As the controversy over who owns Soku oil wells deepens between the Rivers
\nState Government and the Bayelsa State Government, Former Minister of
\nPetroleum Resources and rights activist, Professor Tam David-West have
\nwarned President Goodluck Jonathan who is from Bayelsa, to leave the
\ncontroversial oil wells in Rivers State, the known historical owners of
\nSoku.<\/p>\n
Professor David-West also averred that the people of Kalabari kingdom(Soku
\nis part of Kalabari land) are prepared to fight the Presidency over the
\nceding of Soku oil wells to Bayelsa State at every level, stating that no
\npart of Kalabari Kingdom will be allowed to be ceded to any other part of
\nthe country. He revealed that the Kalabari oceanic communities of Kula,
\nSoku, Idama, Elem-Sangama and Abisse have been existing for over 300
\nyears of Kalabari history in Rivers State.<\/p>\n
David-West disclosed this Friday when he led a delegation of Kings,
\nChiefs, Elders, youths and representatives of the Occeanic Communities of
\nAkuku-Toru local government area in Rivers State on a solidarity visit on
\nthe Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in Port
\nHarcourt.<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cI thank you, Governor Amaechi particularly on what you
\nhave been doing for the Kalabari Kingdom. Unfortunately, some of our
\nbrothers and leaders don\u2019t understand this. I know what you are going
\nthrough. But, why should an Ikwerre Governor be sacrificed, for saying
\nthat, don\u2019t take away Kalabari Communities from Rivers to Bayelsa State.
\nKalabari people need to go round such person and carry him high. When
\nNnamdi Azikiwe came to Port Harcourt, I remember, we carried him and I
\nthink, every kalabari person should be carrying Amaechi high to replicate
\nthe kind gesture. I learnt of a new word for the Oceanic communities in
\nthe Kalabari Kingdom, those are the original Kalabari settlements. So, the
\nOceanic communities are older than, Buguma, Abonnema and Degema. The
\ncommunities called, Oceanic communities have been existing for over 300
\nyears of Kalabari history, and over the years, our forefathers fought to
\nmaintain the integrity of the Kalabari kingdom. And, any one that is
\ndismantling it now, whether from Borno, Kaduna, Sokoto or Bayelsa State,
\nwill never succeed. Our ancestors fought also with Canon guns to protect
\nthese territories, but, at this time, we have other implements to fight
\nthe struggle.\u201d David-West said.<\/p>\n
Continuing, he also explained the attempt by some Kalabari chiefs to sign
\na secret document to cede the Oceanic Communities to Bayelsa state as a
\nploy to distort facts that have genuine historical antecedents since the
\nperiod of the colonial era.<\/p>\n
David-West said, \u201cTruth, only has one version, all the time they are
\nshifting the boundaries to their favour with some Kalabari Chiefs, who
\nwere secretly approached to sign documents to cede all these territories
\nto Bayelsa state. But, they cannot change the fact that, the controversial
\noil well territories belongs to the Kalabari people.<\/p>\n
“This is because, if you plan evil or attempt to ruin the Kalabari land of
\nits natural resources, the gods, our ancestors will not allow you. Bayelsa
\nstate was created in 1996, and the boundary was created between us at the
\nSanta Barbara river. It has now been moved to the San Bartholomew river.
\nIf they allow that, then, Abonnema and Idama will be in Bayelsa state.
\nThis is what is coming and I tell you stop it now, because God will not
\nallow it to happen. We must go back to the colonial boundary which was
\nimpartial. If you rig election to be in office, tomorrow, you may not be
\nthere, but these records will be there forever. And, it is left to us
\nKalabari sons and daughters to support all those fighting for our course.
\nAnd, fight with all that we have to stop this nonsense. It is nonsense and
\nI owe no apology to it because, it is nonsense. Any person who wakes up
\nany morning that he is going to acquire territory owned by people by fiat
\nis nonsense. This is because, they can never get it, even with their pen.
\nOne oil well is a billion naira, and we are talking about 41 oil wells\u201d,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Professor tam David-West while commending Governor Amaechi picked holes
\nwith President Jonathan over his style of leadership, which he said, was
\ncalculated to deprive the Kalabari people of their natural resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I think, we owe Governor Amaechi a chain of gratitude for agitating
\nseverally that, this is my territory, I am the Governor of Rivers State
\nand, I will not concede to cede any territory from the state to anybody.
\nYou swore by the Bible, when taking the oath of allegiance to protect the
\nterritorial integrity of the state. Let me say categorically that, I have
\nnothing against President Jonathan, but, I hate the style of his
\nleadership and I have no apologies for it. Let me say also that, I will
\nnot support somebody who wants a political office because he is an Ijaw
\nman, but will only support such person, only when that person is good. I
\nremembered that, President Jonathan was schooling at Imiringi at his young
\nage, when I was a serving commissioner in Rivers State. I am not against
\nhim, but, I am particularly against everything about his government and
\nleadership, especially, his style of divide and rule system. He will not
\nsucceed. I have told his brother who is a fantastic engineer to tell
\nPresident Jonathan that, I will not pull him down, but, if I see people
\npulling him down, I will not stop them, because, he is not doing well.”<\/p>\n
“And, I want him (Jonathan) to tell us the kind of legacy he wants to
\nleave behind after his tenure. What I want to tell President Jonathan is
\nthat, let him leave the Kalabari territory and the oil wells alone. I am
\nalso told that, they were planning to create another state out of Bayelsa
\nstate. But, when they looked at it, the population was too small, and now,
\nthey have considered to take in Abonema and Idama communities as part of
\nBayelsa state. It will not happen\u201d, Professor David-West said.<\/p>\n
The former Petroleum Minister further commended Governor Amaechi for all
\nthe numerous projects his administration offered to the people of Rivers
\nState, and urged him to ensure communities at the grassroots feel
\ngovernment presence.<\/p>\n
Hear Tam David-west, \u201cYour Excellency, in a gathering like this, I wish to
\npledge my loyalty to you. I said it many times, and I will say it again
\nthat, you are doing well. If you are not doing well, I will tell you, you
\nare not doing well. Anyone who have not seen what Governor Amaechi has
\ndone in Rivers State is blinder than bat. I want to use this occasion to
\ntell you that my loyalty is not nairalized. There is no Naira tag on my
\nloyalty\u201d.<\/p>\n
On his part, Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has
\nassured the people of the Oceania communities that his administration will
\nwork towards the completion of all ongoing projects as a means of showing
\ngovernment presence in the area, and further urged the people to vote out
\nPDP in 2015 to get back their oil wells from Bayelsa State.<\/p>\n
According to him, \u201cThe question you should ask yourself is where are we
\ngoing to? And what you need is to vote out PDP in 2015, and be assured of
\ngetting back your oil wells\u201d, Amaechi said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As the controversy over who owns Soku oil wells deepens between the Rivers State Government and the Bayelsa State Government, Former Minister of Petroleum Resources and rights activist, Professor Tam…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21669,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21668","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n