Protesters allege marginalisation in BORBDA, back Adekanmbi’s MD appointment

Stakeholders of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) under the auspices of the Concerned Stakeholders Forum of BORBDA, on Friday, protested over the alleged marginalisation of Ondo, Ekiti and Delta states in the appointment of the Managing Director of the Authority. 

The aggrieved protesters, who are mainly retirees of BORBDA, armed with placards with various inscriptions, frowned at a purported protest by the host communities in Edo State against the appointment of Femi Adekanmbi as the Managing Director of BORBDA. 

They dismissed the protests by the host communities at the headquarters of the Authority in Benin City as unnecessary and politically motivated, calling on President Bola Tinubu to split the Authority over alleged marginalisation.

The National President of BORBDA Stakeholders Forum, John Kayode Ayeni and the Ondo state representative of BORBDA stakeholders forum, Mr. Tokunbo Agbetuyi, while addressing newsmen, hailed the appointment of Adekanmbi as the Managing Director of BORBDA. 

According to Ayeni, since the enactment of the BORBDA in 1976, Ondo State had only produced one MD (Ebenezer O. Mafayeyomi), describing the appointment of Adekanmbi as a round peg in a round hole.

The group described the MD’s antecedents as a resourceful, resilient, dogged, rugged, dedicated and results-oriented Manager of human beings and materials that can salvage the Authority from ruins. 

Ayeni maintained that Adekanmbi’s appointment was not only justified but also aligned with the principles of fairness and equity, saying the four states involved must resist the temptation to divide themselves along ethnic lines.

He emphasised that an Edo State indigene, Engr. Saliu Osifuemhe Ahmed, had already served two consecutive terms of eight years, making it appropriate for another state—Ondo or Ekiti to take the mantle of leadership.

He said, “We members of the Stakeholders Forum of Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority were suddenly alarmed by the activities of a group that went viral on social media that 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 action imitable of the Early Man during the Stone Ages Era were not only Condemnable but irrational, uncivilized misinformed, and uncalled for.

“For the information of the world at large, Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority, Benin-City was one of the Basin Authorities Statutorily enacted by law in 1976 under the Military Administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo the then military Head of State.

“Its operations cover the entire Edo State, Ondo State, Ekiti State and the Delta State Northern Senatorial District i.e. the Igbo-speaking areas of Delta State. 

“By law, its headquarters was to be sited at the least developed of the two components that formed the Authority then. These were Bendel and Ondo States. So originally the headquarters was supposed to be in Akure. 

“Serious agitations in 1983 that the Headquarters was wickedly and unduly located in the den of armed robbers led to the split of the Authority into two autonomous entities on July 1984.”

He further stated, “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.

“At the inception of the Authority in 1976, its first General Manager was a Benin Prince, J.A. Eweka (1977-1982) Another Benin was again appointed as General Manager, Mr A.A. Osula January 2011-June 2011) For the information of the protesters under the aegis of the Host Communities, those from Edo State that have held sway as the General Manager/Managing Directors were namely(i) Mr E.C. Olumese (1986-1989) (ii) Dr G.E. Oteze (1990-1999) and (iii) Engr. Saliu Osifuemhe Ahmed (2016-2024).”

He urged the protesters at the headquarters of the Authority to reconsider their stance and recognise that Adekanmbi’s appointment does not undermine Edo State’s interests. “Rather, it upholds a fair system where leadership opportunities are shared among states.

“These mischiefs calculation of 42 years of marginalization could be arithmetically summed up as follows (i) Prince Eweka 5 years (ii) Mr C.C. Olumese 3years (iii) Professor Gabriel Oteze 9 years 3 months (iv) Mr A.A. Osula 6 months and (iv) Engr. Saliu 8 years. Totalling 25 years 9 months out of 42 years, meaning that it was only 16 years that Indigen was not the Managing Director. Who then is marginalising who here?”

“We therefore direct that all the staff from Ondo and Ekiti state should report at the Alagbaga GRA Office, Akure. In the interim, Dr. Adekanmbi and his team should operate from the Alagbaka edifice of the Authority.” 

He added that in the face of the threats and the danger posed by the sad development, the National Assembly should urgently consider the split of the Authority into two autonomous entities.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE