It was celebration in Ekpan today(6/11/21) as the Ekpan Development Committee(EDC) Chairman, Mr. Stephen Akemu(Astone) is released from detention in Asaba over alleged kidnapping following a petition written against him after he attempted to implement the decision of the traditional council/government that all community liaison officers(CLO) must vacate office by September 2020
Speaking when Mr. Akemu paid a courtesy call on him accompanied by a large number of youths and women leaders from Ekpan, after he was granted bail, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM. Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe 1, JP. OON appeal to youths to continue to sustain the peace in the community and that they must follow the path of dialogue and court process for the issues to be resolved.
The Uvwie Monarch stressed that the era of gun politics in Uvwie was over and they must not allow those who don’t have the interest of the community to use the them for nefarious activities as Uvwie would now speak with one voice
He warned the community leaders not to engage in harmful rumours and that those whose hands were clear should have no fear as he would not support any youth leader engaging in evil acts that would take the community back to the inglorious past as everybody in Uvwie have now voted for peace and progress.
He urged the youths to always respect their elders as one day they would also be in that position and that what they did not get today they should be rest assured that tomorrow would be their turn.
Responding, Mr. Stephen Akemu said he had so much at stake in Ekpan and would continue to work for peace and would not encourage anybody to resort to violent acts.
At the end of the visit, Ekpan youths and women staged wide celebration and match through the major roads to welcome their “hero”
Counsel to Mr. Akemu, Chief Victor Otomiewo, who is also the Unuevworo of Orhokpor, while briefing the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom explained that the allegation made against Mr. Akemu would fail because no kidnaper would take the abductee to the police station. He also said the petitioner was also crying more than the bereaved as the person alleged to have been kidnapped said he was not kidnapped.
Furthermore, the incident was reported to have taken place in April 2021 without any police report while it was only September that the petitioner deemed it necessary to petition the police.
It will be recalled that last year in order to ensure sustainable peace in Ekpan, the office of the Special Advisor to the Governor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution issued a memo dated 27th January 2020 REF DTGH/PB & CR/315/104 subject matter:- Report of the intervention of my office in the crisis in Ekpan community, Uvwie Local Government area of Delta state over Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) and Community Relations Committee (CRC) members and signed by Chief Edwin Uzor (JP) – Special Advisor on Peace Building and Conflict Resolution
The report recommended 4-point that will bring the desired peace in Ekpan community
• The Ekpan Development Committee (EDC) under the leadership of Barrister Innocent Adjenugure must endeavour to work in line with the dictate of the traditional council
• The current Community Liaison Officers (C.L.O) and Community Relations Committee(CRC) members have served long enough and are given up till 30th September 2020 to wind up their activities and accordingly, vacate office on the date 30th September 2020. Within this period, the community should appoint replacement for them through the Unuevworo of the various quarter in consonance with the EDC chairman.
• Ekpan development committee(EDC) must give quarterly reports of its activities to the community through the various heads of the traditional administrative structures, which is the Unuevworo
• For the avoidance of doubt, our tentative decision of July 2015, in respect of this matter can no longer hold and accordingly, stands vacated – this is to engender the reign of peace on the community.
The community leadership acting in line with the recommendation of the state government compiled a list of new community liaison officers (CLO) and community relations committee (CRC) and sent to the special advisor to the governor on peace building and conflict resolution through HRM EMMANUEL E. SIDESO ABE I JP, OON, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom dated 9th October 2020 with ref no OUK/2020/10/06.
In return the special advisor to the governor on peace building and conflict resolution cleared all community nominee through letter dated 21th October 2020 and REF DTGH/PB&CR/260/10; this was signed by chief Edwin Uzor.
The community leadership thereafter issued letters of appointment to the Community Liaison Officers (CLO’s), and Community Relation Committee (CRC’s) members; and sent to various companies within the community and they were honoured except that of Nestoil.
