By Ikhili Ebalu, Benin City
Elders of Oko-oroma community in Ikpoba- Okha local government area of Edo, on Friday, called on the people of Amagba community in Oredo local of the State to obey the decision of the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II .
Speaking on behalf Oko-Okoma , the youth leader of the community, Prince Osaretin Emokpae, told journalists in Benin, that Oba says Oko-Oroma or Agor Emokpae is not under Obagie-Nevbosa neither is it under Amagba.
Emokpae said the verdict of the Benin monarch is sacrosanct and should be final as it relates to issues bothering on boundary dispute in the Kingdom.
He said the statement of the Oba stemmed from the prolonged boundary dispute between the people of Oko-Oroma and Amagba who have bent on laying claim on their lands but the monarch in his wisdom said Okoroma or Agor Emokpae is not under Obagie-Nevbosa neither is it under Amagba but that everybody should go and maintain peace and order.
According to him, “After the fight and the killings between Oko-Okoma and Amagba, we went to the palace, Oba Ewuare II, gave a verdict and said that Oko-Oroma is a large community.
” Amagba people used to call us Agor Emokpae, and all villages started from Agor.
” So, Oko-Oroma is a large community. It took its name from Oroma village, Oke-Oroma.
“So, after that fight in February 2020, the Oba Ewuare II said Oko-Oroma or Agor Emokpae is not under Obagie-Nevbosa neither is it under Amagba but that everybody should go and maintain peace and order. ”
“So, we all went home, to maintain peace but the people of Amagba did not allow us to have rest”, Emokpae he added.
Prince Emokpae said that in order to mislead the public, the people of Amagba have gone about displaying document claiming that the monarch has ruled in their favour and that the disputed lands belong to them and which is not true.
“They came about some days back with a fake paper, that Oba has given them a fresh verdict that they are now the custodian of Oroma village.
“So, they came and started fighting us, flying paper around that the Oba has given them fresh verdict.
“We have gone to the palace to check, nothing like that, Oba has not said anything like that.
“There is no fresh judgement yet, Oba said everybody should maintain status quo.” he said.
He explained that “Oroma river is the natural boundary and that everybody should maintain status quo and Amagba people refused to maintain the natural boundary.
“They crossed their Oredo local government area to Ikpoba-Okha local government area.
“So, we want the general public to know that the paper that they are flying saying that the Oba has given them verdict, that it is a lie”, he said.
In reaction, the acting Chief Press Secretary to Oba Ewuare told Nigerian Post that Oba Ewuare has not given fresh verdict.
It will be recalled that the two communities are in different local government Area which are Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha of the state.