Edo chief seeks Oba of Benin, govt intervention in communal clash
The Okao A Chief Priest, Okao of Obanakhoro in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, Aigbe Ighodaro has urged the Government of the state and Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin intervene in communal dispute between him and the Enogie of Orogho over land occupancy.
Okao made this urge in a statement signed by Ighodaro and made available to newsmen in Benin City, saying Enogie of Orogho should be called to order over illegal ocupation of Obanakhoro land due to the discovery oil.
While calling on government to step in to the matter to forestall violence, the Chief Priest stressed that Orogho-Owuo, Ugbigun, Ekigbe, Obagie and Iwevbo, as well as other camps such as Agosa, Anore, Ocheremu and Elizabeth Camp, were directly administered by Obanakhoro before, during and post years of the colonial masters and were known and addressed as Obanakhoro.
He explained further that the then Iyekeorhionmwon District Council in 1955, has lent credence to the fact, where Obanakhoro had four wards, Obanakhoro Ward A, B, C and D which covers the aforementioned villages, saying “Nevertheless, Iwevbo Community and Queen Elizabeth Camp are situate in Obanakhoro Plain.
This is evidenced in the public land Acquisition ordinance (185) of Government Notice No. 188 of 1951. The legal Notices are along River Ethiope.
“Therefore, the position of Obanakhoro cannot be subsumed or circumvented by the Orogho community, as Obanakhoro remains the feudal lord of the area. Orogho is an impostor community reaping where they sowed and hence became a meddlesome interloper because of the economic resources in the area.”
Ighodaro disclosed that Oba Erediauwa of the blessed memory “appointed the Enogie of Orogho to oversee Orogho -Owuo as well as appointed the Okao of Obanakhoro to oversee Obanakhoro and its environs.”
According to him, the areas where the multinational oil companies operate which Enogie of Orogho is trying to claim belong to the Obanakhoro Community.
“It is absurd, affront and unconstitutional for the Orogho-Owuo community who ceded from Obanakhoro Community in 1988 to lay claim of ownership to it.” He emphasised.
