From Ameachi Prosper (The New Diplomat’s Delta Correspondent)
Citing marginalization and ill-treatment, communities hosting Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, have staged a peaceful protest against the oil palm company and the Edo state government.
The communities also accused the Edo government of joining hands with Okomu Oil Palm Company to enslave them.
The protesters drawn from the host communities of Gbelebu, Safargbo, Okomu, Oweike, Maikolo, carried placards bearing inscriptions such as: ‘Govt. tell Okomu Oil Company to open our road’; ‘Okomu Oil Company give us our fishing traps that are with you’; ‘stop polluting our stream with your agro chemical, it is our only source of drinking water’; ‘we are not terrorists, stop harassing us with military, Okomu Oil’, accused the company of blocking and positioning fierce looking military men on the only road that links them to Udo.
The protesters also acussed Edo State government of selling the whole land wherein they farm to the company thereby enslaving them, just as they lamented that they have no where to farm anymore in their land.
Speaking to the press shortly after the protest, the spokesperson for Okomu clan, Chief Sunday Ajele, said it’s quite unfortunate that the government of Edo State has joined in the enslavement of the people with continuous sales of the land wherein the natives farm to a foreign company.
One of the protesters, Mrs. Biobokogha Pena-ere from Okomu, said the company has put the communities into bondage through their maltreatment and harassment, lamenting that they can no longer fish nor farm.
Another protester, Chief French Yabike decried the activities of Okomu Oil Palm Company, alleging that the company has been busy evacuating their villages.
He said Okomu land is divided into two area: BC 9 and BC10, and that the native are in BC 10, alleging that Okomu Oil Palm Company has crossed to BC 10 part of the land and intimidating them with military.
Chief Ejueye Weyetin from Gbelebu village expressed disappointment on the injustices being melted on them by the company.
But, the public relations officer, Okomu Palm oil plc, Mr Fidelis Olise who spoke through telephone dismissed the allegations, noting that there was no rift between the villagers and the firm.
