THE relative peace enjoyed in Delta State under Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori was, on Tuesday, attributed to the good relationship between the governor and traditional rulers.
Disclosing this in an interview with The Pointer, the traditional ruler of Ebu Kingdom, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state, His Royal Majesty, Paul Odililie – Opili, Onu-Ebu, said in the past one year and more, Gov Oborevwori has kept his electioneering promise of keeping close to traditional rulers in the State, describing it as a wise decision and a strategy to sustain the peace in the State in general and at the grassroots in particular.
Traditional rulers, the Monarch said, were closer to the people at the grassroots, they feel the pulse of the people at that level and were in a better position, not only to transmit government policies and programmes to the grassroots, but help to reduce the rate of crime and criminality.
With a good and well articulated feedback mechanism, traditional rulers have played a vital role in giving useful advice and information to the state government, through the states traditional rulers council, and this, to a great extent has made Delta State a more peaceful state, compare to others in the country.
“Apart from the Okuama misfortune, that led to the killing of 17 military officers and many civilians, Delta State is a peaceful state, the monarch added.
He expressed sadness that the Okuama crisis, which to the best of his knowledge was an issue between two communities that snowballed into the killings, positing that the state government, under Gov Sheriff Oborevwori should be commended for the way it handled the issue, thus, preventing it from escalating beyond the way it went
He reminded Deltans of Odi crisis that led to the killings and complete demolition of an entire community, adding that the state government did so much behind the scene to nip that of Okuama early enough.
“For the Soldiers to have vacated Okuoma, the early they did, was a result of some underground works by the State Government, which many may not know may have been done. “I believe Gov Oborevwori was diplomatic in handling the Okuama crisis, hence peace was restored to the area within a very short time”, the Monarch said.
While appealing to the governor to sustain his good relationship with traditional rulers in the state, the monarch said, if there is peace in every community in Delta State, courtesy of traditional rulers, the entire State will be more peaceful.
To this end, he appealed for more financial and logistics support from government and other well-meaning Deltans, groups and corporate bodies, to give logistics support to traditional rulers in order for them to improve on their peace and security role at the grassroots.
The Monarch also passionately appealed to Gov Oborevwori, to look in the direction of Ebu Kingdom, by ordering the immediate completion of Ilo-Ebu road, which was awarded during the former Gov Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration, but seem to have been abandoned.
The road, he said was a 2km road, from the Post Office to Ebu Grammar School.
