Following the recent creation of 33 local council development areas by the Ondo State government, the Ijaw people in the Ese-Odo local government area e have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government to revert the ceding of their land to Irele and Ilaje local government areas.
The state government had recently created 33 LCDAs out of the existing 18 councils
Not satisfied with the development, the protesters who were led by their traditional rulers, Prof. Sunday Adejimola Amiseghan, the Kalasuwei of Apoi Land and Pere Zaccheaus Doubra Egbunu, the Agadagba of Arogbo-Ijaw, besieged the venue of the public hearing on the Bill for the Creation of the LCDAs.
While issuing the ultimatum, the protesters said the whole of Okparama 1 and II and Ogidigba were ceded to Ilaje while part of Apoi 4 and 5 was ceded to Irele local government.
ccording to them, instead of ceding their land to Ilaje, the protesters said they want more LCDAs to be created out of Ese-Odo local government area.
Prof. Amiseghan in his speech vowed that they would defend any action leading to the ceding of their ancestral land.
His words, “We are the only non-Yoruba speaking people in Ondo State. We are ready to defend our cultural and traditional identity. We are making our observations regarding the creation of LCDAs. The Ijwere marginalised a long time ago in Ondo State.
“We are a special people in Ondo State because we have bitumen and abundant oil. We should be given special conditions. We demand more LCDAs in Ese-Odo. We will never concede one inch of our land to either Ilaje or Ikale. The Ondo State government must withdraw that map,” he said.
Also, Pere Egbunu who was represented by Ondo chairman, Ijaw National Congress, Bonsuwei Ominidouha, said they would fight the ceding of their land.
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