By David Daniels
The Elders and inhabitants of Ologbo Nugu Community in Orhionmwon Local Government Council Area of Edo State comprising mostly women and youths have
staged a peaceful protest to demand a stop to the destruction of their farmland, which is their only source of livelinood over the years.
The Elders, women and youths
condemned the wanton destruction of therir crops on their farmlands by Barnsley Oil Palm PLC , owners of Saro Farms limited.
The protesters who brandished various placards with inscriptions such as “Keep to the agreement to leave 250 hectares for us.”, “No MoU, no land for SARO”, ” This is the Only Land we have ” , “SARO stop oppressing us”, and “Governor Obaseki, save us from SARO” appealed to Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki to intervene to avert a bloody communal crisis as a result of the destruction and land grabbing activities of Saro Farms.
The Elders and inhabitants of Ologbo Nugu Community led by a nonagenarian and Odionwere(Head) of the community, Pa. Aduwa Osaigbovo said the agro-based firm has made life unbearable for them as most of their farmlands have been devastated by the budozzer working daily for the firm.
According to him , their only means of livelihood as an agrarian community has been destroyed by the land grabbing activities.
Osaigbovo, who appealed to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare Il for prevade on the Company and government to give them back their farmlands said the youths and women in the community have become jobless because they don’t have farms to work.
Also calling on Governor Obaseki to wade into the crisis bedeviling the community , Odionwere (Head of the Community ) of Ologbo Nugu said the community youths are by the action of the firm, now forced to go into crime and criminality to survive.
He said the youths were out of jobs owing to their farms destruction in the wake of the crisis between saro Farms and the community.
Osaigbovo said their harrowing ordeal started when the agro-based based firm was given land by the state government in the community to use for their Oil Palm Plantation business in the state.
He added that while they were optimistic about working cordially with the firm as the host community, the firm disappointed them by bringing caterpillar to bulldoze their farms, destroyed crops, mainly yams and plantain plantations and refused to give them the 250 hectares of land agreed on.
He noted that the value of foods destroyed across the hundreds of hectares of farmlands belonging to the community members was unqualifiable.
Osaigbovo said the firm having reached a decision with the community and the state government to give 250 hectares of farmland for the inhabitants of the community to be properly delineated and defined for their farming purposes, however refused and gave them only 50 hectares instead of 250 hectares agreed upon.
He said, “We are poor farmers who rely on farming as the only source of livelihoods and over the years these farming activities have been carried out in the designated lands (Sakponba Forest Reserve) by the inhabitants of Ologbo Nugu Community after payment of fees to Edo State Government.
According to him, a few years ago, the company came with the intention of taking over the forest reserve for Oil Palm Plantation with the claim that the area was purportedly allocated to it by the Edo State Government.
The Odionwere of
Ologbo Nugu community lamented that after so much protest by its people against the taking over of their farmlands by the agro-based company, the Edo State Government appealed to them to allow the company to take part of the land and it was agreed that out of the about 600 hectares of land, a minimum of 250 hectares should be reserved for the people of the community and compensation to be awarded to members of the community who would be affected by the delineation.
Osaigbovo, who spoke in Bini dialect, said that to the great consternation of the community members, the delineation of lands was done by the agro-based company alone, and only 50 hectares of land was allocated to the community members.
He stressed that all attempts by the community to amicably resolve the
issue with the agro-based firm have been unsuccessful, adding that the company have continued to use men of the Nigerian Army to intimidate, harass and threaten them whenever they protested to the land.
The youths and women in the community led by Osasere Izevboku and Justina Osakwe, respectively, expressed their frustration on the agro-based company to allocate 250 hectares of land for their farming purposes.
They appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki and the Benin monarch to come to their rescue following harassment by security operatives engaged by the firm and the refusal by the company to fulfil the agreement reached which is causing distress and hardship to the community members who are in need of land for their livelihood.
Investigation by Our correspondent revealed that the dispute is occasioned by the refusal to give the local inhabitants 250 hectares of farmland for farming purposes, the setting up, inclusion and due recognition of the Community Representatives (CLO) in the project as well as a proper and due assessment of the area before the commencement of work with payment of all persons who worked during the valuation and delineation period.
The angry elders, women, and youths are protesting that the promised Burfa (farmland), which was agreed upon to be given to their community, has not been fulfilled with regards to their agreement.
When contacted via telephone, the agro-based firm’s representative,
Dr. Tunde Faturoti, who is the Project Director of Saro Oil Palm Limited, declined comment on the matter. He directed journalists to contact the Edo State Government through the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) on the issue.
Reacting, Managing Director, Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO) Kevin Uwaibi also denied knowledge of the crisis between Ologbo Nugo community and Saro Farms, saying, “This is the period of propaganda. I suggest all parties should sit down to discuss.” Uwaibi said.