The Egbema Youth Progressive Foundation (EYPF) has appealed to the Edo State government to develop Olodiama Kingdom and empower the people rather than deprive them of their tradition and cultural heritage.

Comrade Miyenpirigha Ebidouwei, President of the Foundation, made the call while felicitating with HRM, Godwin Ogunyebo, the Alagbabenafa III of Olodiama Kingdom on the occasion of his successful coronation ceremony held at Ikoro in Ovia North-east LGA of Edo State.

Ebidouwei said the group was aware of moves by the Benin Traditional Council (BTC) and the Edo State government to disrupt the coronation ceremony and arrest associates and supporters of the ceremony “because they feel there are no Ijaw kingdoms in Edo State.”

He lamented that, the Edo State government has been humiliating the Ijaw people by diminishing the natural endowments in the areas, stressing: “Egbema Kingdom, being one of the closest to Olodiama Kingdom in Edo State are ready to resist whatever threat that may have been issued by our perennial enemies to intimidate the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom.”

Continuing, Ebidouwei said: “Gelegelegbene community in Olodiama Kingdom in Ovia North east, Kokodiagbene and Abiala communities in Egbema Kingdom in Ikpoba-Okha like we all know are the major source of oil revenue in Edo State but there are no meaningful developments and empowerment schemes in those Ijaw kingdoms in the state.”

He prayed that the coronation will not lead to crisis following the threat issued by the Benin Traditional Council and the state government.

The youth leader also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the critical situation of the Ijaw people and address them appropriately for peaceful correlation among the neighbouring ethnic nationalities.

“Ijaws are peace loving people, therefore I keenly believe the successful coronation and the regime of the Alagbabenafa III of Olodiama kingdom will yield sustainable peace among the neighbouring ethnic groups in Edo State and beyond.”

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