As the protest against Chevron Nigeria Limited by indigenes of the oil-rich Ugborodo Community in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, run into days, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), has directed both parties to maintain status quo immediately.
According to the Head, Warri Regional Office of NUPRC, Chief Ogunjobi Olusegun Benjamin, who was addressing the press in his Warri office on Saturday, May 20, 2023, the status quo directive is to allow for amicable resolution of the matter at stake.
Chief Benjamin who told the press, representatives of Chevron and other stakeholders in attendance that the press statement he was reading was sent to him directly from the headquarters of NUPRC in Abuja, stated that the Commission will be inviting the aggrieved parties to a meeting to find a lasting solution to the issues raised.
The press statement read in part, “The attention of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been drawn to the ongoing complaints by the indigenes of Ugborodo Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria, regarding the composition of Trustees of the HCDT.
“The Commission in line with its statutory mandate on the implementation of the Hostcom provisions in the PIA to ensure peace and conducive operating environment for upstream operations, has directed that status quo be maintained immediately” by parties “to allow for amicable resolution of the matter at stake.”
“The NUPRC is using this opportunity to request the Ugborodo Community and all concerned parties to remain calm and allow peace to reign while assuring all parties of our unwavering regulatory support and continued efforts towards ensuring effective implementation of the Hostcom provisions in the PIA,” the statement assured.
Meanwhile, the Ugborodo Community said her attention has been drawn to an unsigned press statement wherein the name of former Chairman of the Ugborodo Community Trust (UCT), Mr. Augustine Oboroegbeyi was generously mentioned, “albeit nichodamously, vis-a-vis the ongoing well-meaning peaceful protest by the people of Ugborodo Community against Chevron Nigeria Limited.” In a press statement signed by Alex Eyengho as response by Ugborodo Community “to the cocktail of misinformation and outright lies by the former UCT Chairman, Mr. Oboroegbeyi and his awfully depleted cohorts.”
“Contrary to the warped reasoning of Mr. Oboroegbeyi and his scanty cohorts, the press briefing they referred to, was manifestly addressed by the Igbajor of Ugborodo Community, Prince Perry Atete, for and on behalf of the community, as directed by the Eghare-Aja of Ugborodoland, Eghare Daniel Uwawah. The Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami did not and could not have scripted the said press briefing, as alleged by the obviously confused and mischievous Oboroegbeyi and his hirelings.”
“On the issue of autonomy of Ugborodo Community, authors of the badly reasoned and written press statement in their clear state of haemorrhage of the brain, still enjoyed temporary moment of sanity, when they agreed with us that, like all other “communities in Warri Kingdom,” Ugborodo Community is “autonomous administratively.” This point was well made by Ugborodo Community through Prince Atete in the referenced press briefing. It is elementary reasoning that all Itsekiri communities within and outside Warri Kingdom are part of the throne and monarchical system of the Kingdom on the basis of mutual respect between members of the royal family, the five pre-monarchy Itsekiri communities in particular, post-monarchy Itsekiri communities and all other Itsekiri nobles (Omajaja). However, all these communities (pre or post Warri Monarchy) have their respective autonomous administrative system and organs. The one for Ugborodo federated Communities (mainly Ijaghala, Madangho, Ajudaibo, Ogidigben and Ode-Ugborodo) is centralised in Ode-Ugborodo as headquarters of the Ugborodo Community under the headship of the Eghare-Aja and other members of the Council of Elders, who see to the day-to-day affairs of the community. If need be, the Eghare-Aja-led Council of Elders, may decide to set up a tenured Ugborodo Community Trust (UCT) or Ugborodo Community Management Committee (UCMC) to run the day-to-day activities of Ugborodo Community for and on behalf of the Eghare-Aja-led Council of Elders and the entire Ugborodo Community. Suffice it to say that the various Olare-Ajas of the five principal Ugborodo sub communities earlier mentioned, are indeed the eyes and ears (representatives) of the Eghare-Aja-led Ugborodo Community Council of Elders, in such communities. All key decisions are taken at Ode-Ugborodo, headquarters of Ugborodo federated communities. This is the ageless and timeles structure and organ of Ugborodo Community. On the issue of “Palace Watch (Ghigho – Aghofen) and visit of the Olu to Ugborodo Community” referred to by Oboroegbeyi and his co-travelers, the Ugborodo Community, through a letter signed by the Eghare-Aja to the Olu, made it manifestly clear that Ugborodo Community will not be part of the “Ghigho-Aghofen” in any way whatsoever for the reasons that Ugborodo is an ancient Community of peculiar culture and traditions (Aja-Oro), and Ugborodo Community does not have dance to entertain people. However, we heard from street talks that a few Ugborodo indigenes in their individual capacities, a few other Itsekiris and non Itsekiris, were dressed up and purportedly represented Ugborodo Community in the “Ghigho Aghofen” exercise. Also, Olus of Warri have always visited the ancient Ugborodo Community. So, it is not in any way news that the Olu visited recently.”
The press statement stated further that, “on the PIA, the position is that the Eghare-Aja-led Ugborodo Community Council of Elders and the entire Ugborodo Community, are not aware of what Chevron is doing or has done thus far regarding the PIA in Ugborodoland. All we hear from street talks is that Chevron met with some individuals in far away Warri South Local Government Area to collate names of Trustees for the PIA (onshore and offshore). Let it be made manifestly clear for the umpteenth time that all such names are unknown to Ugborodo Community because Chevron has not visited or consulted with Ugborodo Community on the PIA matter. This is despite series of calls and letters to Chevron regarding the need for both parties to meet on the PIA matter. The so-called registration of the PIA Board of Trustees for Ugborodo Community is unknown to the community, PIA and the supporting Regulations. We insist that the letter and spirit of the PIA/Regulations in terms of implementation in Ugborodoland, must be followed religiously without any form of tweaking, manipulation or doctoring. If Chevron claims to do somethings in the name of convenience, we insist that it should go back to the National Assembly and seek for relevant amendments to the PIA. Until this is done, the extant PIA must be respected and upheld in its implementation. Anything short of this is a recipe for anarchy and plethora of avoidable litigations.”
“It is important to state that the PIA issue in Ugborodoland is just one of the many reasons for the ongoing protest by Ugborodo Community against Chevron Nigeria Limited. Other issues include but not limited to lack of electricity, portable water, the existential ocean surge and dire need for world class shore protection, employment/empowerment/contract awards to indigenous companies, open-camp system, building of staff quarters in Ugborodoland, divide-and-rule policy of the company, among several other reasons.
“All other things Oboroegbeyi and his co-travelers talked about in the said press statement, are figment of their warped imagination. The 3-year tenure of the Augustine Oboroegbeyi-led UCT, expired since August 2, 2022 and the Ugborodo Community Council of Elders communicated this in writing to Chevron immediately. Sadly, Chevron has been dealing with the expired UCT all along. May we use this opportunity to tell the world for the umpteenth time that it is criminally illegal for Augustine Oboroegbeyi, Ayo Ayomike and any other of their co-travelers to parade themselves as executives and members of a non existent Ugborodo Community Trust (UCT). The administration of Ugborodo Community has been under the Eghare-Aja-led Ugborodo Community Council of Elders, until they direct otherwise,” Eyengho pointed out.
