A cold war has ensued among the people of the oil producing communities in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as two major sub-ethnic groups are poised for a showdown over appointments into agencies managing oil revenue in the communities.
It emerged Monday that youths numbering about 500 from Mahin/Aheri/Etikan axis of the local government area, had stormed the state governor's office in Akure to oppose their rivals from Ugboland, who rejected the planned merger of the oil associations in the council area.
Armed with placards with various inscriptions, the protesters said it was time the state government stopped the domination of other communities by the people of Ugboland in the administration of oil matters in the state.
A statement presented to the governor by the protesters, which was signed by seven leaders from the area, including Chief Olu Malumi, Chief Ebenezer Ogungbure, Chief Zeblon Orisamugbeh among others, noted that the protest by the Ugboland people was uncalled for and not in the interest of the majority of Ilaje people.
They argued that it was wrong for Ugbo community to dominate appointments in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and lately, the Local Content Board (LCB), a development they vowed to resist.
According to the statement, "while Ugbo has unjustifiably dominated most appointments from Ilaje with nothing to show in terms of development of Ilaje land, some of them will stop at nothing in their efforts to pull down the few non-Ugbo but more patriotic and intellectually superior Ilaje personalities in government as demonstrated."
The people, however, resolved to support any arrangement by the state government that would ensure equity and peaceful engagement of all Ilaje coastal communities.
Source: Thisday
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