Edo communities protest Okomu oil palm company over alleged marginalisation, oppression

Medium_whatsapp_image_2022-05-08_at_3
The Sun | 5 May 2022

Edo communities protest Okomu oil palm company over alleged marginalisation, oppression
 
by Tony Osauzo, Benin
 
Host communities of Okomu Oil Palm Company PLC in Edo State, yesterday, staged a protest over alleged blockade, digging of trench on the road leading to their communities by the company.
 
It was learnt that the action commenced on Tuesday and continued yesterday with women and youths of the communities, particularly AT/P and Marioba communities, coming out as early as 6am to protest what they tagged as “treating us as slaves in our father’s land.”
 
Odionwere of Marioba community, Gabriel Eigbe Okwolegbe accused the company of treating the host communities like slaves without them benefitting much from the company.
 
He said though the palm trees of the company are at the door steps of the communities, there was nothing to show for being host communities, accusing the company of digging a big trench on the road leading to their homes.
 
“I don’t know why this company keep treating us like slaves. You can see that the palm trees are at our door steps, yet there is nothing we are benefitting from the company. The only road we manage to get to our houses, the management has dug a big trench to cover so that we will no longer have access to our houses,” he said.
 
Speaking in the same vein, Rex Akpokiniobo from one of the communities, said: “We have been enduring the arm-twisting devices of the managing director of the company for too long, but this one was too much. How can you dig your trenches to block our road? How do we get to our houses or come out from our houses,” he queried.
 
Similarly, a youth leader from one of the communities, Lucky Okeodion, while berating the action of the company, said the “managing director action is barbaric and we shall continue the protest until he cover the big gutter with which he has destroyed our road.”
 
Commenting on the incident, a human rights activist and environmentalist, Ajele Sunday, blamed the Edo State Government for the maltreatment the communities have been subjected to.
 
“Edo State shares in the responsibility because it signed a contract that cannot be implemented without violating the rights of the community people. How can a state government bring investors without cautions, without checks? You allow the investors to operate and act with impunity.
 
”Just recently on May 2, 2020, Ijaw-gbini community was burnt down by security operatives of the company. The governor pretended to set up a committee headed by Lucky Wasa but it died a natural death. But the day gunmen attacked the company, the governor went there himself. So, who is giving so much power to these investors?” he queried.
 
Reacting to the protest, spokesman of the company, Fidelis Olise, denied allegations.
 
“There is nothing of such. These are just blackmail against our company. You can come over and I will take you to the said place if you see such a trench as claimed. Though as a company, we have right to dig any trench within our company, but I want to tell you categorically that such does not exist,” he said.

--

NNN | 6 May 2022

Palm Oil Company, host community tango over digging of trench to stop fruit theft

The dispute between the management of Okomu Oil Palm Company Ltd. and one of its host communities, Maroghioba, will not escalate into a full blown crisis.

Security was provided on Friday by the Iyase of Udo, near Benin, chief Patrick Igbinidu.

The Nigerian News Agency reports that the digging of a trench by the oil company in the community of Maroghioba (also known as AT&P) led to the protest.

The protest was spurred by the alleged shooting in the leg of an elderly woman, Ms Iyabor Butu, by oil company security personnel.

The company stated that it dug the trench on a piece of land that belongs to it to stop the relentless theft of its oil fruits.

Community members, however, said the action was a violation of their right of way and an oppressive bias on the part of the company.

A Nigerian News Agency correspondent, who visited the community on Thursday, reported that the Divisional Police Officer in Iguobazuwa, CSP Bamidele Ade, held a peace meeting with members of the community and the company.

The interim Odionwere (village chief) of the community, Chief Gabriel Ikhuolegbe, told NAN that people in his community and the company had enjoyed cordial relations before Tuesday’s altercation.

“I worked and retired as a senior security officer for the company. Most of our people are Okomu Oil workers. In fact, we have been working together peacefully.

“It is true that the company has provided many facilities such as wells, school buildings, classroom chairs, perimeter fencing and a town hall for the community, but our immediate needs now are roads and electricity.

“That is why we are angry with the company because its CEO ordered the workers to dig a deep hole that has blocked the only access to our houses.

“The management of the company has refused to listen to our cries, hence our protest so that the government and the public realize the injustice that the company has done to our community,” he said.

He added that although the community was still aggrieved, “we are ready for dialogue to resolve this disagreement.”

Speaking along the same lines, community member Mr. Rex Akpokiniobo said: “We’ve been putting up with company CEO arm torsion devices for too long, but this one is too much.

“How can you dig your trenches to block our way? How do we get to our houses or leave our houses? she asked her.

In response, Mr. Fidelis Olise, communications officer for Okomu Oil, told NAN that the community’s protest was not necessary as “the land in question belongs to the company.

“The fact that the company has allowed them access in recent years does not mean that they should tell us how to take care of our property.

“The company’s volume of oleaginous fruit theft amounts to 50 tons per month.

