Ijaw and Akoko communities in Ondo State have expressed their dissatisfaction with the plan for the creation of new local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The state government had sent a bill to the state House of Assembly to divide the state’s 18 local government areas into 33 LCDAs.
At a public hearing on the bill on Thursday, leaders of Ijaw communities in the Ese-Odo local government area accused the government of trying to cede their ancestral lands through the exercise.
The communities gave the government a 21-day ultimatum to reverse the alleged ceding of land to the local government areas of Irele and Ilaje in the exercise.
They delivered the ultimatum during a protest at the state House of Assembly, which on Thursday held a public hearing in Akure on a bill creating LCDAs.
The 33 LCDAs will be created from the 18 existing local government areas in the state.
The Ijaw communities said the exercise as set up would put them at a disadvantage in the state.
Led by their traditional rulers, Sunday Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi land; and Pere Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw, the communities urged the state government to rescind its decision.
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According to the communities, all of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba were ceded to Ilaje, while part of Apoi 4 and 5 were ceded to the Irele Local Government Area.
They also said that instead of ceding parts of their communities in the Ese-Odo local government area to other areas, more LCDAs should be created from Ese-Odo.
Addressing reporters during the protest, Mr. Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi land, vowed that the people would resist ceding their ancestral land to anyone.
“We are the only non-Yoruba speaking people in Ondo State. We are ready to defend our cultural and traditional identity,” he said.
“We are making our observations regarding the creation of LCDA. The Ijaw have long been marginalized in Ondo State.
“We are special people in Ondo State because we have abundant bitumen and oil. We must be given a special condition. We demand more LCDA in Ese-Odo. We will never cede an inch of our land to either Ilaje or Ikale. The Ondo State government should remove that map.”
The president of the Ondo branch of the Ijaw National Congress, Bonsuwei Ominidouha, said they will fight against the cession of their land.
“We are a peace-loving people. We call on the Ondo State government to stop this nonsense. INC will fight to make sure not one inch of our land is given away,” he said.
“All of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba are ceded to Ilaje. Part of Apoi 4 and 5 are ceded to the Irele City Council. We don’t want to fight with anyone. It was leadership failure that led to the Ijaw/Ilaje crisis and we don’t want a repeat of that war.”
In addition, a group of prominent Akoko indigenous people alleged the marginalization of their area in the creation of the new LCDAs.
Speaking under the umbrella of the Akoko Consultative Forum, the people rejected the proposed LCDAs, saying it was an unfair distribution of councils.
The group noted that while Owo and Ose local government areas will get eight new LCDAs, Akoko, with four local government areas, will get just nine LCDAs.
The group said that Akoko deserves at least 15 LCDAs.
However, lawmakers ensured fairness by receiving submissions from concerned groups and citizens.
The state government had also previously called for calm, saying nothing is final until the assembly concludes its work.
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Let hear it in the comment below if you do have an opinion on this; Ijaw and Akoko communities protest the creation of 33 local councils in Ondo