Divided By Royalties
BY HENDRIX OLIOMOGBE, BENIN CITY
THOUGH the civil strife in rustic Iyuku-Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Council of Edo State may be linked to a chieftancy dispute, a deeper peep reveals that the control of royalties from granites mined in the community is the remote cause, as whoever occupies the chieftancy stool has unlimited access to the royalties paid by the five quarries there.
BETWEEN November 6 and 10 this year, echoes of gunshots reverberated in the air of this once peaceful rocky village. Even before the last gunshot fired in anger died down, over eight people had died and several others were injured. The ugly war has pitched brothers against brothers. Many internally displaced people sought refuge in Auchi, Jattu and other neighbouring communities, as anarchy reigned supreme.
In Liberia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola, it is known as blood diamond. In the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, it is a dirty fight over oil money that is said to be the root of all the evils in that area. In Iyuku, it granites that has pitched the people against themselves, with the allegations of mining companies fuelling the crises rife.
The genesis of the crisis can be traced to 1992 when the village head, Chief Momoh Ilegieuno, who was appointed by the former Ogieneni of Uzairue in 1967 was deposed by the people after been on the throne for a quarter of a century. Some forces said to have been led by Alhaji Momodu Adamu, Alhaji Dirisu Unoakhe and Ogiearekhai Kadiri shoved him from the throne. He was accused, among other things, of misappropriating the royalties.
In his stead was Alhaji Zakari Abubakar. He has been piloting the affairs of the village to the chagrin of Alhaji Francis Omogbai, the Ogieneni and paramount ruler of Uzairueland, who was said to have been unhappy over developments in the community.
Denied of what he believed to be his legitimate claim to the throne, Ilegieuno headed straight to the Auchi High Court to seek redress. He finally got a reprieve after twelve whole years, and with the waiting game supposedly over, Ilegieuno thought it was time to once again mount the throne of his forebearers.
In a judgement of May 31 this year, Justice C.O. Idahosa of the Auchi High Court declared, among other things, that in accordance with the relevant laws, the defendants cannot solely on their own volition depose, remove or suspend Ilegieuno from office as the village head of Iyuku.
The judge further declared that the purported removal of and deposition of Ilegieuno as the village head of Iyuku by the defendants on or about January 19, 1992 is contrary to the Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Edict of 1992 and therefore null, void and of no effect whatsoever.
In addition, he declared the appointment of Alhaji Zakari Abubakar as the village head of the community as wrong in law and contrary to Iyuku-Uzairue customary law, practice and traditions and therefore null, void and of no effect.
He went further to restrain Abubakar from parading himself as village head of Iyuku and or performing the duties or functions and or receiving the customary perquisites attached to the office of village head of Iyuku-Uzairue.
The defendants were also retrained from appointing Abubakar and presenting him or any other person as village head of Iyuku to the Ogieneni of Uzairue during the lifetime of the plaintiff or until he is validly removed from his office as village head of Iyuku in accordance with the customary law, practice and tradition of Iyuku-Uzairue and the Traditional Rulers and Chief Edict of 1979.
The Waziri of Jattu, Alhaji Oshoizimede Ajanaku, a retired policeman, explained that it was the attempt to implement the judgement of the Auchi High Court that triggered off the mayhem. Ilegieuno had sent some workmen to renovate the palace in preparation for his second coming when some forces bitterly opposed to reign swooped on them.
He recalled that in 1990 when some people in Iyuku, whom he labelled dissidents, tabled some allegations against Ilegieuno, Ogieneni Francis Abubakar Omogbai investigated the allegation of financial impropriety and found same to be untrue.
Ajanaku alleged that Abubakar and his group wants to secede from Uzairue for them to corner the royalties. He stated that the deal was sold to Ilegieuno who opposed it, warning that it was an abomination capable of inviting the wrath of the gods, as Iyuku from the beginning had always been part and parcel of Uzairue.
The Waziri said that the formula for sharing the royalties has always been that 30 per cent of the money that accrues to any of the 21 villages that make up the clan is given to the host community, another 30 per cent to the entire clan and the remainder is given to Ogieneni and his chiefs.
"Way back in 1992, shortly after he was deposed, the exiled chief was attacked and his properties burnt down. He lost all that he had in the mayhem and had to seek refuge in Jattu. He couldn't enter Iyuku because of the threat to his life," he said.
The spokesman said that the determined efforts of the youthful Ogieneni to amicably resolve the issue met a brickwall, as the villagers would not want to hear of the deposed ruler staging a come back. As far as they were concerned, he was history and so should keep away from the community.
He said that all along, the Ogieneni who alone has the power to appoint village heads never recognised Abubakar, who in any case had no tangible result to show for what, he insisted was his twelve years of misrule and reign of terror.
