Itsekiri RDC crisis worsens as Ureju community rejects Orugboh

The brewing crisis in Chevron established Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC which saw the controversial inauguration of a 5-man new executive Tuesday March 1 by a former Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area and current member of Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Michael Diden, without any representation from Chevron and the Olu of Warri, appears to have taken a new twist as no fewer than 70 indigenes of Ureju Community, Warri North Local Government Area, have petitioned the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, alleging imposition of Mr.  Itse Orugboh  (one of the five men sworn-in by Hon.  Diden) as their representative.

In a petition titled “Ogiame Save Our Soul” addressed to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, the aggrieved Ureju indigenes, including  Ejuaye Sisan, Ololo Jonathan, R. Atseyinku, Patience Tonwe, Nita Omatseye and Amorighoye Ekpoto, the Ureju indigenes alleged that the “imposition” of Itse Orugboh as Ureju Community representative and subsequently as “Vice Chairman of IRDC” as Orugboh initially boasted before the controversial inauguration is “in defiance of the IRDC constitution pages 9, 11, 22 and 23, which provide that it shall be community’s responsibility and not field”.

While also drawing the Warri Monarch’s attention to the antics of a member of council of Elders in Ureju, Omadino and other communities (name withheld) who claimed that Ureju is not under the Lordship of the Olu of Warri, the petitioners equally berated the role of a certain Dibi Chief as well as some youths of the community for allegedly backing Itse Orugboh who they claimed have ruled Ureju for 19 years in different executive positions.

The petition made available exclusively to Fresh Angle International is sequel to two earlier petitions forwarded to the revered Warri Monarch, even as they warned that they cannot tell what will happen in the coming days because “it is certain that safety of lives in the community cannot be guaranteed, because we are prepared to use the last drop of our sweat and blood to resist the imposition of Itse Orugboh”.

Since Tuesday March 1 when the Austin Oniyesan led IRDC executive was sworn-in by Hon. Michael Diden, there have been wide spread reactions with several Itsekiris condemning the action and a few supporting it.

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