The people of Gbanraun Kingdom in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State have rescued their monarch, King Frank Fieke-Okiakpe (Pere-Agadagba), who vowed to be the last man to leave his community to the ravaging flood that submerged many parts of Nigeria.

Speaking to newsmen shortly after being rescued to a safe place, the monarch of the kingdom described the flood that submerged his ancient palace as unimaginable and terrifying, calling on the Federal Government to save the kingdom from going into extinction as a result of the flood.

The monarch further lamented that beyond submerging buildings, the flood has gravely affected the livelihood of the people, forcing traditional farmers and fishermen to live below the poverty line.

He blamed the perennial flooding situation on the Operations of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) which led to the digging of a canal at the back of the community leading to the Ogboinbiri flow station (The Seibo Deep Oil Location).

Speaking further, he said that since then, for over 32 years, each rainy season has become a nightmare to his people in the area as water freely comes from the nearby bushes and not from the River.

He said “not minding the fact that the first phase of the shore protection project for Gbanraun was abandoned even after several appeals had been made to the presidency as well as the federal government.”

King Okiakpe further renewed his call on the Federal and State governments, and well-meaning individuals to intervene and save the lives and property of the people as already the kingdom has written several protests and appeal letters to many concerned offices without any response.

“The sorry situation of the area is better imagined than told as flood victims sleep inside local canoes for survival, the flood has submerged virtually all public facilities in the kingdom from worship centres, schools, Health facilities, play-ground and roads.

“As the flood finally recedes after over seven weeks of havoc, sacking the inhabitants of the area, the hope of the people is further rekindled that a new horizon is possible for positive change, this will ameliorate the plights of the people of the ancient kingdom by the immediate award of a shore protection and sand-filling of the affected communities to forestall further occurrence and lay to bed the perennial issue of flooding in the kingdom,” he added. (Nigerian Tribune)

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