The people of the oil producing communities
of Kalabari Kingdom in Rivers State yesterday raised the alarm that the
Presidency, the National Boundary Commission (NBC), and the Revenue
Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) have concluded plans to
extend and attribute some oil fields in Rivers State to Bayelsa State.
They listed the said oil fields to include those in Robert Kiri, Ekulama and
San-Barth oil fields.
They have, however, vowed to resist any attempt to balkanise and excise their
communities with a view to annexing same to be part of Bayelsa State.
Towards this end, Traditional and Cultural Rulers, War Canoe Chiefs, Leaders
and Youths of the communities yesterday stormed Abuja to protest what they
called “Malicious and Unconstitutional Intent to Balkanise and Excise” their
communities, warning that any attempt to do that could result in war.
They specifically vowed to stop the oil flow in the area if the Presidency, NBC
and RMAFC go ahead with their plan to extend and attribute the oil producing
communities of Rivers State to Bayelsa.
The Kalabari communities account for about 300, 000 barrels of crude oil per
day.
Speaking on behalf of the Traditional and Cultural Rulers and leaders of the
oil producing communities yesterday in Abuja after submitting their petition to
the National Boundary Commission and the RMAFC, the Chairman of Akulga
Traditional Council in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, Engr
(Chief) Emmanuel A Awoyesuau-Jack said, “The plank of this petition is
essentially to protest against the malicious, myopic and selfish interest of
certain well placed officials to willfully balkanize and excise virtually all
the oil and gas bearing communities of Kalabari Kingdom which include, but not
limited to Kula, Soku, Elem-Sangama, Idama and Abissa and all their fishing
settlements”.
According to him, the said oil producing communities and fishing settlements
have, from time immemorial, been Kalabari Communities in Rivers State with
which they share common linguistic, cultural and ancestral shrines and also
consanguinity.
The Chairman of the Traditional Council, who disclosed that the matter has been
lingering since 2001, explained that the communities, have all along, been
towing the path of peace by going to court.
According to him, “Let us state, in the strongest terms, that our resolve to
remain one indivisible Kalabari people with our kit and kin in the old Degema
division in the present Rivers State is unshakable and inalienable.
“We therefore unequivocally demand that whatever Administrative maps that has
been issued that does not reflect the 10th Edition of the administrative map of
Nigeria, as it affects us, be withdrawn forthwith and status quo maintained as
our known historical boundary with Nembe Kingdom in Bayelsa State is the SANTA
BARBARA RIVER”, he declared.
Speaking in the same vein, former Minister of Aviation and leader of Kalabari,
Alabo Tonye Graham Douglas said, “We will do everything to ensure that there is
no violence, we will do everything to contain our people, we are disciplined
people, but we will not want to be overstretched to a point of the elasticity.
“And what we are advocating is equity, justice and fair play in the governance
of our great country, to preserve its unity and stability”, he said.
The Compass
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