Uyai-Abasi Etido
The traditional ruler of Ayetoro Community in Akure, Ondo State, Oba Micah Ajijo has reportedly escape from the palace following a protest by angry residents for diverting the N150m paid to the community in 2021 by Mobil Oil company as compensation for oil spillage, for his personal use.
The protesters who were armed with placards of different inscriptions such as “Pay our money for peace to reign”, “Release our Mobil oil spillage fund with you since 2021”, “Ayetoro demands payment of Oil-spillage compensation”, among others has on Friday threatened to deal with the traditional ruler, during a protest in the community.
According to the Chairman, Association of Fishermen, Pa Lawrence Lemamu who spoke on behalf of the people, noted that the people attacked Oba Ajijo, as he claimed but that they demanded the oil-spill compensation paid into his account since 2021.
In his words: “Oba Ajijo vacated the palace to avoid the wrath of the people. The claims made by the monarch were regrettable, it was an indication that he was up to some mischief over the payment of oil-spill compensation. The monarch voluntarily vacated the palace when the residents of the town who are mainly fishermen demanded the money paid as compensation by the Mobil Producing Nigeria Limited”.
One Lemamu also explained that the sum of N150m was paid by the oil giant as out-of-court settlement for the action instituted against the oil company over the oil spillage that happened in the community in 1998.
He added that the oil-spillage destroyed the source of livelihood of farmers, fishermen while poultry and other domestic animals reared for commercial purpose were killed as a result of contamination of water caused by oil spillage.
Noting that the community representatives, which include, Snr Apostle Dele Kudehinbu, Prophet Jimmy Obakpolor and Snr Apostle Jackson Hommane, nominated Oba Ajijo to superintendent the disbursement of the compensation, he alleged that the traditional ruler, after taking delivery of the funds from Mobil, resorted to using the police to intimidate and harass members of the community.
Lemamu said the protest was peaceful but the monarch sneaked out of the community to escape the wrath of the people over the compensation and that the monarch has now twisted the story that he was attacked by hoodlums.
“This has been his style, all the allegations levelled against the people of the community are baseless and false. His house and property are intact. Some of his workers have started moving his property out of the palace, but we are peaceful people and will not take law into our hands.
“There was no assassination attempt or looting of his property. We cannot afford to lose him now, we have been praying for him so that the debts would be paid, no one will ever want to kill or pray for his debtor to die.”