George Onah
26 June 2008
Lagos — Former Governor Ada George of Rivers State was, yesterday, accused at the state Truth and Reconciliation Commission of sponsoring the Bush Boys to cause mayhem in Okrika Local Government, "in pursuant of his inordinate ambition to install" his All People's Party in the area.
Presenting a voluminous memorandum, Chief Anthony Fibeka Opu-Ada of Krike Polo said the "primary cause of the mayhem of 22nd to 24th September 2001 on Okrika Island ancient town was the imposition of Mr. Charles Dagogo Ibulubo as Amanyanabo of Okrika against the interest of members of Ado royal family.
Fibeka said he was one of the victims of the Okrika mayhem and was now a refugee, following the destruction of his property. He exonerated the former Transport Minister, Dr Abiye Sekibo and Warlord Ateke Tom, leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante, responsible for violence in Okrika.
Also, the state Commissioner for Information Ogbonna Nwuke as well as the Rivers Bureau Chief of The Sun Mr. Henry Chukwurah were encouraged by the commission's chairman Justice Kayode Eso to help the commission succeed in its mission.
The duo was invited over a story by the paper after the counsel of former Governor Peter Odili, Mr. Tamuno Golden complained to the commission that the report of the paper, last Saturday's edition, castigated his client and drew conclusions on the duties of the commission.
However, Nwuke said he had the mandate to manage information in the state and that it was within the purview of his office to correct "misinformation or disinformation." He said he "mainly reacted to a story and did not issue a press statement."
On his part Chukwurah said he was not responsible for casting of headlines in his paper and that he only spoke to a cross section of Rivers people to react to the statement of Odili in Abuja . The headline, he said, was cast by sub-editors in Lagos .
In response, Justice Eso said "those characters called sub-editors in newspaper houses should be advised to stop sensationalism", because the commission was mandated to make peace and not fuel an already inflammable situation. He then told them to go and sin no more.
Burial of Sir S.P. Ogan, Amanyanabo of Okrika
While defending his memorandum Chief Fibeka, 88, said, "One of the deadly causes of the mayhem of 8th April 2001 was by former governor Chief Rufus Ada George, Chief Ngeri Rowland Amafin of blessed memory, Hon. Godwin Tamuno, Promis Abibo, Chief T.J.A. Ibulubo Mr. Charles Dagogo Ibulubo.
"The men opposed the right of popularly, democratically, traditionally selected, elected and accepted Amanyanabo King A.S. Abam Ado 1X who was elected on 7th and 8th August 1999.
"He was elected by the Abam family to Ado royal family and from Ado to the Egweme kingmakers and finally to the Okrika divisional Council of Chiefs, respectively on 12th August 1999.
"The delay of the burial of the S.P. Ogan drew the attention of the state government and the traditional council of chiefs for timely intervention. On 26th February, 2001 a communiqué was however reached to bury the amanyanabo.
"During the said meetings at the Government House auditorium, Port Harcourt, Chief Rowland Amafina challenged the state council of traditional rulers on 5th April 2001, when he was advised that the late Amanyanabo should be buried on another land or the residence of the deceased.
"He was told that it was an interlocutory court order against the land allocation committee of Okrika and Ado royal family.
He however intransigenly disobeyed court order and wickedly buried the great monarch as a child by 6 a.m. at will on the land belonging to Amakiri and Igash War Canoe Houses, Tomo-biri waterside sand filled land Okrika with impunity on 7th April 2001."
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