Just In : Odigbo LG professional League reacts to Bitumen Exploration in Agbabu By Ondo Government
The Alhaji Musa Ibrahim Mantu led management team of Owena Bitumen Exploration Nigeria Limited had barely left the Office of the Governor of Ondo State at Alagbaka, Akure before the purpose of their meeting with Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa started generating a lot of hue and cry from people under whose ancestral land the bitumen said to be the second largest deposit behind Venezuela is sitting in the southern part of Ondo State. This followed a release by the Chief Press Secretary to the Ondo State Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.
A part of that official statement made available by the Governor’s Spokesperson reads:
“The primary goal, according to Mantu, is to explore bitumen in Ondo State, with a processing plant already under construction in Ijebu Ode, projected to be the largest in the world.
“He said the company has secured approximately one billion dollars in financing from Europe and aims to deploy advanced bitumen technology with the support of world-class partners within the next 12 months.
“He added that their collaboration would leverage local raw materials with their technological expertise to process resources independently, minimizing the need for crude oil transportation.”
Obviously, the first paragraph of the above press release explains why what should ordinarily be a cheering news has caused a lot of agitation which is a natural reaction considering successive government’s failed efforts to tap this natural resources capable of ameliorating the living standard of the people by creation of job opportunities and other operational benefits and incentives accrued to host communities.
This public outcry is largely fuelled by misinformation, lack of credible information, or overreliance on other people’s opinions and interpretations. In most cases, the man whose opinion is being latched onto may not even know better than the common men on the street. The investors’ visit only suggest that they have come to submit a $1 billion proposal to the state government for consideration. The bitumen in Ondo State is reportedly worth $42 billion. More investors may soon approach the state government.
For instance, while reacting on Facebook to the outcome of the meeting between the investors and Mr. Governor, a popular Canadian based public affairs analyst propagated some degree of falsehood by giving his followers who are predominantly from the Southern Senatorial District of Ondo State(home and abroad) the impression that the bitumen deposit in Ondo State is situated only in Ikaleland which belongs to the natives of Irele Local Government and Okitipupa Local Government, unjustly taking attention away from Agbabu, another major bitumen community in Odigbo Local Government.
While there is no objection to the bitumen deposit claim in Irele by this native of Ode-Irele, just as Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, the sponsor of the Bitumen Development Commission bill and lawmaker representing Ondo South Senatorial District would naturally want to favour his home town of Igbotako or Ode-Aye in Okitipupa Local Government at the expense of the two major host communities and local governments, I consider any attempt to disregard Agbabu, a major bitumen producing area reputed to have the largest chunk of bitumen deposit in the region as mischievous and insensitive.
Agbabu has its historical significance for being the first contact for the German bitumen explorer between 1907 and 1914 coming along a stretch beginning from the outcrop belt of the northeast of Lekki Lagoon in Ogun State and extend toward the southeast in Ondo State, precisely Agbabu.
One event which emphasise why the state government must proactively deal with inter-communal skirmishes and agitation already brewing to avoid a repeat of the unfortunate tales from the Niger Delta happened sometime this year at a summit organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Energy, Mines and Mineral Resources with community leaders, youths, and other stakeholders across bitumen host communities at the Secretariat of Odigbo Local Government, to educate the people on bitumen modalities and most importantly the roles of individuals in a successful exploration. The summit almost turned into a rowdy session when a fellow objected to the organisers’ decision to acknowledge a baale ahead of a representative of the major traditional ruler in the local government.
Minor issues like this, if not well managed, can snowball into a full blown communal clash with devastating implications on the community, people, and the state.
Therefore, the administration of Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa must ensure robust traditional leaders, community, youths, and other stakeholders engagements. The government through its Ministry of Information & Orientation should embark on massive sensitization of the people about their roles in community development using all available platforms including radio and television. All these measures should be put in place before any land of bitumen is dug. This will not only give the people a great sense of belonging and assurance, but will also earn the government the people’s trust and confidence, which is very strategic going into a crucial election period in the state.
The government should therefore consider Ore axis in Odigbo Local Government as the site of the Bitumen Development Commission because of its strategic location and proximity with Agbabu. It is indeed the commercial nerve centre of  Ondo State. The community is populated by people from different tribes with different languages across the 36 states of Nigeria. The administration of former Governor of Ondo State, late Dr. Olusegun Agagu had already lay a foundation by building a bitumen office opposite Odigbo Local Government Secretariat, along Ondo-Ore way, which the current government can build upon.
Having gained prominence during the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 as the place where Nigerian soldiers stopped advancing Biafran army. It’s noteworthy that the centrality of the town made it the gateway between Southwest, Southeast and South-South geo-political zones. It links the Ondo Central Senatorial District to the South Senatorial Districts in Ondo State. And for commuters going to the South-South/Southeast from Lagos, Ore is the stop-over point where they get refreshed before proceeding on their long journey to the Eastern part of the country. This makes Ore the potential business hub that could grow to the level of Lagos and become the largest IGR for the state government in the nearest future.
The Odigbo Local Government Professional League(ODILPROLE), an umbrella body of practising professionals – captain of industries, career men and women, wealth creators, community leaders, reputable civil servants, astute politicians of both indigenes and non-indigenes extract believes strongly that Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s administration’s objective of attractng both local and foreign investments, boost Ondo State economy, and create jobs can swiftly be achieved with concerted efforts at opening up the host communities as potential mega city in the southern region of the state, to make Ondo State more economically viable.
Hopefully, the Office of the Governor has not received the last team of investors willing to do business with the state. It is hoped that Mr. Governor can be the one under whose administration this natural resources will eventually be tapped as well as the impending seaport construction to bring immense benefit to the people of Ondo State. There is no doubt that it will be a remarkable feat considering how successive government since 1999 have failed to deliver on bitumen exploration inspite of many promises.
Hopefully too, the bitumen exploration will not further set our state backward and impoverish our people like the case of the Niger Delta or Iran vs Iraq. History has shown that one of the fiercest war ever fought is the war of inheritance, hence statement must ensure there is no bargaining failure and no critical stakeholders are left out in any decision making. There is no doubt that these host communities/local government have well read individuals and professionals that can be co opted into the whole process. That is the way to go in a civilised society.
Olasunkanmi Afiwajoye
Acting Secretary, Odigbo Local Government Professional League(ODILPROLE)*
3rd June, 2024
