By Banji Ayoola
- State receives same ‘pittance’ as derivation fund since 1992
- 11 wells not being credited to the state
- Ilaje, Ese Odo devastated, ‘extremely marginalised’
Ondo State is being shortchanged by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, on revenue due to it from its oil derivation quota, it was revealed on Thursday.
Making the revelation in Akure, the state capital, at the public presentation and launching of his autobiography, Footprints of a selfless servant, veteran labour leader, Comrade Oyekan Arije, said that the state should be the fourth largest oil producing state in the country if production from the state’s oil wells is appropriately credited to it by the DPR.
Also, he called for a dedicated account for the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission, OSOPADEC, and an increase of the derivation fund to 70 percent from 40 percent to take proper care of the degradation of the oil producing area by exploration and exploitation activities.
But he regretted that the state has successively been receiving ‘pittance’ on the same quota allotted to it by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, since 1992, when the Federal Government officially admitted the state into the nation’s club of oil producing states.
According to him, there are about 11 new oil wells in the state that are not being credited to Ondo State by the DPR.
In his words: “We have about 11 oil wells that up till now the DPR did not credit to Ondo State. As a result, we are being paid the same oil derivation quota we were allotted since 1992.
“We have been drumming it to successive governments in the state. We should be the fourth largest oil producing state in the country today.
“I am calling on the state government to do a follow up. We gave a paper on this matter when (Dr. Olusegun) Mimiko was the Governor. We gave to (Dr. Olusegun) Agagu, we gave to (Chief Adebayo) Adefarati, and we gave to (Ogbeni Oluwarotimi) Akeredolu in January this year on the oil wells for which Ondo State has not been credited.”
Also, Arije lamented that the Ilaje and Ese Odo Local Government Areas of the state have been “extremely” marginalised, alleging that “for many years Ilaje and Ese Odo Local Government Areas have been denied a fair share of the capital budget of the state since 1992.”
He said: “Ilaje people have been extremely marginalised. Oil is derived from their area, yet they have nothing to show for it. We call for a dedicated account for OSOPADEC.
“We put this to Governor Akeredolu when he was doing campaign, that oil derivation fund should be increased to 70 percent instead of 40 percent because we are the ones suffering degradation.
“Petrol is cheaper in Ilaje than water. We live on water, yet our people have no potable water to drink. It is the effect of oil exploration and exploitation. Since 2003, Ilaje and Ese Odo have been excluded from the budget of Ondo State.”
According to him: “Ilaje, the oil producing local government in Ondo State has not been benefiting from the capital budget of Ondo State for the past 15 years; even for loans, grants, capital projects.
“I hope that it won’t be too long that Governor Akeredolu would correct what his predecessors have been perpetrating for years. Letters written by the community over this matter are contained in this book.”
Meanwhile, there was a rain of tributes on Arije, the pioneer two term Chairman of the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC by eminent personalities who spoke at the occasion.
They are Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN; first NLC President and former Secretary General of Organisation of Africa Unity Trade Union Congress, COSATU, Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu; Comrade Femi Aborisade; former Ondo State Head of Service, Comrade Alaba Isijola; former Governorship candidate, Chief Olusola Oke; and former Head of Service, Mr. Ajose Kudehinbu.
Others are Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose (nee Ajasin); Commissioner for Empowerment, Hon Funso Esan; former Chairman Ondo State Civil Service Commission Mr. Dare Adebiyi; Justice Akintayo; former Ekiti State Head of Service, Elder Segun Bankole; Prof Kayode Lawrence Olofintoye; former Commissioner for Environment, Chif Sola Ebiseeni; Engineer Ajibade and Ondo State JNC Chairman, Comrade Abel Oloniyo.
Governor Akeredolu, the Chief Host, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Ifedayo Abegunde, described Arije as selfless, one who commands respect, and is instrumental to the domestication of NLC in the state.
He said “He has done very well. Mr. Governor said that I should congratulate you for attaining 80 years and writing this autobiography.”
Sunmonu, who chaired the occasion, and who had known and monitored the activities of the author for the past 40 years, led the train, describing Arije as a dedicated, honest and fearless comrade, “who commands respect by friend or foe.”
Africa’s former number one labour leader, who had known his former old Ondo State counterpart since 1978 when he came to launch the state NLC council, described him as “a highly respected member of the NEC whose advise that we at the leadership of NLC used to take very serious, and whose counsel we sought.”
Also, he described him as the most prolific union leader in the country who has written five books, the second being Comrade Okongwu of NUPENG.
Sunmonu challenged trade union leaders nationwide to commit their various experiences into books to convince all that union activists are “radicals and rebels who want positive change in the life of workers and the people of our country.”
He commended Footprints of a selfless servant, to all the affiliate unions of NLC and TUC, Nigerian workers and people.
In his own address, the Chairman of the Book’s Launching Planning Committee who is a Special Adviser to the Ondo State Governor, a former Head of Service and an ex President of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Alaba Isijola, said the name Arije, whom he described as a powerful negotiator, compelled workers and their employers or the establishment to “sit tight.”
He said that in the Civil Service Commission, “I became a pupil under him and in all honesty I discovered that he is not just a teacher, he is an excellent teacher.”
His words: “I see my father Comrade Oyekan Arije as a highly dependable veteran unionist of impeccable character whose leadership qualities are unquestionable.”
He described him as frank and exemplary saying: “If we say that Baba Arije is a dependable leader, he is not one of those who would go behind you to go to the establishment, take some money and dance to their tunes. No. We never saw him in such a scenario.
