Rivers monarch seeks reversal of ceded communities

October 31, 2012 17:35

Audio attached

Rivers monarch seeks reversal of ceded communities

NAN-H-60

Monarch

Port Harcourt, Oct. 31, 2012 (NAN) Chief Gbebo Bobmanuel, the traditional ruler of Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers, has called for the reversal of the ceding of Kalabari  communities to Bayelsa.

 

Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, Bobmanuel said that the affected communities were opposed to the fragmentation of the area.

 

He said the problem began in 1998 when some persons published in the 11th edition of the administrative map of Nigeria, the new boundary, ceding Kalabari communities to Bayelsa.

 

The traditional ruler said the Rivers government had since protested the adjustment and had also went to court to contest the ceding.

 

He said that already, the revenue accruing from oil and gas resources in the ceded communities had been remitted to the coffers of Bayelsa  government.

 

Bobmanuel alleged that the Kalabari people believed that the motive behind the ceding was for economic reasons.

 

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‘’ Their ambition is the money, the oil, the gas. Our ambition is our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our parents, we must be together.

 

‘’ Never again will the Kalabari kingdom be fragmented. We will never be divided. We are a peace loving people. We love peace and we want peace. We do not want anybody to start an unnecessary argument, an unnecessary war.

 

‘’ We do not want any of our children to fall into harm’s way. We do not want any rioting; we want peace and that is why we have taken this step.’’

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He said that the affected communities had submitted their protest letters to the National Boundary Commission and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

 

Chief Emmanuel Awuyesuku, a member of Kalabari traditional ruler’s council, said when Bayelsa State was created, the delineating boundary was the Santa Barbara River.

 

He said the 11th edition of the administrative map of Nigeria adjusted the boundary from Santa Barbara River to San Bartholomew River without the consent of Kalabari people.

 

He said the inhabitants of the affected communities were happy staying in Rivers, adding that they had enough documented evidence to prove their origin in Rivers.

 

‘’ We want Nigerians and the world to see our plight. This is injustice to us because our land has been balkanised and our wealth taken away.’’  (NAN)

MEMO/MSAD

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