Relevance of Bonny Kingdom Is Not Tied To Politics – Okolo-Ama Ikpangi

Okolo-Ama Ikpangi, a community pressure group in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, was established in October, 2006, in response to the call of the Kaiama Declaration by some youths of the area to fight against social ills militating against the progress and development of their native land and also played critical roles during the era of armed struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta and the fight for resource control.

In November, 2009, the Okoloama Ikpangi Forum, as it is now called, decided during the Federal Government amnesty programme to reform itself and engage in advocacy and public enlightenment on security of lives and properties, advocacy against economic sabotage such as pipeline vandalization, illegal bunkering and environmental pollution.

The group’s spokesman, Samuel Adawari Tolofari, engaged Kristina Reports’ Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Godswill Jumbo in an online interview where it made its position clear on issues affecting Bonny Kingdom and advised on the way forward in the forthcoming 2019 general elections. Enjoy the excerpts:

What is your position on the shutdown of shell terminal this morning by the Bonny LGA employment monitoring committee? The committee is accusing Shell and its contractors of refusing to employ Bonny indigenes.

It's a good step because a lot is going on which is hidden from the eyes and ears of the public. The employment monitoring team has been deliberately given little or no access into company premises to check the employment percentage which is meant for both indigenes and non-indigenes to ensure the employment quota is balanced, which is 60 per cent for indigenes and 40 per cent for non-indigenes. If asked if there's any evidence to back up their accusation towards Shell contractors, my answer is this "how many of your brothers, sisters and relatives are being employed into shell yearly?

So what do you advise as the way forward?

Shell has to caution its contractors and the monitoring team should have an oversight function during employment processes in Shell.

Gov. Wike on Monday told his party people to ensure PDP wins Bonny or they will lose relevance. A statement by his media aide said so. What does Okolo-Ama Ikpangi think about a statement like that? Some say it's an insult on Bonny people.

Such a statement will become an insult if the people of Bonny choose to comply with such a statement. I see it as a very poor manner of trying to ensure victory in Bonny. Relevance is not tied to politics alone. if only Bonny had been more involved in generating more revenue for herself, we wouldn't see the progress of a party as a means of self-sustenance and development of our community. Such a statement is proof of how state level politics affects a local government; if you do not bow to their terms, the interest of your local government will be neglected. And our politicians in Bonny are so blinded by such statements. It has even come in another form of “the voting strength of Bonny Kingdom to a party in Rivers State is small compared to that of other local government”. This is the reason why we hardly have a Bonny politician being projected as an aspirant in key positions in any party, be it the APC or PDP.

Given this statement, do you think PDP and Gov. Wike has done enough for Bonny Kingdom to deserve their votes?

Well, I can't really blame the party PDP but I'll blame the manner at which the administration has not done much for Bonny. Though, there are some good aspects of the PDP which is the efforts been displayed by Hon. Blessing Abinye Pepple in the development of Bonny. So, my answer to your question about deserving the vote is at a stalemate. Actually he (Wike) has done nothing for us. I mean for Bonny Kingdom; even the Bonny National Grammar School renovation is on pause.

As a community organization, what do you advise should be the focus of politicians ahead of 2019 elections?

Their focus should be on the diversification of the economy because, as population increases, there should other means for citizens to explore for survival.

Are you worried that the road project and NLNG train 7 project, two projects that should have provided massive employment for Bonny people is being delayed?

No. We are not happy about it but all we have to do is be patient to see if it will begin before the first quarter of the year. And I'll like to add, in case you haven't noticed, there has been no NDDC project executed in Bonny; and we have political fanatics being blinded by the ambition of a few, while we are being neglected, and no one is speaking up. But these are things politicians are to look into and ensure it comes to a reality, instead of wasting time on trying to improve the voting strength of Bonny Kingdom. Bonny has always been self-reliant which is evident in our history, but political ambitions of our very own elites in Bonny is beginning to make us dependent on decisions made by the state.

These are the reasons why Okoloama Ikpangi has decided to step out of the shadow to advocate for such issues which are of utmost concern to our development and do not intend to be entangled in party interest and politics. Bonny Kingdom is our political party.

Does it worry you that a youthful local govt chairman with bright ideas of development is on seat but there are no funds for him to work?

It is worrisome because why put a man in position and take the power for him to operate? There are things which cannot be said in the open for now because one will find himself digging deep.

Ahead of the elections, what is your advice to youths of Bonny Kingdom?

Our advice for the youths is to shun electoral violence, vote for competence and not mere interest and should never let their blood be a ladder for someone’s political ambition.