Pa. Anthony Egharevba the acting Odionwere
By Kingsley Abavo, Benin
The great Oba of Benin kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has always made it categorically clear to the people and the various villages in the kingdom to embrace peace, so that there will be meaningful development in the land.
He also emphasized the need for the villages in the kingdom to go back to the days of old when they had inter-village relationship, traditional competitions organized; the elders telling the people stories in the village square, inter village cultural dance and other activities that bond the people and promote peaceful coexistence between the villages in the kingdom.
The great Oba in his wisdom ensure the people are given the opportunities to present their complaints bothering on hereditary, land and boundary dispute brought before the Palace.
The Oba graciously sit on the throne to resolve the various disputes before him; and most villages that were hitherto ridden with communal crises and other related issues, are now enjoying peaceful coexistence with their neighbours; leading to the much desired development.
However, with all the Oba’s efforts to ensure the various villages coexist peacefully, there still exist some pockets of communal crisis in some of them.
A point in case; is the land tussle between the people of Ekasa Village and Ekowe in Ovia North East Area of the State.
For the records, Pa. Anthony Egharevba the acting Odionwere (Head of the elders Council) of Ekasa Village narrated their ordeal.
Ekasa village came into being during the reign of Oba Overamwen N’ Ogbaisi, and has common boundary with Ekobodowa, Abumwenre and Ogunwenyi Villages respectively; and on the Western side, is Okhuo River.
He said they have had many edionwere in Ekasa and each one spent no less than 35 years in charge of the village.
The last one was Pa. Ewere who spent over 33 years as Odionwere.
Pa. Anthony Egharevba continuing said Ekowe Village is at the back of Abumwenre Village and that they do not share any boundary with them.
Hence the surprise that they jumped two villages to come to Ekasa claiming the land belong to them.
“They have been terrorizing us with thugs armed with guns and dangerous weapons, chased us all out of the Village to forcefully seize our land; established burrow pit for sand mining business.
“We have made several attempts to see the odionwere of Ekowe, Pa. Alfred Aiguanomwan Agbontaen, called his phone lines severally without response for more than three weeks, I took the pains to go look for him in Benin and we eventually saw him.
“We told him we came to see him concerning the guns and thugs he deployed to our Village to chase us out; he could not deny it and we pleaded with with him to order his thugs and his boys to stop work in Ekasa borrow pit.”
“He promised to come to the Village to address the situation but up to this time of narrating our ordeal to the press; he has not come and we do not have children to sacrifice because of land issues.
“Hence our appeal to our Oba of the great Benin kingdom and other relevant security agencies to come to our aid.
Also speaking, one of the elders, Bernard Egieoze said the people of Ekasa Village raised the alarm over the alleged forceful take over of their land, by the people of Ekowe village.
It is on record, that Ekasa do not have common boundary with Ekowe Village and were surprised, when suddenly they by-passed their immediate neighbouring Villages to take over their land for burrow pit.
He coroborated the statement of the Odionwere that when they tried stoping them, Ekowe people threatened them with guns and other dangerous weapons warning that if they were not careful, they will over run the entire Village and nothing will happen.
Hence their appeal to the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, and all relevant authorities for urgent intervention.
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