The ljaws of Gbaramatu Calls On President Tinubu To Disregard Request To Halt Funding / Rename of Maritime University Okerenkoko

The ljaws  of  Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government of Delta State has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR)to disregard the the unholy call on him by the Itsekiri People of Omadino to stop the immediate  funding of the   Nigerian Maritime University and also to rename the University because the request  lacks logic without bearing on the touch lines of accelerated development.

Details of a  terse press statement signed by  Chief Charles Torusin, Chief Clement Sokoto, Chief Victor Odu and 

Chief Ebi Bebenimibo on behalf of the Ijaw people of Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu Kingdom made available to the media reads in part: 

" Sir, the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Gbaramatu  kingdom of Warri South West LGA was established amongst other Universities in the twilight of former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration."

 Prof (Mrs.) Ongoebi Maureen Etebu and Mr. Anho Nathaniel Esoghene Lucky were appointed as Vice Chancellor and Registrar respectively through a letter referenced HME/FME/41/X/139, and signed by the then minister for Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in May, 2015.

The statement pointed out that 

no sooner than former president Muhammadu Buhari assumed office on 29th May, 2015, and Mr. Rotimi Amaechi sworn in as minister for Transportation on 11th November, 2015, there  was the beginning of what one would term a whirlwind of conspiratorial gang-up headed by Mr.Rotimi Amaechi and his ilks using at some point the Itsekiris of  Omadino as a canon fodder to close-down or halt the funding of the University.

The ljaws of Gbaramatu in their Press release quoted Mr. Rotimi Amaechi statements in the above regard on the 19th January, 2016, when he appeared before the Senate committee on Marine transport, headed by Senator Ahmed Sani.

He was quoted in that  statement saying:

‘’We are not going ahead with the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko project proposed by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) because we have an institute in Oron, we have Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology, Zaria and we have Nigeria College of Aviation in Zaria, which we could upgrade into a University status and MIMASA is proposing to build a new one’’ 

Amaechi further stated;

‘’Who will attend the university? How many parents will allow their children to go to such a place where it proposes to site the university? I don’t think we are proceeding with the University proposed by NIMASA because it is a waste of resources’

Making more clarification on the true position of the viability of the Maritime University, the ljaw group said: " interestingly, in spite of these vitriolic attacks and condemnations of the establishment of the university, the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko is developing by ‘’leaps and bounds’’.

Shedding more light on the viability of the University  before Mr President the ljaw group in their Press release  noted thus: " The  granduants of the institution are already serving in the mandatory National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and the University is  having its maiden convocation ceremony."

The group which described the call as unwarranted,  explained: " At  this juncture, one ordinarily would have thought that the unwarranted calls to close down the University would have been abated, which is not the case as evidenced in the Itsekiri Omadino calling on the office of Mr. President to halt the funding of the university."

They pointed out saying :

 "According to the petitioner, the university is wrongfully and illegally named as Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko. That the lex situs of the University and the larger Okerenkoko lands belongs to the petitioner by virtue of court judgements."

The statement continued: "Furthermore, that they the petitioners have caused EFCC to investigate the dramatis personae (name withheld) for the fraudulent sales and overbloated price of Okerenkoko land and the said dramatis personae is not only moving freely but is also being contractually patronised by the government even as he threatens the Nigeria state and its military with his secessionist agenda."

 They stressed in the press release that it is indeed pitiable that the 

 petitioners went further to state that the former Attorney General of the Federation had earlier sent his legal opinion to the National Assembly to rename the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko in accordance with the petitioners prayers to avert ethnic crisis, and that Mr. President should demonstrate the NADECO spirit in him to halt funding of the University."

The ljaws of Gbaramatu who countered the above statement as

Pure fallacy , said: "  Without much ado, there is no- law that turns a man to become a woman vice versa. The aboriginal Okerenkoko peoples and their land have always been Okerenkoko from generations past and would always remain Okerenkoko and no foreign name can be foisted on Okerenkoko and her institutions. Okerenkoko Primary school founded in 1955, Okerenkoko Secondary School as well as the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko would continually go by the name Okerenkoko and no other."

According to the ljaw people of Gbaramatu kingdom,,

the purportedly obtained fraudulent judgements are pari materia with some other cases that are sub-judice for which the Supreme Court had frowned at judgements obtained against the weight of evidence. 

Furthermore, they said :" it suffices to say that there was complete compliance with the procurement Act and law in the acquisition of the twin land for the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko measuring 100.045 hectares and the land for the Ship Building and Ship Repairs measuring 50,280 hectares. These acquisitions have since been gazetted; Delta state of Nigeria Gazette No.38 Asaba -19th September, 2013 Vol 23 and No.39 Asaba – 26th September, 2013, Vol 23 respectively."

The statement added: " lt is important to state that the procurement/acquisition of the lands, the petitioners seek to rename was consummated over a decade ago and due compensations paid to the people of Okerenkoko for damages of farmlands, Shrines, Fish Ponds etc. One wonders where the petitioners were then."

The ljaws of Gbaramatu kingdom

Who urged President Tinubu to disregard  the rantings of the petitioner  posited: " Sir, we are not aware of any dramatis personae whose name(s) is withheld, that is associated with fraudulent sales of Okerenkoko land with overbloated price. For which the petitioners have caused EFCC to investigate the dramatis personae who according to the petitioners, is moving freely around and being contractually patronised by the government even as he threatens the Nigeria state and the military with his secessionist agenda."

Furthermore,  the ljaw group

reiterated in strong terms,saying :   "We consider it mischievous and strange for the petitioners to call on Mr. President to demonstrate the NADECO spirit in him, in a case that is clearly driven by reckless ethnic chauvinism."

Conclusively, they said :  " We respectfully call on the Federal and State governments and all critical stakeholders to call the petitioners and their known sponsors to order as the Urhobo, Ijaw and Itsekiri  natives of Warri territory are an indivisible people.

 As we cannot afford history to repeat itself as in the unreasonable, wasteful and destructive Warri ethnic bloodbath of 1997 and 2003 respectively."