*Nobody can send us away here – Meinbutus
By Cletus Opukeme, Warri
There is palpable tension in Warri as Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom has told Meinbutus federated communities, formed by other Ijaw communities who supported the Ogbe-Ijoh against the Itsekiri ethnic nationality to reclaim Ogbe-Ijoh lost land to vacate the land as the kingdom could not tolerate what they described excesses of the boys.
Meinbutus insisted that nobody can send them away as they are part of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom. Therefore,they are not moving at the directive of one individual person who forgets so easily history of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom.
Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom spoke exclusively with Daily Watch through the Olotu of the kingdom, high Chief Lucky Oromone at the Palace of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom, HRM Couple Oromone in a large gathering of chiefs and the traditional ruler, said ” We have a problem with the Meinbutus. These boys have seized our lands and sold the whole portions of lands without the input of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom. Two, they are planing to install a king in Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom which we vowed it will not happen as our kingdom will not be the first to produce two kings in one kingdom. Three, they have seized the lands and built illegal structures everywhere without the approval of the Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom.
”Four, the boys are making illegal collections from both Ogbe-Ijoh and other Ijaw speaking communities market women who came to buy stocks in Ogbe-Ijoh market. Most importantly, we don’t want illegal occupants in the Ogbe-Ijo axis in Warri. Therefore, we want to carry out a mass action to retrieve all lands, sold, illegally acquired and built by these boys .
” Finally, the seven sub-communities under Meinbutus would be renamed with their original ancient street names and that is to say, when we are done, there will be no MEINBUTUS, Olabrakonpre, Ogbokone in the locality. Etc. That is the stand of the Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom” he revealed.
Ex-Militant leader and Chief priest of Meinbutus federated communities Amb. Godday Smith aka Bounanawei/King of the forest. The Chief Priest of Meinbutus, General Godday Smith aka (Bounanawei/King of the forest) while reacting to the Ogbe-Ijo kingdom, expressed disappointment on the part of the Ogbe-Ijo kingdom which he said making public denial of Meinbutus is an aberration and self-mockery before the public. Saying that Oge-Ijo denying Meinbutus is as the same thing as denying themselves as not part of the descendants of Mein children.
According to him, Meinbutus is not Ogbe-Ijo and that Meinbutus represents the entire Ijaw ethnic nationalities in Warri whose representatives from various communities and kingdom established the historical Meinbutus federated communities. He said that after the inauguration of the present Meinbutus executive, there would be an enlarged general meeting to be convened by the Meinbutus elders to deliberate the burning issues on ground where Meinbutus would be redefined for peace to reign in Warri.
According to the king of the forest and Meinbutus Chief Priest that the meeting would comprise all Ijaw traditional rulers, Chiefs and leaders of thoughts, youths leaders, women representatives cut across Ijaw ethnic nationalities to deliberate way forward.
Meinbutus on their part vowed that can send them awayor stop them from maintaining the statequo existing in the their communities over the years.
However, Meinbutus elders council led by General Godday Smith aka Bounanawei, King Jere Prebor, Chief Ebis Moni, High Chief Andabofa Opunama, High Chief Richard Enarede, Mr. Mike Loyibo, aka (Bain ke de best) Denco Moni, Afore Powede, Amb. Dibi Yinkore and others have maintained that they are not inaugurating a new monarch. But they are inaugurating the new Meinbutus President Comrade Joseph Enieyekebi and his exco members who would manage the affairs of Meinbutus untill their tenure expire for another executive to take over.
They advised the Ogbe-Ijo traditional council not to heat up the polity in Ijaw Warri as they had no problem with the Ogbe-kingdom. They said that the seven sub-communities under Meinbutus are autonomous communities and therefore they should be allowed to govern or manage the communities without external interference for the peace and unity among other ethnic nationalities as brothers and sisters. They maintained that Meinbutus communities are not isolated from the Oge-Ijoh kingdom and they condemned in totality the steps so far taken by the Ogbe-Ijoh traditional council over nothing.
