AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY LEADER OF THE
EGBEMA MASSIVE MOVEMENT (E.M.M)
ON THE OCCASION OF HER CONGRESS HELD THIS DAY
12TH FRIDAY OCTOBER 2018, AT
TOWN HALL AGGAH-EGBEMA, ONELGA, RIVERS STATE.
It is with a cheerful heart that we welcome everyone here present.
Egbema Massive Movement!!!
We all gathered today to discuss some of the pressing issues bothering us, the good people of Egbema Ethnicity in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
ONELGA means Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State and not Ogba/Ogba/Ndoni Local Government Area. In ONELGA, we have three different kingdoms with totally different mother tongue, customs and cultural practices.
Egbema Kingdom has a population of over 150,000 people therein. Egbema has over thirty (30) functional Oil Wells as Host Communities of various Oil Companies in Nigeria, as such, an oil producing area. Egbema kingdom until the time of her sudden balkanization by the then Military Government was having over 16 Towns and over 347 Villages therein until her separation during the boundary adjustment into two (2) different States of (Egbema Imo State, having 13 towns and the Egbema Rivers State now left with 3 towns and over 40 villages therein).
Egbema people of Rivers State are peace loving people and law abiding citizens of Nigeria. Egbema people of Rivers State are predominantly fisher-men and farmers with a naturally blessed fertile soil, now taken away by the daily oil exploration carried out by the various oil firms operating in our land.
As a people, we have a very unique culture which most persons believed that our cultural practices like the Abbara (fishing festival), Igwa-Ji (New Yam Celebration), Ibu-Oje, and our much cherished mood of Ira-Tu-Mia is the best definition of an African culture.
Since the creation of Rivers State in 1967 till date, Egbema as an ethic nationality in (ONELGA) cannot boost of any functional nor visible State Government contribution to her land. In the history of Political Involvement and representation, the Egbema man still begs for a place (position). So true, that since the travails of the Egbema Nationality, it has been the political party (P.D.P) not until the advent of the All Progress Congress (APC) in 2014. The year 2014 was the first time the Egbema people in ONELGA practiced two parties system in the history of their creation. The political Egbema man has been a good follower and an active party men and women
Sad indeed, why the government of the day had decided to tactically neglect the people of Egbema from the benefits of State Democracy, which from our findings is an attempt to leave us under-developed and development hungry. In every developing society there are people who positions are assigned to, not for private use but for the efficient and effective transformation of the society they stand to represent.
The Egbema people of Rivers State amidst her resources and huge contribution to the Local Government (ONELGA), Rivers State Government, Federal Government and the International Oil Companies (IOC’) still has the highest number of unemployed youths in the State. High level of dilapidated roads (Internal & Federal road), no functional General Hospital, no presence of social amenities, no State Government establishment and more so.
Most times we begin to ask ourselves the following questions:
Is Egbema Rivers State really recognized by her State Government?
What offence has the Egbema people of Rivers State committed to warrant this great injustice, neglect and abandonment by our own Local and State Government?
Why has the State Government in collaboration with our Local Government decided to continually deny us the opportunity of aspiring, not to talk of contesting for various elective positions due to our Local Government, State constituency and Federal constituency respectively?
Why is the International Oil Companies (IOC’s); Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) Limited tactically retiring our people? These person whom NAOC retrieves were employed by Agip (NAOC) on host community slot but when retired, no provisions for their replacements.
Why has the Rivers State Government decided to abandon the so much talked about construction of the Omoku-Egbema dual carriageway project fixed for completion by December, 2018?
Why has the Rivers State Government decided to maltreat the good, peace and loving people of Egbema Rivers State?
Our Okwuzi-Egbema General Hospital has been abandon, with buildings dilapidated, no employed staff, and doctors. The Government owned General Hospital in Egbema Kingdom forced to shut down because of no Government maintenance.
The Egbema people of Rivers State under the forum of Egbema Massive Movement wishes to inform the Rivers State Government and her own Local Government ONELGA about the thunderous effects of the 2018 flooding which has taken over the communities of Egbema in Rivers State. Thereby rendering our people homeless, our plants/crops destroyed, killed away our livestock’s and has made life so much difficult for us, yet, no Local Government, State Government, nor any International Oil Companies grants/aides-support in turn of relief to the internally displaced persons.
The internally flood displaced persons in Egbema has been abandoned to their own fate without even provision for housing and clothing’s to the over 10,000 displaced Egbema sons and daughters. We ask again, are we no longer part of the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State?
