Traditional rulers in Delta State have been urged to wade into the ongoing feud between the elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark and the immediate past governor of the state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
The leadership of the Delta State Ethnic Nationalities Youth Leaders’ Forum made the call on Friday during a visit to the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, HRM Maj.-Gen. Felix Mujakperuo (rtd), Orhue 1 and Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council at his Palace in Orerokpe, Okpe Local Government Area of the state.
The group, which is the governing council of youth groups of the various ethnic nationalities comprising Ika, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ndokwa, Oshimili and Urhobo, is led by Comrade Isaac Weyinmi Agbateyiniro, President of the Itsekiri National Youth Council.
Agbateyiniro told the monarch that the youth leaders visited his palace to congratulate him on his emergence as the Chairman of the Delta State Traditional Rulers’ Council and to call the attention of the Orodje of Okpe and indeed his entire Council members to the unpleasant news in the media over the interview granted recently by the Ijaw elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark.
The elder statesman in the interview had raised allegations bothering on misappropriation of funds due to the oil producing communities in Delta State and a purported petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the immediate past Okowa.
Agbateyiniro called on the Orodje of Okpe and other traditional rulers to intervene by appealing to His Royal Majesty, the Obi of Owa, to appeal to his people not do anything that could escalate the issue as being planned.
He said that the youths took it upon themselves to embark on the visit because of the ethnic dimension the issue was taking.
According to Agbateyiniro, it is being rumoured that the Ika Nation were putting in place a team not only to respond to Chief E.K. Clark’s but profile all the Ijaw leaders that have held offices in the state and nation.
“They intend to raise questions about their stewardship and to possibly raise petitions against them as they won’t sit back and watch their very pride, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, being harassed in the media and with anti-graft agencies.”
Agbateyiniro emphasized that there was the need to sustain the unity and ethnic cohesion within Delta State as development does not thrive in an atmosphere of rancour.
“Your Majesty, our visit, therefore, is to formally inform you about the threat and dangers the above may cause our state if not urgently addressed as it has the potential to undermine the unity, harmony, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence within the state,” Agbateyiniro noted.
The Orodje of Okpe, in his response, thanked the youth leaders for visiting his lalace and for approaching the issue with utmost maturity and civility.
He said that the royal fathers were equally troubled by the actions of the elder statesman and promised to immediately convene an emergency meeting of the traditional rulers’ council with a view to intervening in the issue.
He commended the youth leaders for the wisdom to reach out to them for intervention in order to save the state from another round inter ethnic hostility and distrust.
President of the Urhobo Youth Council, Godspower Enerho,
thanked the monarch for the audience, even as he assured of the group’s readiness to partner with the council whenever the need arises.
