The rise in oil theft and pipeline vandalism in certain areas of the Niger Delta has been attributed to an alleged failure of the security company with interest from the Olu of Itsekiri, which was awarded a contract to secure oil installations.
Purported greed of the Olu and his associates was also fingered as a reason for an increase in the activities of oil installation vandalization.
This was the position of the Chief Superintending Officer of the Supreme Egbesu Order, Apostle Bodmas Prince Kemepadei, while reacting to a publication accredited to Edema Oritsetimeyin, who exonerated the Itsekiri monarch of owning Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited.
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Edema, who is the National Publicity Secretary of Itsekiri Consultative Congress, had described former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo as unfit to be awarded a pipeline security contract by the government, citing the antecedents of the warlord as a pointer.
Though, he listed Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited as one of the awardees of the recent pipeline security contracts, Edema said the Olu only has business interest in the company.
“While Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited is owned by Tompolo, with Keston Pondi as one of the Directors, Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited is owned by Mathew Tonlagha, a foot soldier and strong ally of Tompolo. Pipeline Infrastructure is not owned by His Imperial Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, but only has business interest in it,” Edema had said.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, Kemepadei said things would have been different if the Olu and his associates had towed the path of benevolence like Tompolo has done with his recent contract.
He further described Edema as an outcast of the Itsekiri nation, while condemning an alleged disrespect towards the monarch of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The statement titled “Edema Oritsetimeyin: so the “Boy-King” sent you a stray dog to bark”, read;
“As a firm believer of traditional institutions, a disciple of Agadagba, and servant to the divine throne of Aketekpe, stool of the mighty Ijo, let me vent my reactions to your misleading, demeaning and misconstrued boy-king sponsored reports trending on some national dailies, Edema Oritsetimeyin, you remain an outcast to Itsekiri people, a cursed stray dog who has wandered very far from home, exhibiting traits of frustration, who should be called to order for unscrupulous attempt to ignite an ethnic crises.
“First and foremost, inform your boy-king that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands, the reports contained in the national dailies are cheap, petty and tantamount to misinform first your kins, the itsekiri people, to save image and divert public attention.
“An African adage says, ‘if you see a child in the public dancing naked, it must either be that the drummer is nearby or he is raised by mad parents’.
“Till this moment, there is no public record of Tompolo issuing any statement linking the Olu of Itsekiri to any pipeline surveillance job, why then the baseless attempt to drag Tompolo’s name into an itsekiri palace quarrel.
“The mention of Tantita security services shows that you must have been briefed as regards the companies handling the surveillance job.
“Edema should also be tutored to furnish the public with the owners of Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited and it’s financial records, if it will not implode the Itsekiri Nation and expose selfishness emanating from what is supposed to be an exalted Traditional stool.
“Let me also remind you that the contentious issues arising from the surveillance job has been under the supervision of the Olu of Itsekiri and his late father in-law for the past seven years, instead of engaging stakeholders, his kinsmen, and host Communities like Tompolo has made his a welfare package for all, it was made a secret and personal which resulted to huge oil theft, pipeline vandalism, which led the FG to revisit the contract and allocated some fractions to others owing to lack of capability.
“I also read with disdain, the defamatory and derogatory remarks made against the person of the Pere of Gbaramatu, describing him as a juju priest.
“It clearly shows your ignorance on traditional history and institutions. This is why you think a purchased litigation would change the history of the Gbaramatu people as aborigines, who out of love accommodated your fleeing Ancestors (Ginuwa), who sought for refuge at Oporoza Toru now named Escravos Rivers for fear of his life and the Ijos gave you a home when your forefathers were bent on alienating Ginuwa’s existence.
“Anthropological evidences of the people also discredit any litigation you rely upon.
“However, it is obvious that the current settlement of the Olu of Itsekiri has no common history and symbiotic existence of their forefathers.
“Up till this point, the Olu is likened as an errand throne operating on a rented land, and has become a king in absentia, the original palace should be Ode-itsekiri and not Warri.
“It is a fact that there is no such thing as Olu of Warri but Olu of Itsekiri, with no traditional recognition compared to other Monarchs in the Niger Delta and Nigeria.
“The further reactions from Edema to distance the Itsekiri palace from the surveillance contract is adjudged to the saying that ‘nothing secretive lasts forever’ and he should be aware that a clear conscience fears no accusations.
“I therefore advise him to employ new strategies and encourage the Palace to be benevolent enough like Tompolo and use the benefits associated with his throne to touch lives of teeming Itsekiri people.
“Lastly, I advise that all companies handling this surveillance job emulate the kind gesture of Tompolo and extend their hands to youths, women and leaders of the Niger Delta region.
“More importantly, the Olu should inculcate members of his cabinet and his subjects, ensuring they are fully carried along as well.”