Yet again, we have been politically robbed. Just recently, the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC), the two major political parties with strong roots in Egbema ONELGA of Rivers State held her party primary, with (7) seven of Egbema illustrious sons vowing for the positions of State House of Assembly ONELGA Constituency II, and the AHOADA-WEST/ Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency of Rivers State.
For the various positions, the following Egbema Sons showed interest:
Hon. Chris Okey Ochije Jp (PDP) for Rivers State House of Assembly Onelga Constituency II.
Engr. Kingsley Ugwuorah (APC) for Rivers State House of Assembly Onelga Constituency II.
Mr. Prince Freeborn David (PDP) for Rivers State House of Assembly Onelga Constituency II
Engr. Chief Ekperi Nelson S.I. (PDP) House of Representative for AWELGA & Onelga Federal Constituency Rivers State.
Rev. Godstime Ogbom (APC) House of Representative for AWELGA & Onelga Federal Constituency Rivers State.
Hon. Raymond Nwokocha (APC) House of Representative for AWELGA & Onelga Federal Constituency Rivers State. S
Mr. Kentus Obiye ACP Rtd. (APC) House of Representative for AWELGA & Onelga Federal Constituency Rivers State.
Rev. (Dr.) Joseph Chukwuekele Omaegbu (PDP) House of Representative for AWELGA & Onelga Federal Constituency Rivers State.
It is disheartening to note that some aspirants used their hard earned money, some 3.8 million, another 1.5 million to purchase nomination form; campaigned, got screened and cleared yet found their names omitted on election day.
These forms were purchased at exorbitant prices. And aspirants mobilized heavily for their campaign, not knowing fully that automatic tickets have been given to other people, without been allowed to participate in the party primary election of their respective parties.
Given this development, the Egbema Massive Movement with the mandate of every Egbema born will not hesitate to dissociate itself from such unfairness, but be neutral and continually speak for the voiceless.
We want to inform both political parties, the People Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Rivers State that we are no fools. Our aspirants are all active party members and must not be treated this way like a nobody in election that should have been free and fair.
Considering the current disposition of elective and major appointive positions in ONELGA today, were we have from both political parties (Hon. Bro. Felix Amaechi Obuah Go-Round), State Party Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP) and (Hon. Sir. Prince Peter Odike Jp.), State Party Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
One would immediately believe that in ONELGA, there are two major political parties with all its State Chairman from same ONELGA.
In the Local Government Council, we have a chairman who is from Ndoni, the home town of the former Rivers State Governor (Sir) Dr. Peter Odili, the Secretary to Council from the Ogba Clan of ONELGA, the Chief of Staff to Council from Ogba Clan of Onelga. With Deputy Chairperson of Onelga from Ogba Clan of Onelga, and in the Legislative Assembly of the council, the House Leader coming from the same Ogba Clan of Onelga. Without a provision for an Egbema person in the executive & Leadership Organogram of the Local Government. That is not enough, the (2) two positions for ONELGA CONSTITUENCY I & II in the 8th Rivers State House of Assembly Currently is with the candidates from the PDP & APC of the Ogba Clan of ONELGA.
In the State level, appointive positions were given; 3 Special Advisory slot, 1 Commissioner’s Position, Members of various Institutions Board, Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and among others.
All an Egbema man could gain is a position for special advisory slot on Donor Agency & International Relation Partners which does not in any way befit’s us in a Local Government that got this much from the State Government. An Egbema man deserves the right to enjoy also the benefits of governance.
That is not enough, the position for the Federal House of Representative currently due ONELGA is with the incumbent from Ogba Clan and now the PDP flag bearer for that position, why the All Progressive Congress APC in turn zoned her position for the same House of Representative to the Ndoni Clan of ONELGA, leaving the minority and resources endowed people of Egbema Clan of ONELGA with no elective position. The PDP and APC in Onelga should realize that we are not only good in voting for people, but also deserves to be voted for.
Our position as visionary people of Egbema in Rivers State is simple, we have all unanimously agreed as a people to keep to ourselves our over 30,000 votes and we wish to inform the various political parties that has refused our Egbema Sons a chance to participate in a free and fair election, that we will not be part of a show that it’s king will not be crowned. Enough is enough, we don’t have any interest on who becomes, but all we want is for an Egbema Man to be given a place in her own Local and State Government.
We will remain natural in the next election because the political parties that have built their root in our land do not recognize us and will want to let them know that we are a people who feels pain and knows how to console ourselves when pained.
If this be the position of Nde Egbema let me hear an I!
Thank you and God bless you for coming.
Signed: Comr. I.E. Kelly Rufus
Leader, Egbema Massive Movement (E.M.M)
