Newcross: Edevbie Says Persons Hired As Agents By Enogie Of Orogho Have Reaffirmed Existence Of Iwevbo Community

By Our Reporter

Spokesman of Elders Council Representatives in Iwevbo Community, Hon. Emmanuel Edevbie has said that “it is so shameful that some disgruntled elements who were hired by Enogie turned the table round against their pay master and reaffirmed the existence of Iwevbo Community in an attempt to juxtapose the well deserved decision of NUPRC.”

Iwevbo is an Urhobo community in Edo State.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Iwevbo Community, he added that “for some time now, there have been issues of community trust development that is enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act 2021, enacted and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari which favour the community where an oil company is operating.”

Citing the said provisions of the PIA, he said: “Chapter 2 of the PIA provides in section 234 and 235, that the settlor shall established Host Community Development trust for the community where it is oil wells and gas installation are for 3% running cost, but to our greatest surprise, Newcross established a Trust without the community’s knowledge and in our findings, we discovered that the Trust was established with non members of Iwevbo community and already named as Orhiomwon Communities Trust.”

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According to him, Orhiovwon is a local government that comprises of more than 100 villages, saying that they are surprised on why Newcross would constitute the Trust with non members.

Adding: “When we got to the root of the matter, we discovered that it was the Enoghe of Orogho, Engineer Patrick Akenzua who sent the list of those persons to Newcross. Reacting to this ugly deals, we had a tripartite meeting in Abuja at NUPRC office upon a peaceful and harmless protest with a petition to the regulatory body (NUPRC).”

Speaking further, he said that at the NUPRC Office, after looking at the issue from both sides of the Newcross Petroleum Limited and the host community, the oil company was mandated by the NUPRC which is their regulatory body to establish a stand-alone trust for the people of Iwevbo community in a letter dated March 15, 2023.

“But we were astonished and perplexed when we saw another letter written by the Enoghe of Orogho that Iwevbo is not a community and we should think of how to become a community before we start talking about being a host community. Though it is laughable as they say wonders never ends, a community where I myself have represented the interest of the Enogie for over 14 years, a community that has been there before the birth of Christ, a community that predates the birth of the first Enogie talkless of him.

“This touched us, but we decided to remain calm because the law favours us. Sections 234 and 235 of the PIA has established that the Trust should be constituted by the settlor and the members of the Trust should be members of the community nominated, but the response of the Enogie really showed that he is out to oppress the people of Iwevbo because we are a minority in Edo State. Iwevbo is a community in Orhiomwon local government Area of Edo State. We are not disputing that, we are not against the Oba of Benin neither are we against the Enogie. The Enogie should distance himself from the issue of the PIA because the PIA simply provides that the Host Community should be developed with Trust.

“If you come to the Iwevbo community there is nothing like development. The only primary school that was renovated by the oil company is still there and because of the crisis and oppressive style of Enogie, all the teachers and the students have been at home without studies.

“It was some years ago the Enogie Rep to the said Iwevbo community that he now denied of its existence and over this years, he has never had the interest of peace in the community rather, he always says “the fewer the merrier.” He doesn’t care about the numbers of people who live or die in the community hence, I decided to pull out because I cannot continue on the side where my people are being oppressed.and many other reasons but reserved.”

Furthermore, he said that “recently, specifically on 4th of May 2023, we were invited to state command Edo state on a petition by the same Enogie of Orogho where his agents made a lot of false statements and described Iwevbo Community as a none existing community, but his plans failed as there are copious evidence refuting the claim of the Enogie of Orogho. The following day, 5th May 2023, the same Enogie sent some of his thugs to Iwevbo community with a hired crowd to juxtapose the provisions of the PIA but further attempts to claim our community turned out for the favor of Iwevbo people as the hired crowd reaffirmed that Iwevbo community is an Urhobo community in Edo state as against the letter written by Enogie to NUPRC.

“I don’t really have much to say about Eyeta Emonefe, Tina Osodi and Jona Oghenekevwe as they still remain suspended, so whatever that is done by these suspended persons are null and void. As we know right from time of Christ ‘ among twelve there is Judas and for Enogie to parade these disgruntled persons is tantamount to staining his integrity. This have been the usual practice over the years, some things need not be said for now.

“The oldest and the head of the Iwevbo Community is Chief Joseph Ukueku JP who has stood tall over the years against the sham association called Orogho Dukedom.

“I am of the best advice to the Enogie to allow peace rain in Iwevbo as the law has set the people of Iwevbo free from modern slavery. I also advise him to consult a good lawyer to educate him the position of the PIA and what it takes to call a place a community and stop fueling crisis in communities just as he did in Obanakhorho community where Oba of Benin appointed Okawo.

“Nobody is protesting against the Enogie royalty entitlement and he should stop taking what is meant for communities under the guise of his sham Dukedom that is already prohibited by Edo state property law of 2017.”

“Iwevbo people are Urhobo people living in Edo State. They have their own community right from time before the death of Jesus Christ. We have been there for decades and we have no boundaries with anybody. We are surrounded by desert. God placed us in a place where nobody should fight us. We are blessed with oil but for the fact that the Enogie who is supposed to be a custodian of tradition just as he did against the Obanakhorho community and claimed the oil wells with his power as the Enogie of Orogho, is making and formulating problems to deny Iwevbo people of their heritage,” he said.

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