimed at amassing wealth at the expense of the Edos. It may sound astonishing to a patriotic Edo man that effort by some of our communities to resist such menace of encroachment by the indigenes of our neighboring states has resulted in the killing of some of our people and properties worth several billion Naira destroyed without meaningful intervention by those in authority. A case in point is the killing of our brothers and sisters in Oben community of Orhionmwon local Government area few years past when the Oben community questioned the right of the Oghara people in Delta state to farm on Oben farm land without permission to do so, our people were attacked, killed, maimed, their houses burnt and they were driven away from their home land. The people of Idale in the same Local Government Were maimed, raped, killed and their properties destroyed and burnt down by their invading neighbors. At the end, nothing happened to Ogharas and the other so called neighbors as none of them were brought to face justice. However, the Omo N�Oba N�Edo, the Oba of Benin did intervene in his own way. Thanks to his majesty. In the same Oben community, the Oghara community in Delta State also laid claim to the portion of our land where petroleum was discovered. As at now, pipes are connected to the oil wells in Oben through which crude oil products are drained to Delta state. The economic advantage of this is credited to Delta State. By it known that some Odionweres, enigies and community elders, for their selfish reasons, are at the fore front in the sponsorship of the interlopers and encouraging them to infringe the rights and privileges given by God to the Edos by encroaching on our land. These unpatriotic Edo indigenes demand huge some of money from those who encroached on our land annual homage either in cash or kind are paid to the so call Odionweres, Enigies and elders. It is indeed very sad that in view of the fact that the past administrations and the present administration of Edo state were aware of this inhumanity to man to which the Edo people are subjected, they watched helplessly and allowed the interlopers to cart away the wealth on our land. What a shame on those who ruled Edo State before now. It is worthy of note that the past Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture and natural Resources, Edo State, Barrister Agbonwanegbe as courageous enough to hold the bull by the horns when for the first time in the history of the Edo State, he invited the indigene of Ondo and Kogi States who have converted our forest reserve to Cocoa plantations after they had illegally exploited the logs there-in, and warned them to put a halt to their wanton exploitations and destruction of our land, or in the alternative to pay rents to the Edo state Government. The honorable Commissioner further warned the unpatriotic Edos who encouraged the non-indigene of our State who encroached on our land to stop forth with or be made to take necessary sanction. The action of the Honorable Commissioner is commendable and a welcome phenomena and the first of its kind. Parts of Edo State where encroachment has assumed wide dimension are: S/N AREA OF VISIBLE ENCROACHMENT NEIGHBORING STATES ENCROACHING ON EDO LAND PURPOSE FOR ENCROACHMENT 1 Oben: Orhionmwon Local Government Area Delta State and Oil Companies prospecting for Crude oil Farm land taken over by the Deltans and oil pipes laid to drain oil to Delta State from Oben in Edo State 2 Iguemokhua � Orhionmwon Local Government Area Oghara people in Delta State Illegal exploration of logs in Edo forest reserve and farming in Edo Land 3 Urhonigbe- Orhionmwon Local Government Area People of Umutu and Urhobo in Delta Illegal farming on Edo land and exploitation of logs from forest reserve 4 Sakponba � Orhionmwon Local Government Area Deltans Illegal exploitation of logs in Sakponba forest reserve 5 Evbonogbon-Ovia South West Local Government Area Ondo state Illegal exploitation of logs from forest reserve 6 Safarogbo, Ubayaki, Okomu-Ijaw, Modoti, Agbonokhua (Ikale camp), Gbelebu, Jide inland, Jide upland, Kehinde, Madagbayo, Ofineyege, Okadeye, sule camp, Gbelekanga, Gbolowosho, all in Ovia South Local Government Indigene of Ondo, Delta and Kogi States Illegal farming and establishment of plantations in the reserve, illegal exploitation of logs. 7 Gele-Gele, Nikorogha, Iboro, Ikoro, Malagidi, ajakurama, etc. Ovia North East local Government Area Ijaws Illegal claim of ownership of the land (Note that the Ijaws came to these places in search of sea foods and local navigation on our waters for economic reasons) Attempts on them to install traditional rulers on the land has been forestalled 8 Oja-Akoko Edo Local Government Area Kogi Illegal farming on Edo land 9 Ilushi-Esan South �East Local Government Area Kogi Illegal farming on Edo land 10 Ukpilla-Etsako East Local Government area Kogi Illegal exploitation of limestone and granites The above list is inexhaustible The question now being asked is that, if this ugly situation is allowed to persist, what will be the fate of our children. The land our forefathers fought for, jealously protected and handed over to us is now being giving out for the price of a pot of porridge by the socalled political leaders, Enigies, Odionweres, Community leaders, who are motivated by greed. This is sad and except they retreat their steps, posterity will not forgive them.
Posted on: Mon, 04 Aug 2014 12:12:18 +0000
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