FACTS VERSUS FICTION: THE TRUE STORY OF THE INIKOROGHA COMMUNITY IN OVIA SOUTH-WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE

By Paebi Uduak

Inikorogha community has been in the news with several accusations and counter-accusations. On Saturday 28th August 2021, there was a move to inaugurate new community executive members and install someone as the Amakosowei of Inikorogha community.

While few members of the community claimed that the move was successful, most people in the community were either ignorant of such development or took the event as an effort in futility.

Most community members who responded to questions stated unequivocally that Inikorogha community has community leaders who were duly elected and whose tenure in office has not elapsed.

They wondered why a group of people who are not living in the community and some who are not even from the community are hell-bent on destabilizing the leadership of the community and creating chaos among the good people of Inikorogha community.

When asked about his views on the recent development in the community, Deacon Ogidigba Robinson who is the chairman of Inikorogha Elders Council made the following revelations: “What you have seen on the pages of the newspaper and other media platforms is nothing but propaganda.

They are calculated efforts to destroy the peace we enjoy here in Inikorogha community. It is good you are here to see things for yourself, to ask questions, and make the right judgment.

What we heard that was said about our community made us wonder if there was another Inikorogha community in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State.

This is because Inikorogha community is at peace with a leadership that enjoys the support of the people. It is unfortunate that few individuals led by people who are not from this community, not even from Ovia South Local Government Area of Edo State are doing everything humanly possible to bring trouble on our people. “

When asked what he thought could be the reason behind such vicious propaganda through the media and the efforts to set a parallel community leadership, the elderly man smiled and submitted thus: “It’s obvious, it is greed, selfish interest.

You see, there are people who in their arrogant nature feel that they are the only ones who are qualified to be in certain positions.

Some feel that being just to everybody in the community translates to being unfair to them. They want to be given preferential treatments.

They want a lion’s share of whatever comes to the community. When there is a leadership that insists on doing the right thing, this type of people is bound to get offended.

However, the only thing worrisome to us is the relationship between these disgruntled elements and the authorities.

We still wonder who authorized the invasion of our community by security agents, local vigilante, and few individuals who want to set up a parallel community leadership.”

The Inikorogha Community Chairman in the person of Timi Robert appeared absolutely unperturbed by the events of Saturday 28th August 2021.

When asked what was his opinion as regards the alleged emergence of a new community chairman, he laughed and said that anybody can claim to be anything; “My son, you can go back to your own community and claim to be the king or the community leader.

As long as you end at such a claim, you will not have issues with anybody. The people of Inikorogha community know who their leaders are and they know those who visited the community last Saturday to make claims.

What happened on Saturday has nothing to do with our leadership. We came in as leaders through genuine processes sanctioned by the people and there is an agreed number of years to be here as leaders.

The charade of Saturday is totally inconsequential, absolutely insignificant, and in practical terms a nullity before the law and before our customs. I will tell you what; the Saturday self-imposed chairman of Inikorogha community is and will remain a media chairman.

They have access to social media and other media platforms, so they should continue to write and post and parade him on such platforms as chairman. Inikorogha community has no other chairman than my humble self Timi Robert.

On his part, Mr. Christopher Imafidon who is the Inikorogha community secretary expressed his displeasure about how few people from Inikorogha community had allowed themselves to be used in blackmailing their own brothers.

He wondered why some of their community members should yield themselves to be manipulated against their own people by forces outside the community; “What you see playing out in the media and the shameful attempt to foist an illegal leadership last Saturday are propelled by people who are not from this community.

Most of them are simply after our illustrious son Robert Okubo who has been on the side of truth, justice, and positive developments.

His detractors are those ones telling security agencies and the public that we are in bondage and under siege.

All the killings they claimed that was carried out by him are nothing but malicious accusations to set security agencies and other authorities against him.

For the records, Robert Okubo is a kind-hearted generous young man who believes absolutely in the Inikorogha project.

If he has committed any crime, it is making sure that there is peace and progress in Inikorogha community. I urge you to find time and interview the likes of Felix Gbale who they claimed was shot by Okubo.

All the allegations are done out of acrimony and bad intent to destroy not only Robert Okubo but all the peace-loving people of Inikorogha community.

Robert Okubo has served this community and this state and does not in any way deserve the vicious media attacks on his person. I advise all those behind the undeserved castigation of his personality to desist from such.

I as well urge those in authority both here in Edo State and at the federal level to use their good offices and put an end to these senseless attacks on him and the good people of Inikorogha community.

We have witnessed on three occasions the raiding of our community by security agencies and the indiscriminate arrests of our law-abiding youths.

We do not need any prophet to tell us the reason behind these unnecessary invasions of our land and the harassment of our youths.

The security agents were acting out scripts written by the detractors of Robert Okubo whom they have accused of unimaginable crimes yet nobody, no security agent or government official has found anything implicating him.

We know that part of his “crime” is his refusal to leave the All Progressive Congress (APC) against the wishes of some political heavyweights in the state with who he has worked with in the past.

Whosoever that has vowed to give him a bad name and get him killed should know that all powers belong to God and who God has not killed, no man can kill.“

It is important to state categorically that Inikorogha community is totally at peace and the members of the community go about their duties without fear of insecurity.