By Lucy Ezeliora
Residents of Okwe Community in Oshimili South Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on Governor Sheriff Obowevwori to address the alleged exclusion of their community and Traditional Ruler, HRH Obi Samuel Akaraiwe, from the distribution of development funds and recognition allocated to three traditional rulers: Asaba, Oko, and Okwe.
During a recent protest, Comrade Ijeh Steve, President General of Okwe Community, revealed that a statutory amount designated for the three communities—Asaba, Oko, and Okwe—has not been equitably shared, with Okwe yet to receive any portion.
According to Comrade Steve, in 2015, a dispute between the Akor of Oko Community and HRM, the Asagba of Asaba, over the sharing formula led to the freezing of their joint account with the Local Government. A resolution effort was initiated by the Chairman of Oshimili South Local Government Area, Hon. Kelvin Ezeyili, who set up a committee to mediate between the traditional rulers of Asaba and Oko. However, the Okwe Community was notably excluded from this reconciliation process.
He expressed concerns that representatives from Asaba and Oko were part of the committee, which arrived at a sharing ratio of 70% for Asaba and 30% for Oko, leaving Okwe with nothing. Additionally, the Onowu of Okwe discovered that Asaba and Oko had reached an out-of-court settlement, agreeing to disburse the accumulated funds without considering Okwe.
Comrade Steve emphasized that since the creation of the Local Government Area, the Traditional Ruler of Okwe has always been acknowledged as a separate autonomous entity, and the current exclusion undermines this recognition, threatening peaceful coexistence in the region.
Mr. Akaraiwe Joseph, Secretary of the Okwe Community Development Association, reiterated that their demand is for equity, fairness, and justice. “We cannot be excluded from the sharing formula by the LGA,” he stated, urging the state government to intervene and address the perceived injustice, which he claimed has suppressed the Okwe Community’s rightful claims.
Meanwhile, HRM, Obi Epiphany Azinge, the Asagba of Asaba, through his Media Director, Ogbueshi Sylvan Oforgu, reaffirmed his commitment to peace, justice, and equity. He clarified that the palace has no involvement in the issues facing Okwe Community, emphasizing that it is up to the Local Government Chairman to address the matter affecting Asaba, Oko, and Okwe communities.