“That is massive and since we can no longer tolerate theft, we decided to dig the trenches to create an obstacle against easy movement.

“That is all we did and nothing more and that is why I have said that your protests are unjustified,” he said.

CSP Ade, who was accompanied to Thursday’s meeting by the Iyase Palace Community Relations Committee, called for calm, insisting that the best way to resolve the misunderstanding is through dialogue.

Ade assured the community leaders that after assessing the situation and seeing the extent of the roadblock, he would meet with the company and the Iyase (the traditional ruler) for an amicable solution.

Iyase, who expressed his discontent over the crisis, told NAN that the unpleasant situation could have been avoided if both sides had listened to the voice of reason.

(NAN)

--

The Punch | 4 May 2022

by Adeyinka Adedipe
 
Host communities and Okomu Oil Plantation in Edo State had been at loggerhead over the trenches the latter dug, which it said was to protect its fruits from being stolen.
 
The communities, on Wednesday, protested over the trenches which they said had cut them off the road they used every day. However, Okomu Oil noted that the trenches were done on its land and had not blocked the communities’ access to the road.
 
According to a source, the protest started on May 3. However, it became bigger as men, women, and youths of the communities, particularly AT/P and Marioba, came out as early as 6 am on Wednesday, to continue the protest, as they tagged Okomu’s action as “treating us slaves in our fatherland.”
 
The Edionwere of Marioba Community, Chief Gabriel Eigbe Okwolegbe, accused the company of treating the host communities like slaves without them benefiting much from the company.
 
He stated that though the palm trees of the company were at the doorsteps of the communities, there was little to show for being host communities, rather the company dug a big trench on the road leading to their homes.
 
He lamented, “I don’t know why this company keeps treating us like slaves. You can see that the palm trees are at our doorsteps, yet there is little or nothing we are benefiting from the company. The only road we manage to get to our houses, the management has dug a big trench so that we will no longer have access to our houses.”
 
Another native from one of the communities who identified himself as Rex Akpokiniobo, said, “We have been enduring the arm-twisting tactics of the Managing Director of the company for too long, but this one is too much.
 
"How can you dig your trenches to block our road? How do we come out and enter our houses.”

In his response to a message from The PUNCH, the Communication Officer of Okomu Oil, Fidelis Olise, said the trench was meant to protect the palm fruits from being stolen.
 
He stated, “Please be informed that we did not block any road. We only dug trenches within our plantation to prevent the stealing of our fresh fruit bunches.
 
“The trench is on our plantation and nobody can dispute this. The trench is not cutting them off and the road is still there for them to pass,” he added.

--

The Paradise | 7 May 2022

 
The feud between Okomu Oil Palm Company Ltd. and one of its host communities, Maroghioba, will not escalate into a full-blown crisis.
 
The assurance was given on Friday by the Iyase of Udo, Patrick Igbinidu.
 
The digging of a trench by the company in the Maroghioba community (aka AT&P) led to a protest. The protest was spurred by the alleged shooting of an elderly woman, Iyabor Butu, in the leg by security operatives of the firm.
 
The company claimed it dug the trench to stop the stealing of oil fruits.
 
Members of the community, however, said the action was an infringement of their right of passage and an oppressive tendency by the company.
 
Iguobazuwa divisional police officer CSP Bamidele Ade held a peace meeting with members of the community and the firm.
 
The acting Odionwere (village head) of the community, Gabriel Ikhuolegbe, said residents and the company had enjoyed cordial relationships before Tuesday’s fracas.
 
“I worked and retired as a senior security officer of the company. Majority of our people are workers in Okomu Oil. As a matter of fact, we have been working together peacefully,” he explained. “It is true that the company has provided many facilities like borehole, school buildings, classroom chairs, perimeter fence and a town hall for the community, but our immediate needs now are road and electricity. This is why we are angry with the company that its managing director ordered the workers to dig a deep hole which has blocked the only access road to our houses.”
 
Responding, Fidelis Olise, Okomu’s spokesman, said the protest was uncalled-for.
 
“The fact that the company allowed them access these past years doesn’t translate that they should tell us how to look after our property. The volume of theft of the company’s oil fruits runs into 50 tons monthly,” said Okomu’s spokesman. “That is massive and because we can no longer tolerate the theft, we resolved to dig the trenches to create an obstacle against easy movement.”
 
He added,  “That’s all we did and nothing else and that’s why I have said that their protests are unwarranted.”
 
Mr Ade appealed for calm insisting that the best way to resolve the misunderstanding was through dialogue and assured community leaders that having assessed the situation and seeing the extent of blockade of the road, he would meet with the company and the Iyase (the traditional ruler) for an amicable resolution.
  • Sign the petition to stop Industria Chiquibul's violence against communities in Guatemala!
  • Who's involved?

    Whos Involved?


  • 19 Mar 2024 - Bogotá y online
    Conferencia internacional: Acaparamiento global de tierras
    13 May 2024 - Washington DC
    World Bank Land Conference 2024
  • Languages



    Special content



    Archives


    Latest posts