25 March 2008
Lagos — Onigbedu, a community in Ogun State, is currently facing major environmental crises due to alleged unlawful operation of the limestone-mining companies there. But its residents have warned against the resort to Niger Delta option if the companies refuse to dance to their tune. Gboyega Akinsanmi writes
Pa Ramon Akinmade hails from Onigbedu, a rustic village in Ogun State endowed with limestone and other precious stones. He is now 85 years, and has been practicing subsistent farming in his hometown for more than six decades. He still has a wide expanse of cocoa plantation from which he is supposed to be generating income for his upkeep.
But the exploitation of limestone, which began in the village 13 years ago, has dimmed this hope. He said the resource was supposed to bring the farmers in the community relief. Rather he claimed it had been a threat to their lives and the generations unborn because of alleged illegal acquisition of their land and exploitation of the natural resources therein.
When THISDAY visited him last week, Pa Akinmade lamented the threat the exploitation of the natural endowment had posed to the community and its dwellers at large. He said he was forced to abandon his cocoa plantation, his major source of income due to uncontrolled blasting of limestone by cement-manufacturing companies operating in the village
He said the companies (among which Gateway Holding Limited, PureChem Nigeria Limited, Poreciliean Wears Ltd, Royal Ceiling, Gilmore Engineering Limited and Roofing Ltd and Gateway Mining Limited) had been in the community without due compensation for the traditional land owners and without due respect to their human rights, especially right to live and safe environment.
He explained how the operation of the companies threatened livelihood, and life too had become unbearable because of environmental problems and health hazard their operations had caused since the factories started work at different times in the 1990s. He claimed he did not lease or sell any piece of land to any person, but was surprised that several acres of land were occupied by five operating companies in the village.
He said he was disturbed because the cement-manufacturing companies in the village claimed they had paid for "our land and the natural resources. But the companies have not paid us apart from the environmental problem and health hazard their operations had caused.
"We heard they have paid us, but we have not received a dime from any company. Every family has its portion of family land. Out of 60 families in Onigbedu, only six were paid a token of N5, 000 each. I too collected N5, 000, but could not have sold my cocoa plantation and other acres of land I was once using to cultivate rice, cassava and maize for such a meager amount. We have told them to leave our land, they refused," he explained.
Still active in his 80s, Pa Akinmade conducted THISDAY round his house built several years ago still well maintained. He pointed to all parts damaged by cement mills that settled on the roofing sheet. He was worried about the collateral damage the exploitation of limestone "is currently causing without due compensation and attention to health hazard it is causing.
"My roofing sheet is being eaten up. The water we drink is polluted. We can no longer access our farmland. Our lives are just ebbing away fast under the intensive operation of the companies in Onigbedu. For instance, we now shout before passing across message to a person at a close range because of the noisy environment their operations had caused. We have complained overtimes, but it appears they have the backing of the government," he stated.
Pa Kasumu Akinbode too is another subsistent farmer in Onigbedu. He recounted his ordeal since the limestone-mining companies commenced commercial production of cement in the village. He added that their operation had been of benefit to the community at large. He said the companies had been irresponsible despite that "PureChem alone produce 8,000 bags of cement per day."
He was sitting under an oak tree in front of his mud house in the cool evening of last Friday when THISDAY paid visit to Onigbedu. His grand children were playing around him, oblivious of environmental hazards the operation of the limestone-mining companies were causing.
He pointed to the roof of his six-room house, which was encrusted with cement mills which were visible on all objects, plants and roofs. He said it was unfair the way the companies "are treating them in their fatherland. We do not deserve this kind of treatment."
He touched one of the plants and his palm became whitish, indicating that the community "is under the perpetual downpour of cement mills which has now become a major feature of the community. He later explained that it was the mills from the operations of the cement plants located close to the residential areas against the operational requirements for establishing fact.
Pa Akinbode said he had always been a farmer, and had utilized both the land he inherited from his father and that which he bought by himself for the same purpose. He added that most of the land has been taken away from him. He said: "the people in the community are afraid because besides being denied of land to farm, they may end up not having enough to be inherited by his children."
He said the companies operating in the community never compensated him for the more three acres of his land occupied, though he stated that he was given the sum of N4,000, which he said, could not have been a compensation for his land.
