Okuama: Children Have Not Gone To School For 2 Years – Activist

Value Rebirth/Human Rights Advocate (VRHRA) has raised an alarm that the children of Okuama, Ughelli South LGA, Delta State, have not been attending school for the past two years, for no fault of theirs.

The alarm may not be unconnected with the concerns that Okuama community leaders and others have remained in military detention for more than two years.

The leaders are Prof. Arthur Ekpekpor, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Amalaka, and Mabel Owemu; one of them, James Oghoroko, reportedly died in detention.

The coordinator of VRHRA, Ambassador Edewor Egedegbe, stated this while giving an update on Okuama during a TV programme, ‘Niger Delta Today’, on Advocate Broadcasting Network (ADBN).

Egedegbe, also the secretary-general of the Ewu Clan Development Forum, revealed that the primary school built has no chairs to commence teaching.

According to him, the people in the Okuama community live in a pitiable state. “In short, our people are living in trenches; there is no doubt about that. So, and we say we are in a democracy?

“It will surprise you to hear that the hall with more than 40 rooms, built by the governor of Delta State in collaboration with the chairman of Ughelli South LGA, is where over a thousand people are resting their heads. You can imagine the horrible situation they are faced with. I’m candidly requesting that you take your camera to the Okuama community to assess the situation.

“Let me re-emphasise that apart from the thatch houses standing in the community, which serve as homes to some people, the rest of the Okuama people are residing in that one hall that the government had built.

While he blasted the federal, Delta state governments as well as the National Assembly for abandoning the plight of the people of Okuama community, he lamented there was no feedback from the institution of government that put the Okuama leaders in detention, revealing all attempts they have made to reach out to the governor of Delta state to express our concern to him were futile.

“That is the most worrisome to me. Truth is, government cum leadership are about empathy. As the situation of the Okuama people remains pathetic, we need to talk to the people in charge of the government because we are under the government.

“As a bona fide citizen, if there are issues, just as we have in Okuama, to whom do we cry? Is it not the government? But as it is now, we don’t have access to our government as I speak. If you, journalists, can help us gain access to the government, please offer that help.

He appealed to the governor of Delta State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to grant them an audience, as he said that not doing so would amount to undermining the plight of the people of Okuama.

“We are saying to the governor, grant us access to talk to you. Our people are in detention, and we don’t have access to them. The army, which by law doesn’t have the right to continuously hold Okuama people in their detention facilities, just as it doesn’t have the right to prosecute them, is perpetually keeping our people in detention and doesn’t grant us the privilege to see them. It is right to say that if the governor can have access to them, let him tell us what the authority is saying about this matter.

“On the other hand, if there’s prima facie evidence against our people, Prof. Arthur Ekpekpor, Chief Belvis Adogbo, Dennis Amalaka, and Mabel Owemu, one of them, James Oghoroko, reportedly died in detention, let the army produce them in court to face their charges and allow the rule of law to take its course in this lingering matter.

“So, what I am saying is let us get an update on our people, but we are not getting it. We are really worried about this development. There is not much we can say other than to tell the public through your outlet their true plight.

“I do know that things can be done better. I am calling on the governor of Delta state and other government officials to know that the essence of government is to protect lives and property, not the other way round. Anything less than that is unacceptable in a democratic setting.

“We are not in a military rule where dictatorship is the order of the day. We are crying out to the Nigerian government, headed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the governor of Delta State, Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, the senators, and members of the House of Representatives, saying they have not done us well, to say the least. They may have tried their best, but it is not good for us.

“In short, we are taken aback that our people are languishing in military detention facilities for 20 months for a matter that is already in court. Even an order of the court has been issued severally and served on the respective government agencies, yet they remain adamant. Such a show of disregard for the court leaves a lot to be desired in a democratic system.

“Simply put, the expectations of the people of Okuama are to see the government come to their aid. Today, Okuama is almost a thing of the past, a narrative we strongly don’t want. The Okuama people are calling on the government to come to their aid and rebuild Okuama. First and foremost, release Okuama leaders who are in military detention facilities for what they know nothing about.

“But, if the army has proof that Okuama leaders are complicit in the matter, let them take them through the appropriate legal channel and prosecute them in court, but not to keep them in detention in perpetuity. One has died, another one was at the point of death before he was released to Senator Ede Dafinone; we don’t know the state of the others. So, we want them released at the earliest possible time, or, if they are bent on trying them, let the police take over the case and prosecute them in a competent court of law.

“At this juncture, let me set the record straight. Out of the five persons in detention, two are not connected to Okuama. One of them, Dennis Amalaka, is a tenant of the President of Okuama, James Oghorokor, who is now deceased. Dennis was arrested alongside Oghorokor at the latter’s compound, where he (Dennis) lives. Also, Mabel Owemu was arrested alongside Prof. Arthur Ekpekpor. Those from Okuama are the President General of Ewu Clan Development Forum, Prof Arthur Ekpekpor, Chief Belvis Adogbo, and James Oghorokor, now deceased,” he lamented.