Okuama/Okoloba Bloodbath: Urhobo Traditional Rulers, UPU Call For Truth Commission

By Ambrose Ologide

The Executive Members of Ukoko R ‘ Ivie Urhobo ( Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers) and Executive Members of Urhobo Progress Union ( UPU) Worldwide have called on the Delta State Government to set up a Truth Commission to investigate the immediate and remote causes of the Okuama / Okoloba bloodpath.

This was contained in a communique jointly issued and signed by the executive council of the traditional rulers and executive members of UPU at the palace of HRM Dr Emmanuel Ekemejewa Sideso JP OON Abe 1, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom ( who is the chairman of the Council of Urhobo Traditional Rulers ) in Effurun Uvwie Local Government Area on Tuesday, 19th March, 2024.

The communique also stated that the causes of the frequent disagreements between the the Urhobo and Ijaw neighbours on the Forcados River of Delta State should be looked at for a permanent solution.

The communique further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to prevail on the Nigerian Army to honour a round table discussion that may be inaugurated by the Delta State Government to avoid future occurrence of such incidents in the area.

“We call on our Ijaw Traditional Rulers to join hands with us , their colleagues, Urhobo Traditional Rulers to work for sustainable peace on the Forcados River particularly between the aged long neighbours of Urhobo and Ijaw communities to achieve sustainable peace in the area,” the communique added.

The communique concluded that the Urhobo were peace loving people who have lived in peace with their Ijaw neighbours from time immemorial and the Urhobos were committed to sustaining the peace despite the unfortunate incident.

The communique had earlier commiserate with the Nigerian Army on lost of their officers and families of Okuama who lost their innocent and vulnerable lives in the crisis and ‘to those who have been rendered homeless, killed and / or displaced through the revenge mission of the Nigerian Army ‘

The communique called on all parties to the impasse to sheath their swords ‘ Two wrongs cannot make a right. Killing and counter killing and / or arson is not and never a solution. All parties must give peace a chance.”