Kelvin's armed gang in military fatigue Source: Vanguard
By Jon Egie
Ten years after the violent crisis that broke up in the Urhobo oil producing community of Kokori in Agbon kingdom of Delta State in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria when freedom fighters under the aegis of Liberation Movement of Urhobo People, LIMUP, led by Kelvin Oniarah took up arms against the State, the community is yet to get a taste of the much desired socioeconomic development and thereby making the purpose of the agitation and struggle and the loss of lives of the Nigeria security cum military personnel as well as those of the agitators killed in the process fruitless and vainglorious.
A recent investigation carried out by Spy News revealed that Kokori parades 22 oil wells with the second to the best crude in the world.
It would be recalled that the community was thrown into disarray on September 25, 2013 when news of the arrest of the leader of LIMUP, Kelvin Oniarah, filtered into town.
A report by the national daily, Vanguard, published on September 23, 2013 painted a graphic picture of the situation of the town when the military invaded Kokori in search of Kelvin and his gang
LIMUP, a gang of young indigenes of the community had organized themselves to agitate for fair deal in the distribution of proceeds of oil made available by the oil prospecting companies and the government. They accused the elders of the community of shortchanging the youths and confronted them violently. The elders reported the activities of LIMUP to the government who invited the police and soldiers to contain the activities of the youths who were labelled kidnappers and terrorists. But the youths called themselves freedom fighters.
Apart from being oil producing, the community is also agrarian, has inbuilt progressive strength with an industrious and hardworking population of men and women who are up and doing.
As early as 4am, they are on their way to their farms and various business places. The community has the highest number of bakeries in Delta State and as such, it is a major supplier of bread to places like Benin, Warri, Isoko, Kwale and other neighbouring communities.
Kokori is a palm trees farmers’ hub and hence, a major producer of palm oil especially with the passing of the era of rubber cultivation and rubber latex processing. There is also the cultivation of Okra in commercial quantity and individualized cassava farming for the production of garri. The community is not left out in the growing trend of fish farming with a significant number of indigenes doing well in the business.
Regrettably, in the midst of all this, government input is zero. An indigenous palm oil producer who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity but chosed to be identified simply as Monday, accused the various tiers of government of criminal neglect to the development of a community that has contributed over 64 billion naira to the national coffers since 1958. He pointed out that the Erhoike Cottage Hospital typifies deliberate neglect by government and that St Kevin’s College that is run by the Catholic church is the only institution that signals corporate presence in the community.
“The cottage hospital is totally rural, no life and it is in an oil producing community of Kokori. Whatever government or Shell pays does not affect the community rather, ends up in individual pockets, showing lack of good thought for good life.
“The level of individualized selfishness is not allowing the community to grow and that constitutes major challenges for progress such that today, Kelvin Oniarah who came up with the spirit of patriotism to organize ways to attract government attention and to bring development to the community is alleged to be languishing in detention at Abuja without any effort on the part of Urhobo elected members of the National Assembly (Senate and House of Reps) to secure his release. All are cocooned into their small individual selfish interest. Other such persons that have come from Ijaw nation, for instance, Tompolo, are today national heroes. Urhobo wallop in total deprivation and is thrown into obscurity and thus lacking relevance in the scheme of things. Those who ought to do and those inclined not to do and the generality of the public put together are all worse for it. Even the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, should it be indifferent to the Kelvin case and the rising spirit that is brought to the mud?” He asked.
Vigilante leader of the community who acts as security and youth leader of the community, Sunday Ese, speaking with our reporter reiterated that the Kelvin Episode was necessitated by neglect of the development of the community in spite of the wealth of it’s natural endowment. He said ten years after the bloody crisis that ensued as a result of agitation by the youths for better life and living, “Nothing is happening. We are not even considered as oil producing community, road to Erhoike is very bad. We are just working for peace in the town, we do not benefit anything from the state government, the local government collects revenue from the community market which attracts traders from all over Urhoboland and yet the dilapidated facilities in the market are abandoned.”
Asked if the youths would engage in any action to protest the neglect, possibly reminiscing on the experience of the past ten years during the Kelvin led agitation, he said, “No! There is no agitation and no plan for any agitation presently from the youths because nobody wants to die. So, we take it as it is.”
According to him, very many youths of the community were either killed, maimed or arrested during the crisis. Those who managed to escape saved their lives, for instance, Ochuko Simeon Orheruata, a motorcycle mechanic who mobilized many motorcyclists in support of the agitation in 2013 lost his father, was shot on the leg but he managed to escape and we hear he is seeking asylum in Europe. Others were not as lucky. The Chief priest (Ose-Igbe) who allegedly prepared charms for Kelvin is said to have died in detention, and the fate of so many others is unknown.
“Our politicians stayed away and nobody made any move to secure the release of Kelvin who was fighting for the betterment of Urhobo people but was labelled a kidnapper and terrorist. So, there is no agitation presently from the youths. Nobody wants to die.”
Meanwhile, effort to reach Hon. Innocent Anidi, member representing Ethiope East in the Delta State House of Assembly for comment on the issue was futile at press time.
Sources however claimed that the lawmaker could be helpless in drawing the State government attention to the development demands of the community especially as he is the only member of the opposition party, APC, among the 29 members of the House with 28 others being PDP.
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