By Friday Agi
The people of Egi sub-ethnic nationality in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State have demanded recognition from the Federal Government in the area of resource allocation and the making of appointments, as “rewards for the environmental hazards suffered over the past 60 years arising from oil and gas exploration and exploitation.”
This was the outcome of a one-day development summit at Obite, divisional headquarters of the clan organized by a group of university dons, Egi Professors and Academic Doctors Forum (EPADOF) in collaboration with institutional partners.
In his address, the chairman of EPADOF, Professor Daniel Ogum, who described Egiland as nature’s storage tank of crude petroleum and natural gas, maintained that the people have given Nigeria so much without commensurate rewards.
“Egi has suffered oil and gas exploitation and exploration hazards over the past 60 years. We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to recognize Egi and indeed ONELGA at large especially in the allocation of resource and the making of appointments”.
Professor Ogum who also doubled as the chairman of the summit called on multinational corporations and friends of Egi clan to support her in all sincerity to develop the area.
“We call on Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government council to take the development of Egi as a topmost priority”. The EPADOF chairman further solicited that the proposed oil and gas hub by the Rivers State Government be located in Egi land.
Professor Ogum, on behalf of the Egi people thanked “the governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Amaopusenibo Siminalayi Joseph Fubara, for working cordially with their daughter, Her Excellency, deputy governor of Rivers State, Professor Ngozi Odu.”
Professor Ogum maintained that the essence of the gathering was for the people to challenge themselves to produce a blueprint that will guide Egi development in the coming decades. According to him, the summit which is the first of its kind in the history of Egi land, was for Egi sons and daughters, both at home and in Diaspora to chart a course of progress collectively as well as resolve to guard and enrich their heritage.
“We are gathered here therefore to challenge ourselves to produce a blueprint that shall guide our development in the coming decades. We are gathered here to resolve to guard and enrich our heritage”.
Professor Ogum who is a professor of Stylistics and English pedagogy at the state-owned Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, declared that the decisions reached at the summit shall be drafted as a charter to be known and cited as ‘Egi Declaration 2023.’
He said, development is always well thought out, rigorously nurtured and sincerely implemented for a beneficial outcome to all the people, noting that no ethnic nationality in modern history has ever stumbled unto development.
Professor Ogum also noted that the summit is the beginning of a transformative and all-inclusive journey with Egi development as its destination. He maintained that the road to development is thorny and rugged but observed that the zeal in the people to succeed is strong, and therefore called on the people to be prepared to lead the global community in many positive fronts.
Speaking further, Professor Ogum maintained that the people of Egi sub ethnic nationality gathered as natives at Obite to decide what is best for them as deliverables over time with defined strategies that could be actualized through transparent monitoring parameters. “We are here to begin the weaving of our development fabric with the yarns of warp and weft of Egi ideas and sew our development garment with the needle and thread of Egi love. We are here to plan, document and assent to a social contract with our collective destiny”, he said.
In her address, the deputy governor of Rivers State and special guest of honour at the event, Professor Ngozi Odu, applauded the leadership of EPADOF for taking the initiative stressing that it is highly commendable. She charged the people to always foster peace, unity and togetherness and settle for better ideas to fast rack Egi development she called for inclusiveness as a model in addressing the developmental challenges of the clan.
Professor Odu further enjoined the people to always identify with the development of the area by thinking Egi and how to move her forward. “When we leave here, we should always think Egi. The whole thing is about Egi to move forward,” she said.
The deputy governor who was full of praises for the people of Egi land for coming together to chart a common course of development charged them to love, care and cherish one another stressing that it is the surest way for development to thrive.
She assured that Egi land will wear a new look when the dualization of the Ahoada – Omoku road project is completed.
She also expressed gratitude to the chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Vincent Job who was the guest of honour at the summit for the people-oriented projects in Egi land. She specifically thanked the council boss for completing the town hall renovations at Obigbor, Ogbogu and other communities in the Local Government Area.
On his part, the chairman of Ogba/Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, Hon. Vincent Job commended the organizers of the summit for charting the course of development of Egi land for others to emulate. He advocated for equitable distribution of resources in Egi land while commending the efforts of the people
The Onelga council chief seized the opportunity to counsel youths of the area to be studious, hardworking and shun violence stressing that crime is a vice which does no one any good.
His words: “We encourage our youths to be studious, hardworking and shun violence”. Crime is not good, he added.
Also speaking the royal father of the day, HRH, Eze Zion Nwabueze Omekwe, Eze Usor Ozimini II commended Egi sons and daughter for finding time to come together to discuss developmental issues. He charged them to be peaceful noting that peace is indispensable for development to thrive.
The summit which had as its team: ‘Thinking Egi Development, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,’ had seven foci which include peace and security education, youth and women empowerment, health and the environment. Others are urbanization, investment, industry, leadership, history and strategies.
Highlights of the summit were presentations, panel discussions, cultural, musical displays and libation by the Egi Amala in council.