He lamented of the risk of continuing to live in the community because of the uncontrolled blasting of limestone and rocks daily. He said most people in the community had stopped going to their respective farms for fear of persistent blasting of limestone and rocks.
Also lamenting the impact of the companies' operations, another land owner, Pa. Jimoh Mustapha claimed to have equally been deprived of farm land. He added that most rivers, brooks and streams that "serve as their sources of sea foods are sand filled by the companies.
Like Niger Delta, Mustapha said the operations of the limestone-companies in Onigbedu could spark internal strife and communal anger, which could lead to loss of lives and properties. He appealed to the government to quickly intervene and save the community from the impeding doom
The above are the testimonies reeled out by the resident farmers in Onigbedu when THISDAY visited the community a fortnight ago. This is already sparking stern reactions across all the strata of people living in the community, thus creating an atmosphere of resource conflict like the case of Niger Delta.
The situation has brought Onigbedu Youth Development Association to the fore in the battle against the limestone-mining companies and they have resolved to fight to finish if the exploitation of their natural endowment continues without due compensation and regard for safe environment.
Speaking with THISDAY recently, Messrs Olarewaju Ajibulu, who is the president of the association, explained the genesis of the crisis currently ebbing away the peace of the ancient community. He said the companies encroached into "our fatherland, and have since been exploiting our natural endowment without compensation." He added that it was Alhaja Toibat Adeniji, who was allegedly brought the companies to the community without "the knowledge of family heads in the community."
But he said it all started when Mr. Rasaki Ibidapo Alao, an Ogbomoso indigene, requested from Pa Ganiyu Akinbode a.k.a Baba Odua to take sample of limestone from his land. He allowed Alao to take the sample after which he paid Baba Odua a sum of N5,000 for the opportunity he gave him. He added that Baba Odua did not sell or lease land to the companies.
Ajibulu claimed Alao was an agent of Adeniji and was acting at her behest despite that both of them "are not indigene of Onigbedu. Alao is a sojourner in the community while Adeniji is from Ijebu. But apparently it was Alao who invited Adeniji to take advantage of our community. This has started generating internal division and strife in the community.
"Since then, we have been witnessing the influx of limestone-mining companies which were brought to the community by Alhaja Adeniji. All these companies have been operating in Onigbedu without due attention to best practice," he said.
He said Gateway Mining Nigeria Limited owned by Alhaja Toibat Adeniji, Gilmore Engineering Nigeria Limited owned by the Chinese, Gateway Holdings Nigeria Limited owned by the Ogun State Government and various individuals, PureChem Nigeria Limited, Poreciliean Wears Limited and Royal Ceiling & Roofing Limited are operating in the community.
But he claimed the youths had forced Gilmore Engineering Limited and some other companies to evacuate the community. He added that while PureChem, a Chinese firm is operating in Onigbedu, Royal Ceiling & Roofing Limited too is secretly operating inside the busy against the ethics of best practice.
Ajibulu explained: "It is very surprising that Alhaja Adeniji is now claiming that she has bought several acres of land from the community. PureChem too claimed likewise. But our position is that Onigbedu as an entity does not own any piece of land in the community.
"All acres of land belong to the families in the community. It is absurd that PureChem is making a claim that it has bought several acres of land from the community. From whom did it buy the land? So far we know, the constitutive families in the community did not enter into any agreement with any individual or corporate entity that their land has been leased or sold," he stated.
There were tales of meager compensations by Alhaja Subedat Kazeem, Madam Abeni Elegbede, Kasumu Akinbode and Alhaji Akinmade. They had alleged that they were taken to a certain office in Abeokuta when their lands were acquired and given between N4,000 and N5,000 each.
However, when THISDAY approached the corporate office of Gateway Mining Nigeria Limited at 1-3 Toyibat Adeniji street, Medina estate, Gbagada, officials on duty refused to comment on the development.
But one official, who pleaded anonymity, said the company "will make her position on the issue public when it deemed necessary as the effort to reach its Chief Executive Officer, Alhaja Toibat Adeniji was rebuffed. Officials of other firms also refused to comment on the issue.
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