By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
Otogor community, the traditional headquarters of the Ogor kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State recently heaved a sign of relief as its president general, Hon. U.K. Emmanuel Tobi Ediri, and his executive cabinet organized a town hall meeting to discuss some salient issues confronting them as a community and to also present account of his stewardship, with a call for peace and unity.
In his opening remarks to the large crowd of community members that attended the meeting at the community town hall, Hon. Ediri, who was highly elated over the attendance, thanked the Otogor people especially their revered monarch and his council of chiefs for their “continuous support” to his administration.
“The purpose of this town hall meeting is to discuss our common needs and desires in this community. We are going to discuss issues on security, electricity consumption, our general governance and other important issues confronting us as a community.
“To achieve the meeting’s agenda, we have with us here, the BEDC business manager of Ughelli business unit to sensitize us on the area of electricity. While the DPO of the Ughelli Police Station, ‘A’ Division is also here to talk to us on the area of security. We invited these two public personalities to let us know how important energy and security are in our daily lives. Once again, we welcome all of you to this all-important town hall meeting to brainstorm over our common problems and how to provide solutions to them.”
Speaking on the issue of electricity consumption and general maintenance of BEDC facilities in Otogor community, the business head, technical operations in the Ughelli business unit, Engr. Olorunfemi A. Makun, told the people to always co-operate with the president general and the electricity committee in the payment of electricity bills.
He however promised that, Otogor as their host community would continue to enjoy uninterrupted power supply as long it is available in their office. He also warned the people to desist from interfering with any of their facilities ranging from electric poles, cables, transformers etc, adding that mishandling of such facilities could cause death and other calamities in the community. He further advised them to always be safety conscious with electric gadgets.
In the same way, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Ughelli Police Station, ‘A’ Division, CSP Asaneayi Ibok, while speaking on the issue of security, described Otogor community as a very peaceful community, which has been so since he assumed office in 2021.
He therefore called on all the residents of the community to co-operate and support the Ediri-led administration and the community’s vigilante group to continue to enjoy peace and harmony at all times.
The DPO also promised the people that, he would come again to inaugurate a new vigilante group to strengthen the security network of the community. He however advised the people especially the youths to be security conscious, noting that “criminals that are not from this community can commit crimes in other places, only to run here to take refuge maybe, with friends or gang members.
“They are doing this to blackmail the Otogor people. Report such cases to the police immediately,” he said.
Presenting some of the new policies and bye-laws the leadership had reached with the elders of the community, the president general, Hon. U.K. Emmanuel Tobi Ediri said, “On behalf of my executive cabinet and our respected elders, I want to present the following resolutions and bye-laws to all the indigenes and residents of Otogor community as agreed by all of us.
“First, we have dissolved all sub-committees in the community. On no account, should anybody or group of people parade themselves as members of one committee or the other without our approval and announcement. We shall constitute new sub-committees very soon. At the moment, we have a tax force committee mandated to do all the works until the new sub-committees shall be constituted. However, in order to carry along all the non-indigenes in the community in this our government, we have appointed a non-indigene as the chairman to head the newly constituted electricity committee.
“Secondly, we have banned from today, the roaming of domestic animals like rams, goats and dogs in the community, terrorizing the people and destroying people’s farms. But you are free to keep such animals in a fenced apartments or gardens. If such animals are seen roaming around the community, we therefore permitted the youths to kill them and the owner shall also be fined.
“Thirdly, no land owner should be heard of selling the same piece of land to two or more people at the same time. If such a person is caught, he/she would be dealt with according to the provisions of the law. Fourthly, every act or form of stealing is completely banned in Otogor community. If anybody is caught in the act of stealing, he/she would be fined the sum of N50,000.00 and then handed over to the police for further interrogation.
“Again, on no account should anybody or group of youths terrorize developers in the community. If anybody have issues, then such a person should report to us to settle that matter. And I also want to announce to you that, very soon we shall elect new youth leaders in the community. Therefore, nobody should parade himself as one youth this or that to disturb the peace of the community,” the PG said.
High point of the meeting was the formal introduction of members of the Ediri-led executive as the new elected leadership in Otogor community. Those introduced were Hon. U.K. Emmanuel Tobi Ediri (president)’ Bro. Stanley Amawhawha (vice president), Mr. Elijah Edojah (secretary), Mr. Goodluck Awharerhi (elder), Comr. Solomon Agbini (treasurer), Mr. David Okoyo (ex-officio), Engr. Emmanuel Esiri (ex-officio), Mr. Irorobeje Andrew Alaka (financial secretary), Mr. Peter Abemu (chief whip), Mr. Blessing Igbonodje (organizing secretary) and Mr. Abraham Ophori (PRO).
The town hall meeting was attended by youths, men, women, elders and chiefs of Otogor community. Others include non-indigenes and residents of the community, among others.
