BY AWELE OGBOGU
THE residents of Okuama have been to hell and back! Imagine spending several weeks in the dense forest where the bravest of men dare to tread. But to get as far away as possible from all the carnage and destruction of the vengeance-seeking men in uniform, the toddlers, children and women of Okuama, a number of them heavy with months of pregnancy and others, heavily laden with babies on their backs, wandered deeper and deeper into the wilds, scavenging all day for food under the rain and in the sun, giving up all hopes of survival, as the noose tightened on the small, defenseless community.
As at June 13, 2024, five babies had been delivered at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp established about a month ago by Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for Okuama residents returning from the forests.
As The Pointer learnt during a recent tour of the area, the full name of the community is Ewu-Okuama under the Ewu-Urhobo Kingdom (pronounced Eghwu), reason being that their progenitor, Ewu had 11 sons, among them Okuama, all under one crown, presently, HRM King Clement Oghenerukevwe Ikolo, Urhukpe I, Ovie of Ewu- Urhobo Kingdom. Also, “contrary to reports that Okuama has about 200 residents, as far back as 2016, it had four electoral units, each with a minimum of 500 registered voters, excluding children and those under 18. It has no less than 5, 000 residents today”, said Mr. Austine Owhofaria, a native of Ewu-Urhobo.
Recall that 17 officers and personnel of the Nigerian Army, were killed on March 14, 2024 in Okuama by unknown persons. The slain soldiers were said to be on a peace mission to Okuama, in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State, on March 14. It was due to a communal misunderstanding between Okuama and Okoloba, an Ijaw community in Bomadi Local Government Area, also in Delta State. Both communities had signed a peace accord brokered by the Delta State Government, more than a month earlier. Then the Military, after having 17 soldiers killed, sought a pound of flesh, descending on the Okuama community destroying all within sight, in reprisal attacks said to have left several fatalities in its trail. It was discovered that only a building was left standing in Okuama- the Anglican church in the community. Subsequently, what has become of the residents after the Army announced its withdrawal?
The Pointer, on Thursday, June 13, 2024 undertook a tour of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp established by the Delta State Government at Ewu-Urhobo Grammar School for the Ewu-Okuama residents. Investigations at the IDP Camp revealed that this has prevented a humanitarian crisis from erupting at a time when there is already much suffering in the country.
Hence, the Camp Commandant, Deacon Austine Ohwofaria was full of thanks to the Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori. Ohwofaria said that the Governor, within two weeks, was able to put in place, all the necessary facilities to cater to the needs of the displaced persons. They include four halls of residence, clinic, solar powered electricity supply, two boreholes, Ambulance, while a police officer, Collins Eyiyetan said there is adequate security. However, Owhofara drew attention to two dilapidated buildings, saying that if given due attention, would create more spaces for camp dwellers, some of whom are residing at an external accommodation.
He revealed that most of the men left their wives and children behind at the IDP Camp to return to the community. “knowing the genesis of the crisis, the dispute between Okuama and Okoloba, they said they were going back to signal to any intruder that nobody can take their community away from them. Some said that their crops were harvested after they went into hiding, while their land was gradually being occupied by some persons after the military left.”
Ohwofaria is being assisted at the IDP Camp by Comrade Sunny White and a SEMA official, Mr. Emmanuel Alomere. He said the IDP Camp opened on May 15, 2024. I, 640 residents were registered but 444 are presently in camp, due to the decision of the men to return home after the military reprisals.
The Camp Commandant said they take a headcount every 2am. Of the number presently in Camp, females are 224, children, 209, youths, 10, the disabled, 3 and only one male, while 15 are pregnant.
Dr. Oyawiri Samuel who manages the clinic, told The Pointer that there has been five deliveries so far. He said efforts are being made to avert disease outbreak which has a high risk factor in places such as the IDP Camp. He said he and his team are doing their best in giving psychological counseling to the traumatised residents, while they are giving due attention to cases, of which ulcer and hypertensive patients have been the most encountered at the Camp. Oyawiri said as usual, cases of malaria are common but is being handled. He said they have their eyes on the children in order to avert cholera outbreak, which commonly occur by way of faeco-oral diseases, that is, when children defecate, fail to wash their hands properly and put such hands in their mouths or use them for eating.
At the IDP Camp, The Pointer encountered a number of the displaced residents. 45-year-old Mr. Anthony Idiaphoro, a disabled man broke down in tears, saying he lost his house and fishing boats which he hired out for a living. Mrs. Silver Owhotayeke, a 64-year-old farmer who has five children recounted how the family spent a month and some weeks in the Arhavwarien forest. “We survived by exhuming cassava and other tubers from the ground and eating them raw. We were plucking leaves and eating them raw so as not to die from starvation.”
Ufuoma Omosomo in her 20s, who is pregnant, Mrs. Evelyn Edjekota with seven children, were among those who spent weeks inside the forest, without cover or food. Mrs. Goodluck Obadajire put to bed at the IDP Camp. She spent the last month of her pregnancy in the forest. Like other nursing mothers there, she could be seen clutching on to her one month old daughter, while surrounded by her other children who were with her for weeks in the forest. Her husband, after whom the baby was named “Daddy’s Boy”, had since returned to Okuama with the rest of the men.
On the football pitch at the IDP Camp, the kids having formed rival teams slugged it out. Nine-year-old Simon Daniel in primary 3, 13-year-old Omotegboli Mudiaga in primary 6, 14-year-old Akpofuro Ochuko, 13-year-old Happy Godspower, 13-year-old Destiny Sunday and her brother, Simon who is 11, all said that they miss going to school. Mudiaga’s fun seemed to vanish when he remembered that his school, Aderha Primary School, Okuama like all the buildings in the community, is now a heap of debris.
But Ohwofaria assured that arrangements will soon be concluded for those in secondary school to resume classes at Ewu Grammar School in whose premises the IDP Camp is located, only separated by a partition, while the pupils will begin classes at the nearby Eghereka Primary School, Ewu.
Ohwofaria also assured that they are enough provisions in the camp to cater to their daily needs. “That is why we decided that they should cook their own food. They selected some of the women among them to do the cooking. We did not want to contract the cooking to caterers so that nobody would accuse anyone of shortchanging them. And so far, they are no complaints from anybody and things are moving smoothly.”
The Camp Commandant informed that help has come from numerous organisations, notably Arise Urhobo, Neo Black Movement (NBM), saying that they are the highest donor so far. Others are Clinton Avwerosuo Diatake Foundation, Catholic Diocese of Warri, Prince Oghenerukevwe Okifo Foundation, the Ighelle Urhobo (Youth Wing of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU), Chief Josephine Oduaran (a member of the IDP Camp Management Committee), Church of Christ, Ewu-Urhobo, Baptist Church, Oteri, Chief (Mrs.) Christiana Ofuedje and Activist Blessed Ughere, UPU Youth Wing President.
Ohwofaria expressed confidence that with the IDP Camp, things would begin to get better for the displaced residents. Indeed, time they say heals wounds, but for the displaced persons of Okuama, they would need more than just time, but all necessary support for a return to their normal lives.