The Waziri further alleged that in clear violation of Uzairue customary law, the self appointed village head has signed several agreements and memorandum of understanding with several companies in Iyuku. "The tradition is that when any company or revenue is coming to the village, the village head comes with the company to the Ogieneni, where they jointly sign the agreement. The village head signs on behalf of the village while Ogieneni signs on behalf of the whole of Uzairue," he said.
Following what the Waziri said was a "Unilateral Declaration of Independence" by the dissidents, the tradition was thrown to the winds and the village head has been single-handedly signing all the agreements.
Iyuku is located on the southern part of Etsako, and about ten kilometres from Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area. It is at the foothills of the legendary Kukuruku mountain chain in northern Edo State.
Two of the quarries operating in the area, Saydown and Nigercat are owned by Lebanese. Others are Bachel, Mogaji, Qitorial and Mac Clines.
According to Ajanaku, a mock coffin dumped at the crumbling palace of Ilegieuno had resulted into a shouting match between the carriers and the workmen. Pushing soon gave way to shoving and degenerated into violence on that hot afternoon of November 6, leaving blood everywhere on the streets of Iyuku. And for six days, there was an orgy of killing. It will take divine intervention for things to be the same again, as the opposing camps are not shifting ground.
Take the case Pa Qodoer Alikhayemhe, a centenarian who swore by his grey hair that there is no way Ilegieuno who will ever become the village head of Iyuku again.
Notwithstanding the judgement of the High Court, Alikhayemhe explained that way back in 1977 when he (Ilegieuno) was appointed, he was supposed to be a regent for one Adamu Ilegieuno who lived in Ibadan then, but in the process usurped it. He said when Adamu came back and attempted to reclaim what he felt was duly his; he fell sick and suddenly died.
The beleaguered village head was senior to Adamu but was technically disqualified from the throne because his mother hailed from Iyuku. "By our tradition, the village head must be born of a woman who is not from Iyuku. The fact that Ilegieuno's mother is from Iyuku knocked him out of the race automatically hence the regency," Alikhayemhe explained.
The last straw that broke the back of the ruler, the Octogenarian said, was the misappropriation of the royalty which one of the construction companies paid to the community. He said that the youths rose in revolt against him and chased him out of the palace. "It was a collective resolution of the whole community to depose him," adding that to make matter worse, all the original kingmakers who initially endorsed Ilegieuno as the regent disowned him shortly before they passed on. "So bringing him back will be offending the spirits of the dead."
He alleged that it was the supporters of the exiled village head that ignited the fight when in a desperate effort to reclaim the stool, they started attacking fellow villagers whom they branded as enemies. "They held the village hostage as sounds of gunshots became a common occurrence in the village."
The reaction of the other camp, he noted, was strictly in defence. "They merely rose to chase those crazy charlatans away from the village." He claimed not aware of any deaths or destruction.
In accordance with the custom of Iyuku, he explained that when Ilegieuno was deposed, Abubakar was chosen by the kingmakers and rightly installed. "They never intended to secede from Uzairue and that was the reason why they went to the traditional headquarters to see the Ogieneni so as to get his blessings. The Ogieneni never uttered a word throughout the several meetings we had with him. He has proved to be indecisive. He could have prevented the bloodbath," he said sadly.
He denied being aware of any court judgement that bar Abubakar from parading himself as the village head.
A father of four and a native of Iyuku, Mr. Shaibu Ijayeola, 38, is a driver. Presently seeking refuge at Jattu, he recalled that on November 5, he had gone to the palace of the deposed village head to carry out some renovation when he was suddenly attacked by some youths heavily armed with guns and machetes which they waved menacingly.
He explained that even as he ran for his life, the angry youths were right on his heels and his persistent pleadings fell on deaf ears. He was shot on the left breast and is only lucky to be alive, with about four pellets extracted from his chest. A Good Samaritan who found him hiding in the rocks volunteered to take him to the hospital where he was treated.
All his properties were burnt, with the shirt and pairs of trousers he had on being all he has left. He now lives off friends and well wishers. He dares not set his foot on the land of his birth for now as the youths are still determined to hack him down if he does.
Imagine the cases of Captain Aliu Itsumafe and Warrant Officer Sunday Aliu. Both were murdered in cold blood during the "madness" and their corpses burnt beyond recognition. Their properties were also set on fire by the frenzied mob. Their crime was that they chose to take sides in the tussle.
A very bitter Olarenwaju Itsumafe, the son of the 97-year-old veteran lamented that he is going to live with a crowd of very sour memories for the rest of his life, having lost a brother and his dear daddy in the mayhem.
"My father and my brother's sins were that they advised the community to obey the court judgement. For that, they were branded as traitors," he said amid sighing deeply.
