By Emameh Gabriel
There is a saying in Okpella which says, “You don’t eat crab claws with your mouth shut.” Ogboa oya koku unu lu ugalie oatse.” This means that when dealing with contentious issues, it is essential to speak up and express your thoughts and concerns openly.
After a careful review of the CDA between Ukhomunyio, Okpella, and Dangote Cement, I am impelled to share my thoughts, as it appears to be another squandered chance for meaningful development, no matter the justification given.
First of all, let me congratulate the parties for the successful signing of the Community Development Agreement (CDA) in 2024. I wish for the agreement to bear fruitful outcomes and pray that its implementation brings about meaningful benefits for the community.
However, driven by a sense of duty to address the perceived missteps in the agreement, I join other community members who have already expressed their concerns, hoping our collective voices will prompt positive change in the future.
Over the past twenty hours, I have engaged in extensive telephone conversations with various stakeholders across the Okpella community, and the feedback I received is both alarming and revealing. The sentiments expressed indicate deep-seated frustration on the one hand and a sense of betrayal and payback on the other, suggesting that the community is headed for more crises.
From the feelers I got, it is evident that a small clique of self-serving leaders has hijacked the entire Okpella community, putting their personal interests over the well-being of the people they claim to represent. These individuals are said to be willing to compromise the community’s resources for minimal gains, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation and neglect.
The responses I gathered suggest a widespread disillusionment with the current state of affairs in the community and a longing for a more inclusive and equitable representation of the people’s interests.
Numerous accounts also revealed that contracts were awarded to individuals who misappropriated funds for personal gain rather than utilising them for the intended purposes, and none of these persons were called to account for them. Furthermore, there are allegations of subpar workmanship and shoddy execution of awarded contracts.
These disturbing revelations were cited by some as justification for the grossly inequitable Community Development Agreement (CDA) with Dangote Cement. These individuals sought to rationalise the lopsided agreement by pointing to past instances of corruption and mismanagement within the community.
However, this logic is flawed, as it merely perpetuates a cycle of exploitation and neglect rather than addressing the underlying issues and working towards a more equitable and transparent partnership, and above all, the unity of Okpella, which these investors dread the most.
In my opinion, no matter the justification, it falls short of addressing the profound challenges facing our community. The root issue remains the lack of genuine leadership, and I am willing to state this boldly and unequivocally. The excuses offered are mere window dressing, failing to confront the magnitude of the problems we face.
The challenges we face in Okpella today are not only driven by a quest for control over resources or a lust for power and authority within the community; they are rooted in more fundamental issues that require thoughtful attention and drastic resolution.
Around 2018, I wrote an article published in the opinion section of Okpella Voice, cautioning against a possible troubling era of division and strife if our leaders failed to harness the wealth of natural resources bestowed upon us to drive development and foster unity.
I liken the situation to the diamond crises that ravaged Sierra Leone and other West African countries of exploitation, where brutality and suffering ensued whenever valuable resources were discovered. The lucrative diamond trade led to forced labour, slavery, and war, as local populations were exploited by their own leaders and rebel groups driven by power and greed. While the people were dying ruthlessly for their share of this precious commodity, their leaders struggled to remain in power in order to steal enough.
Back home, I draw the same conclusion from the Niger Delta region, where the scramble for resources has and continues to exacerbate divisions and conflicts. I also highlighted the example of Nigeria, where leaders of various ethnic groups are seeking self-determination to have control over the abundance of natural resources in their areas.
In my article, I urged our leaders to recognise the pitfalls of allowing resource management to become a source of division. Unfortunately, my predictions seem to be unfolding, and it is imperative that we acknowledge the gravity of the situation and work towards a more inclusive and equitable approach to resource management.
Take note of this fact: No capitalist entrepreneur or investor desires to encounter a united community that opposes their goals. The prospect of collective action and solidarity among community members strikes fear into their hearts, as it threatens to undermine their ability to exploit resources and maximise profits. This is the pitfall I am warning against: the erosion of community cohesion and the exploitation that follows when we fail to present a united front.
By recognising this dynamic, we can begin to understand the importance of community unity in the face of external interests that seek to divide and conquer. It is only through collective action and a unified voice that we can effectively resist the pitfalls of capitalist exploitation and secure a brighter future for our community. This has been, and will continue to be, my prayer.
My position is not driven by the opinion in most quarters of the community as to who gets what and who doesn’t, but by a deep-seated concern for the future of our community, which has been left vulnerable and exposed for years by the very individuals who swore to protect its interests.
In my next piece, I will conduct a thorough analysis of the agreement, highlighting the shortcomings and deficiencies in each clause.
Regarding Akemokue Lukman, for the first time in a very long time, I found myself in rare agreement with his assessment that the Community Development Agreement (CDA) falls short of being a unifying and beneficial pact for the people of Okpella. The agreement’s terms are egregiously one-sided. This glaring imbalance suggests a hasty approach to drafting the document, overlooking critical aspects that would have ensured a more equitable agreement between the community and the investors.
The agreement’s language is vague and lacks substance, betraying a lack of commitment and solemnity from its signatories. The tone is flippant and lacking in gravity.
Meanwhile, I have noticed some individuals urging others to contest the agreement’s outcome, but I firmly believe this approach will be counterproductive.
The five-year agreement is a fait accompli, and I urge caution against futile attempts to challenge it. Let us not fall into the trap of perpetual traducers, but instead, focus on uniting our community and promoting peace. Whether the agreement was a deliberate act of exploitation or a mere oversight, we must rise above our differences and work towards a common goal.
To those who remain silent in the face of widespread discontentment among your kismen, fearing that speaking out may deny your personal benefits, I say: history will be the judge of our actions. I believe that the drafters of the agreement are not devoid of conscience and will recognise their mistakes, using this experience as a guide for future improvements.
God bless Okpella!
