The paramount ruler of Okpella, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom,
\nAlhaji Yesufu Dirisu has read the riot act to the what he termed as
\ninciting activities of agents of Bua Cement in the community warning that
\nhis palace would no longer tolerate any group using pseudo names to dent
\nthe integrity of his palace and his people<\/p>\n
Alhaji Dirisu, who was receiving in audience some concerned stakeholders
\nin his palace at the weekend spoke against the background of reports said
\nto have been sponsored by the management of Bua Cement to the effect that
\nthe people of the community are spoiling for a show a down with Dangote
\nCement over its decision to come to the community to explore limestone for
\ncement production purposes in the area.<\/p>\n
Contrary to reports in a section of the media that there was tension in
\nthe community over alleged planned attacks by unnamed persons, our
\ncorrespondent who visited the sleepy community of Okpella observed that
\nthe entire community was calm and no sign of any unease.<\/p>\n
The Traditional ruler said emphatically, \u201cit\u2019s all lies, nobody has said
\nthat Dangote should not come to Okpella to do business and do exploration.
\nSome people for their selfish interest have been publishing falsehood
\nsaying Okpella community does not want Dangote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella kingdom, I am speaking on behalf of the
\nChiefs, elders and youths of this community, we have no issue with Dangote
\nCement. I have said it times without number, we want Dangote to come and
\ndo business here in Okpella. When every community, state and even nations
\nare looking for investors, why should we ask Dangote not to come to our
\ncommunity?<\/p>\n
\u201cAren\u2019t we even lucky that he has seen something that is bringing him
\nhere? We want development for our people and the community. Some people
\nsomewhere just sat under a tree and conjured a report to the effect that
\nwe are calling Dangote Cement people murderer and kidnappers. Never! We
\nnever said so. That is why the Okpella Youth Initiative has challenged the
\nfaceless forum and retract that publication. We really mean it if they
\ndon\u2019t within 14 days we take the next necessary action.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alhaji Dirisu said it was to clear the air that he had written a letter
\npersonally inviting and permitting Dangote to come and start exploration.
\nIf Bua has a cement factory, that does not mean another company should not
\nprospect for mineral in our land. As it is now, it is Dangote that is
\ndelaying, we are fully behind him. He has 101 per cent support from all of
\nus in Okpella.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet it be on record that there is no bad blood between Okpella and
\nDangote. He is a friend of our people, he is my friend, he is our
\ngovernor\u2019s friend. We love him, he has nothing to fear. We want him to
\nhasten things. Anything that can bring development is what we stand for.
\nAnd Dangote cement is one of the things that can bring development and
\neconomic prosperity to our people and community\u201d, Okuokpellagbe declared.<\/p>\n
Speaking later, one of the Youth Leaders, John Umoru said there was no
\nsecurity threat anywhere within the Community pointing out that the youths
\nalso stand for peace. \u201cWe the Okpella youths, we love peace and we like to
\ndo anything that will bring peace. It is in the atmosphere of peace that
\nbusinesses can also thrive. We need jobs, we need economic empowerment.”<\/p>\n
Conducting our Correspondent round the Community, the Youth leader pointed
\nout that they were very weary of havoc I wrought elsewhere due to similar
\nincitement of the residents against their leaders and would rather work
\nfor peace and allow genuine investors come to their area.<\/p>\n
Said he, \u201cWhat we hear Dangote is doing in Obajana, Ibese, Gboko and the
\nrest of Africa, we want him to come and do it here in Okpella. We can\u2019t
\nask a big investor like Dangote not to come here, we are too enlightened
\nto be involved in such a frivolity.<\/p>\n
This development is against the background of several sponsored reports in
\nthe newspaper to the effect that the people of the community are spoiling
\nfor a showdown against Dangote Cement over plans by the Company to go into
\nmining and production of Cement in the area.<\/p>\n
The Okuokpellagbe urged Chairman of Dangote Cement PLC, Alhaji Aliko
\nDangote to disregard such ugly reports and make haste to help Okpella
\ncommunity by investing there just as he has done in other places in
\nNigeria and Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The paramount ruler of Okpella, the Okuokpellagbe of Okpella Kingdom, Alhaji Yesufu Dirisu has read the riot act to the what he termed as inciting activities of agents of Bua…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44653,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44652","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n