“I am not here to write a book on him; but I would be too glad to do one. I must say that we shall never forget you in trade unionism particularly in this state and I am quite sure nationally.”
Isijola said that he felt fulfilled seeing the iconic labour leader, Sunmonu in flesh and blood, and even shaking hands with him, as he recalled Nigeria’s first NLC President’s daring exploits in his days.
He said: “When I was still very young and I heard of the name of our father the veteran labour leader, Comrade Sunmonu; and seeing him now in body and soul, I feel fulfilled that I have to see him and even have a hand shake with you.
“We heard of you in those days. You were a fighter; and you don’t fight anyhow; you fight with detailed documentation of what would convince whoever was holding our privileges or holding on to our privileges.”
On his own, Comrade Femi Aborisade, who reviewed the book, described Arije as one of his political fathers and those who, together with his parents, elder brother Prof Bayo Aborisade and Comrade Ola Oni, built him.
He said that after leaving his parents’ home, he came to the home of Comrade Ola Oni, and then that of Comrade Arije in Akure 36 years ago.
His words: “He inspired me by his uncommon commitment. This man is totally committed to the emancipation of the poor; a courageous man, an inspiring man, a rare gift not only to Nigeria but to humanity. He has no other life, no other love than fighting for the poor.”
He said that the 435-page book of 21 chapters, contains the secrets of successful trade unionists.
In his own speech, Mr Dare Adebiyi who unveiled and presented the book advised the establishment and government that “when an officer tells you everything you want to hear, it is dangerous.”
On his own, the Chief launcher, a former Governorship candidate in the state, Chief Olusola Oke, SAN, said the book is more than Arije’s autobiography, advising labour unions to reappraise themselves and engage their good leaders, as nature abhors vacuum.
Reacting to some of the issues raised in the book, he said: “Time has come for the Ilaje to deal with the issues relating to the entire Ilaje community. Problem of Ilaje land is beyond kingdom or territory. We should place it on the national agenda.
“We should not allow those governing us to have an alibi of internal divisions to abandon their responsibility to this oil rich area of the state. Let us see Ilaje as a territory.”
On her own Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, daughter of the revered Second Republic Governor of the old Ondo State, Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin, with whom Arije worked as NLC chairman, said that her father spoke glowingly of the veteran labour leader as honest and dependable.
Mrs. Anifowose, who represented herself and the Ajasin family at the occasion, said that her father had a cordial relationship with the former labour leader, adding: “my father had good words to say about him.”
She said: “What he did as a labour leader in Ondo State cannot be quantified. When my father was Governor, he saw that there was no money in Ondo State, and that the man in charge was not pilfering.
“There was cooperation. He was very cooperative because he saw what was happening; and my father opened the books. He saw that my father was not taking the security votes. There was peace between the union and government at that time. I thank him for that.
“I urge civil servants to learn from him”
She recalled that when an All Progressives Congress, APC Governor was having problem with his workers, she contacted Arije “and he followed me, and through his advice there was peace.”
On his own, Chief Sola Ebiseeni said: “The humility of Pa Arije is striking. A rebel, a very simple one, he is a prince whose father sat on the first First Class throne in Yoruba land.”
In his own speech, Justice Akintayo, who had known the author for the past 30 years, described him as honest, amiable and a leader who treats everybody equally.
On his own, Barrister Ajose Kudehinbu said: “Every author is well meaning. No author writes to destroy the society. I know Pastor Arije from time immemorial. He has made his contribution not only to the civil service, but to the society at large.”
Also, Prof Lawrence Kayode Olofintoye, who worked with Arije in 1982, described himself as a “handiwork of Comrade Arije,” who had then advised him to further his studies.
In his own speech, Engineer Ajibade blamed civil servants for being responsible for the decadence in the country, saying it was wrong to blame politicians for the rot.
According to him: “Civil servants, and not politicians, are responsible for the decadence in our society. Let nobody say it again that it is the politicians. The man who is coming from outside does not know anything. It is the civil servants who would tell them ibi l’owo wa.
“If our civil servants are bold enough to own up to politicians, decadence in our society would vanish in less than five years.”
Other eminent personalities who graced the occasion are Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, the Royal Father of the Day; Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Rt. Revd Simeon Borokinni, who said the opening prayer; and Mrs. Mojisola Oyekan Arije.
There were Prof Bayo Aborisade, Prof Olu Aboluwoye, a former Deputy National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Prince Rotimi Obamuwagun; a former Chairman of NUJ, Ondo State Council, Comrade Dayo Fadahunsi and Mr. Akintunde Omomofe.
They include a former Chairman of the State Housing Corporation, Prince Adebanjo Edema; a former Permanent Secretary in the state civil service, Barrister Fola Amure; Secretary, Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency, ONDIPA, Mr. Emmanuel Omomowo; Prince Idowu Omowole; and Engineer Martins Ogungbure.
There were a former Ekiti State Head of Service, Elder Segun Bankole; former Director of Water Resources, Prince Arowolo Iyaomolere; former Deputy Provost, College of Education, Ikere Ekiti; Chairman Egbe Omo Ilaje, Akure Branch, Apostle Henry Ojagbohunmi; and Dr. Owoyemi Ifeola.
Others included Dr. Amos Omoresemi; Evangelist F. O. Dagunro and Wife; Mrs. Ajayi; Pastor C. O. Oyedele; Mr. A. O. Ogunleye; Comrade Yinka Ayese and Wife; Prince Boluwaji Ajijo and Mr. Sola Lebile.
