Members of the Stakeholders Forum of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA), in Ekiti State have called on the National Assembly to split the authority into two autonomous entities over the security threats looming between the state and Edo.
The President of the stakeholders’ forum, Jackson Ayeni made this demand on Friday at the state’s office in Ikere-Ekiti while leading a peaceful protest to condemn the barricade and sealing of the Authority’s Headquarters at Obayandor, Benin-City metropolis by members of the host community.
Protesters carried placards with different inscriptions saying, ‘BORBDA belongs to Ekiti, Delta, Ondo and Edo’, ‘The government led by Asiwaju is fair enough on federal character principle’, ‘Allow the new appointees to breathe’, ‘Benin Youth be restive, allow peace to reign’, ‘Dr Femi Adekanbi is our man!’
According to him, the Benin indigene kicked against the appointment of Femi Adekanbi from Ondo state as the General Manager of the Authority as a result of his non-indigenous status.
The Forum National President described the action as irrational, uncivilised, and uncalled for, noting that indigenes of Edo State have served 25 years and nine months as General Manager, out of the 42 years of alleged marginalisation summed up by the host community.
He alleged that the protesters went to the headquarters with charms and occultic materials to attack non-indigene staff members.
Ayeni said it is either the community accepts Dr Femi Adekanbi as appointed by President Bola Tinubu or the authority split into two autonomous entities for peace to reign.
He said, “We, members of the Stakeholders’ Forum of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, were suddenly alarmed by the activities of a group of people that went viral on social media, who barricaded and sealed off the Headquarters of the Authority at Obayantor, a village 24 km outside Benin-City metropolis along Benin-Sapele Expressway.
” Their uncivilized actions, imitative of the Early Man during the Stone Ages Era, were not only condemnable but irrational, uncivilized, misinformed, and uncalled for.
“At the inception of the Authority in 1976, its first General Manager was a Bini Prince, J.A. Eweka (1977-1982). Another Bini was again the General Manager, Mr. A.A. Osula (January 2011 – June 2011). For the information of the miscreants under the aegis of the Host Communities, those from Edo State that have held sway as the General Manager/Managing Directors were namely: Mr. E.C. Olumese (1986-1989), Dr. G.E. Oteze (1990-1999),!Engr. Saliu Osifuemhe Ahmed (2016-2024).
“These mischiefs’ calculation of 42 years of marginalization could be arithmetically summed up as follows: Prince Eweka = 5 years, Mr. C.C. Olumese = 3 years, Professor Gabriel Oteze = 9 years 3 months, Mr. A.A. Osula = 6 months, Engr. Saliu = 8 years total 25 years 9 months out of 42 years, meaning that it was only 16 years that an Indigen was not the Managing Director. Who then is marginalizing who here?
“Through concerted efforts of the pioneering founding members, the magnificent edifice you see at Alagbaka Estate in Akure was built through the sweat of the staff on the direct-labor programme. Unfortunately, the inconsistent Government policies led to our second slave trade mission! To the land of our captors at Obayantor in July 1987.
“ These are threats to the lives of our children, and to our greatest surprise, after 72 hours, the Protem Management, headed by an Edo State Indigene, is equally playing lip service to these happenings. As parents, we can’t stand by and watch to lose any of our children anymore. The headquarters remaining in Obayantor, with the heads of those communities known as Odianweres, with their secretaries issuing threats and placing charms on the main gate of the Authority, is worrisome.
“Unless His Royal Majesty, Oba of Benin, on whose behalf the said Odianweres acted, personally removes and performs the traditional cleansing, the Headquarters returning to Obayantor is doubtful.
“In the face of the threats and the danger posed by this sad development, the National Assembly should urgently consider the split of the Authority into two autonomous entities.”
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