Emerging reports suggest that traditional rulers in Delta state stormed out of a peace meeting with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo on Monday, January 16.
The traditional rulers reportedly walked out from the peace meeting with Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo at Effurun, Delta state.
It was a hectic one-day visit to Delta State for Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, as he witnessed the explosive nature of the region, with the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups disagreeing on the ownership of the site of the Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, Okerenkoko, whose take-off is a major demand by the Ijaw of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Prof Osinbajo also found himself in another tight spot when monarchs, who waited for several hours for his arrival at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Conference Hall, Effurun, got tired and angrily stormed out of the venue.
The appearance of the Vice President, who made an emergency landing at about 5p.m. with his chief host, the governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, moments after they staged a walk out, did not persuade some of the monarchs from returning, but security operatives locked the entrance, stopping their drivers from leaving the premises.
Some reluctantly returned in the circumstance. Osinbajo was accompanied on the visit by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Matters, Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) and others.
Governor Okowa led the state delegation, which included his deputy, Deacon Kingsley Otuaro, while the co-chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Amanyanabo of Twon Brass, HRM Alfred Diete-Spiff, led the former Minister of Police Affairs, Alaowei Brodrick Bozimo, Pastor Power Aginighan and HRH Anabs Sara Igbe to the event. Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) receiving the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, during his one day working visit to Delta state, at Osubi Airport.
At the troubled Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri South-West Local Government Area, the people complained that they have become more endangered and estranged by the current Nigerian state, calling on the Federal Government to reconcile them back to the national union.
The Vice President, who touched down at Oporoza onboard a Nigerian Navy 231 helicopter, at about 1209hrs, first held closed door talks with the Pere (King) of Gbaramatu, HRM Oboro Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba and his Council of Chiefs as well as host governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, among other stakeholders before an open and broader open air interaction.