Again, I renew the call I made through my last article (The Other Side of Kelvin\s Coin)- the semi military action in Kokori should be stopped, covert political conspiracy being made to make the people live in fear should end, the youths spoiling for war with military men should have a rethink and I most passionately ask that talks geared towards institutionalizing peace should begin promptly. Serious negotiations on the substance of peace, deliberations on how to ensure security in Urhoboland and Delta State should take the front burner. In my assumptions, the UPU should lead the peace and reconciliation talks on behalf of Kokori and Kelvin for two reasons; the image and dignity of Urhobo is what is at stake and not the little community known as Kokori and secondly, the UPU is the umbrella body of Urhobo and as such she can\t abdicate her responsibilities especially at this material time when Urhobo is suffering from political marginalization and neglect. It will be suicidal to keep mute on the Kokori impasse and give our enemies more reasons to continually box us to a tight corner. As the second oldest organization in the continent of Africa after the African National Congress (ANC) the UPU is strategically positioned in terms of dignity and capacity to halt the Kokori tsunami. The UPU and all prominent Urhobo sons and daughters shouldn\t see the crisis in Kokori as a Kokori affair. The fire that consumes a match stick and attempts to burn the hand holding it begins from the tip. Today, it is Kelvin and Kokori, tomorrow it could wear another garment. As a nation, we shouldn\t forget the Odi and Zaki-Biam scenario, we shouldn\t forget how soldiers killed unarmed Nigerian students in Nasarawa, we shouldn\t forget the aftermath of the invasion of Gbaramatu Kingdom, we must not forget lots of tales that characterize the historical existence of Nigeria. Forgetting is tantamount to ending as a pariah political ethnic group in Nigeria, forgetting is like inviting a wild beast into our midst, forgetting is like exposing the hen and her eggs to the snake. Oh, forgetting is like throwing what is left of us as a people to the ocean. In his book- Women of Owu, Femi Osofisan drew a picture of what befell the Kingdom of Owu when it was invaded by allied forces from Ijebu, Ife and Oyo. All surrounding Kingdoms felt less concerned as they weren\t directly affected. However, from 1821- 1828 that the war lasted, neighbouring Kingdoms regretted why they kept mute at the embryonic stage. Perhaps, it is not yet a war like scenario, but one thing is certain- Kokorians are living in great fear and fleeing the community, Urhobo can\t pretend not to understand the danger of this homicide ahead of 2015. Basically, this is not a Kokori agenda, it is not a matter for the President-General and his exco to handle alone, it is not also an affair for Agbon clan alone. I am not a Kokorian, I am not from Agbon clan and I am not from Ethiope East, notwithstanding, I am an Urhobo and the dignity of a segment of Urhobo is on the frying pan- as a Comrade with over a decade experience in the struggle and aluta war front, I know that an injury to one is an injury to all and the pains and sufferings of one man that all may benefit is worthy of solidarity. It is in recognition of the aforementioned solemn stance that Bush screamed thus when Osama Bin Laden attacked America on Sept. 11 \People of the World, this is not America\s fight, this is not about Washington alone, this is civilization\s fight. This is a fight for all those who believe in justice, peace, global security and a world free from terrorism\. Therefore, I call on UPU, Urhobo leaders, elites, political appointees and all men of good will to help curb the menace going on in Kokori and by extension, Urhobo land for Rev. Fr. Matthew Hassan Kukah said, “in matters of peace and war, there really should be no spectators or bystanders\. Global history has shown that force rarely brings about peace and Albert Einstein in lending credence to this said,\ peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved by understanding\. If Kokori is wiped from the surface of the earth, if Kelvin is sentenced to life imprisonment or extra-judicially murdered, the kidnapping saga in Delta State might not abate as I recall the kidnapping of Dr. Kofi with nostalgia inspite of Kelvin\s arrest. Dr. Kofi was reported to have escaped by virtue of his bravery and merciful providence. It seems these men of the underworld are scattered all over Urhobo land and a brave heart and experienced hand is needed to assist security agents to control this crime against God and humanity. Therefore, I believe that one way of pursuing peace and attaining it is by reaching an accord and Urhobo leaders must help Kokori reach this accord for the overall interest of Urhobo. The impact of the crisis in Kokori is being felt. The few friends I have and know in Kokori are finding it difficult go visit their community. Our once in a while visit to Kokori after one or two aluta movement is no longer visible, due to the prevailing problem. Everyone is now a suspect, the economy of the community is gradually reaching the ground, the farms have been deserted, those of school age are scared to resume, Kokori youths are now refugees in other Urhobo communities and towns. All these won\t occur if the explorers of Kokori\s sweetcrude are responsible and responsive. Outside paying royalties and giving government her percentage of the proceeds from oil exploration in Kokori, the oil companies can\t say they don\t owe the people of Kokori some form of human and infrastructural development. Can the multi-nationals exploring the sweetcrude in Kokori tell Deltans how many roads they have constructed in the community? Can they count how many blocks of class rooms they have built in the primary and secondary schools in Kokori? Can they tell Deltans what they have done for the youths of Kokori in terms of scholarships, training, skill acquisition, employment and empowerment? What have they done for the aged in Kokori? Is it too much if they assist Kokori farmers with modern farming implements to boost their subsistence farming? Won\t all these have gone along way in preventing the logjam in Kokori? Other multi-nationals should learn from the situation in Kokori and amend their economic relations with their host communities, as it is suicidal to deny a people their dues and expect their maximum co-operation. 21st century slavery is appearing in various guise and those who can\t condone it should not visit it on others. What the multi-nationals do to Africans in the name of oil exploration, they don\t do in other developed countries, thus we all must rise to condemn all forms of conspiracy against the black man, either in Urhobo land or in any other community in Nigeria and Africa. During his inaugural speech to congress on the 20th of January, 1961, John F. Kennedy told his fellow Americans “let us begin anew remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate\. The UPU should lead the negotiation team on behalf of Kokori and perhaps Kelvin, as this is the surest panacea to ensuring peace and security in Urhobo land and Delta State. I believe that Kelvin can be grossly instrumental to the return of peace and security in Delta State. His Excellency, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan should not see negotiation with UPU on the saga in Kokori as a sign of weakness, in the overall interest of our State, both sides should explore how the Kokori fracas can catapult Delta State to the next level. Both sides can formulate serious and precise proposals for peace and security. The Ijaws in Delta State are now leaving peacefully amongst other ethnicities in Delta State, compared to before, because a word from Tompolo connotes warning and directives. Likewise, the Itsekiris have Ayiri and Ejele to listen to. Urhobo land should not lack same feat in the interest of developing the State. Hence, my call for negotiations and truce with the aim of making Kelvin play such role. The UPU youth wing and the Urhobo Youth Council must orchestrate ways of engaging Urhobo youths, so as to reduce the number of them taking to crime and other dangerous social vices. Let both sides unite to heed the command of Prophet Isaiah, which is to undo the heavy burden. In the hands of the Governor, his Deputy, the SSG, UPU, and other men of goodwill who believe in the future of Delta State, lies the quest for peace.
Posted on: Tue, 03 Dec 2013 13:15:52 +0000
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