The Presidency has descended heavily on traditional rulers from Kalabari land in Rivers State, who joined their subjects in mounting a protest over the ceding of some of their oil-rich communities to neighbouring Bayelsa, the home state of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Over 30 communities in Akuku-Toru LGA of Rivers State, South-South Nigeria, had poured into the streets of the state capital, Port Harcourt, in their hundreds earlier today to protest the federal government’s ceding of several oil-rich towns belonging in Rivers State to Bayelsa, insinuating that President Jonathan was behind the development. The protesters were accompanied by the traditional rulers – also known as royal fathers in Nigeria. The first of the protests had taken place two days ago in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.

However, in a strongly-worded reaction, Dr. Reuben Abati, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Jonathan, tongue-lashed the traditional rulers and their co-protesters for what he described as their “school-boy style protest,” which he said “is an attempt at cheap blackmail” and “the motive deplorable.”

Hear Abati: “We consider these allegations irresponsible and most unfortunate considering the status of the persons who reportedly championed the protest. The statutory agencies being referred to by the protesters do not take orders from the President; they are independent bodies. Besides, there are laid down procedures for resolving inter-state boundary disputes.”

According to the presidential spokesman, “The school-boy style protest is an attempt at cheap blackmail. We find the motive deplorable. It is all the more surprising that a man of Alabo Graham Douglas’s stature, a former Minister who ought to know what is right, will team up with a group intent on causing disaffection between the President and his Ijaw kinsmen.

“We advise the Kalabari National Forum, its members and hidden sponsors, to avoid the temptation to instigate conflict between the Nembe and Kalabari people of Rivers and Bayelsa states, who are both of the same Ijaw stock. The statutory agencies assigned the responsibility of resolving boundary disputes should be allowed to do their work.”

News Express reports that the protesters poked fun at Nigeria’s ceding of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula in Cross River State to the Republic of Cameroon, declaring, however, that Kalabari land is not prepared to see an inch of its land ceded to anybody. As could be seen in the accompanying photo which originally appeared in 247Ureports, the protesters brandished placards that read: “For the sake of peace, return Soku to Rivers State”, “Bakassi to Cameroun – good, Kalabari to Bayelsa – bad”, “We stand by the 10th Administrative map of Nigeria,” etc.

The protesters marched down to the Government House, where the Amanayabo of Abonnema town, HRH Desreal Gbobo Bob-Manuel, presented a document of the history and origin of the Kalabari Kingdom to the Governor Rotimi Amaechi. He appealed for the state government to intervene and ensure that they get justice.

Responding, Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, who represented his principal, promised that the issue would be peacefully resolved. Ikuru appealed to the National Assembly to review the boundary adjustments and restore lasting peace to the aggrieved Kalabari Kingdom.

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