A checkpoint manned by about five policemen welcomes you to the small village. The larger anti-riot policemen that were deployed there in the wake of the crisis have been withdrawn a situation that Olarenwaju can not understand.
"To make matter worse, there is just no way I can bury them at Iyuku, considering the circumstances of their death and the still tense situation. Royalties from the quarries is the root of all these atrocities," he bemoaned.
Ijayeola's pregnant wife, Mariam, maintained that she was at Jattu Market on that fateful day when news got to her that there was a commotion in the village. Her husband was said to have been shot while the children were missing. She virtually abandoned all her wares and dashed off to the village, about ten kilometres away, where she found her four lovely kids in the arms of a neighbour.
She was assaulted and detained by the village toughs. Her husband was no where to be found and his fate unknown. Unconfirmed reports had it that he was dead. So she ran into the bush with some other "outlaws" and hid in the rocks for about four days, at the mercy of the elements, until they were able to trek to Jattu where they are presently taking asylum. "We can't go home now. All our properties were burnt. Besides, we are not save," her husband chipped in.
Another refugee, Pa Adamu Ahmadu, a farmer, 60, has four wives and many children. He was part of the workmen that went to the palace of Ilegieuno on November 6 to renovate in preparation for his triumphant entry into the village following the court's judgement.
The roof of the dilapidated palace had long been turn by a storm and had to be mended. Ahmadu was helping to renovate it when he was chased away by armed youths singing anti-Ilegieuno's slogan as they fired at them. He is only alive because he retreated early enough.
But that was just a rehearsal for the reign of terror that was soon to be unleashed on the village on November 11. He was sitting at the facade of a friend's house, one Mr. Usman Abu, chatting, when they came calling. A hail of bullets heralded their arrival. He managed to escape. But his friend was not so lucky.
He could only bury his hypertensive sister, Ayi, who died in an Auchi hospital during the crisis in the village except under heavy security escort. His first attempt almost ended in tragedy, as the irate villagers attacked him.
Just like the other internally displaced persons who are scattered all over the neighbouring communities, Ahmadu now depend on the goodwill of friends and well-wishers to survive. There would be no home for him even when he decides to go back, as his house was razed.
The Iyuku Elders Council saw the anarchy coming and wrote a petition dated August 30, this year to the Inspector-General of Police, drawing his attention to what they said was the harassment and intimidation by supporters of Abubakar.
Jointly signed by Abu Idaluekhai of Iyowu quarter; Shaibu Imoemilua of Iyakhara quarter; Kadiri Torogiwa of Ugbenor quarter; and Adamu Idaewor of Orere quarter, the petitioners alleged that some people have been using the police to harass, arrest and persecute anti-Abubakar forces.
They also alleged that the police has been making arrests on spurious allegations, warning that: "The situation has now degenerated to a level where 95 per cent of Iyuku citizens can no longer stay peacefully in their homes, go to farms or markets without harassment from the police. It is by the grace of God that the patience of this more than 95 per cent of Iyuku people have not reached the limit. When this patience is exhausted, it may result to tit for tat and then loss of lives and properties," they wrote presciently.
In their own petition to Governor Lucky Igbinedion and dated November 19, this year, C.A Asemokhai; Isah Yakubu; S.B. Shaibu; C.A. Musa and the deposed village head, Chief Momoh Ilegieuno, pointedly accused some of the foreign companies of fuelling the crisis. "The motive of the company is to divide the people so that they cannot come together to ask the company for their legitimate due," they wrote.
Just like in other mineral rich areas, they accused the companies of arming the youths and hiring mercenaries to cause mayhem in the community. They therefore demanded among other things, an independent investigation of the matter; the trial of those found to be involved in the bloodletting; the resettlement of hundreds of residents who have since sought refuge elsewhere; the provision of relief materials; and the prosecution and deportation of the foreigners involved in the crisis.
Over eight people were said to have been killed during the crisis while several others were injured. For there be genuine reconciliation, a youth and community leader, Alhaji Baba Saliu called for patience, noting that the Ogieneni has set up a committee to look into the crisis and proffer solutions. He is optimistic that the committee's report will go a long way in finding an enduring solution. "I think we should wait for the outcome of the panel. It is made up of eminent men. There shall be peace in Iyuku," he said optimistically.
But with the warring parties not ready to concede an inch, such optimism may just be mere wishful thinking.
The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Fatai Kinyomi, said about four people were killed, while several others injured in the disturbances during which guns, battle axes and other dangerous weapons were freely used.
Kinyomi explained that some suspects have been charged to court, while a small garrison of policemen have been stationed in the community to forestall any recurrence of violence. "Investigations are still on, but as at now, the place is calm," the police image maker assured.
|
