By Banji Ayoola
The Ondo State Government has appealed to the Federal Government for an urgent intervention to combat the furious ocean surge that is gradually wiping off the famous oil producing Ayetoro community, among other extensive areas of the Ilaje coastal area of the state, from existence.
Indeed, according to the state government: “The geotube introduced by the NDDC has failed and we should do everything possible to save lives and property very fast,”
Making the passionate appeal on Tuesday, the state government said: “We want to appeal to the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to come and rescue the community to restore normalcy to the place because Ayetoro people are frustrated and crying for help.”
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, made the appeal in Akure, the state capital, through his Deputy, Chief Agboola Ajayi, while receiving a delegation of NEMA, who were on a courtesy visit to his office, requesting for immediate relief for the community while waiting for the Federal Government to find lasting solution to the problem.
The Governor, who explained to the visiting team the level of havoc wrecked in the area by the surge from the Atlantic ocean, said it is far worse than that of Abeokuta flood disaster as over three kilometres of Ayetoro community has been taken over by the ocean.
Expressing great concern on the level of devastation in the community, he lamented that the oil producing community does not have up to 600metres left that has not been submerged by the flood.
Noting that several efforts have been made in the past by government to rescue the community from the incessant surge, including the geo tube technology introduced by the NDDC which has not yielded the desired result, he said the project is massive and requires the intervention of the Federal Government.
The Governor regretted that it is quite unfortunate that the oil producing community has been bedeviled with some infrastructural problems due to its terrain and is now being faced with sea incursion with the attendant challenges, adding that there are impending dangers if the tide from the surge becomes higher.
His words: “I want to appeal to the Federal Government through the NEMA to come and rescue the community to restore normalcy to the place because Ayetoro people are frustrated and crying for help”.
“The geotube introduced by NDDC has failed and we should do everything possible to save lives and property very fast”, the deputy governor stressed.
He thanked the agency for its prompt response to disasters in the state, saying they have been very helpful.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Head, Ekiti Operations Office comprising Ondo, Ekiti and Osun States, Mr. Rasaq Adebiyi, sympathised with the state government on the recent disasters in the state.
He assured the government that effort will be made to ensure that the victims are rescued and long term solution will be provided to prevent future re-occurrence while urging the government to have a preparatory agenda for impending danger.
Ajayi had earlier led the state government delegation on an assessment tour to the affected community to sympathise with the people and raise their hope on rescue and lasting solution before long.
At the scene, he had said: “Certainly, you can see this has gone beyond the Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the world know that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger. The Federal Government should rescue this oil producing community.
“Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic City. It was able to stop this type of sea incursion and people are able to drive freely; not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.
“Like what the community said, they are about three kilometres away now. A lot of houses have been eroded; children cannot go to school. So, we are worried, but we are assuring our people that we will not relent in our efforts to stop this disaster.”
On behalf of the Governor, Ajayi had called for Federal Government’s urgent assistance to tackle the ocean surge after inspecting the damage it caused in the community.
Accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hon Ifedayo Abegunde; Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Hon Gbenga Edema, he sympathised with the residents, particularly those directly affected by the sea incursion.
Regretting the loss of homes and other property to the disaster, he urged the Federal Government to increase its protection of the oil producing community.
Ajayi, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said only modern technology can end the crisis.
He said: “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives. I led members of the NDDC to this community. I also travelled to The Netherlands to look at the modern technology we felt would solve the problem.
“As I am here now, you should know that Ondo State is here: the SSG is here, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area is also here. We are all here.
“As a matter of fact, the Governor would have been here personally but he is away with Mr. President in The Netherland. He directed us to be here today to express our feelings, to assess the level of damage and look for best way to prevent future occurrence.”
“Certainly, you can see this has gone beyond the Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the world know that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger. The Federal Government should rescue this oil producing community.
“Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic City. It was able to stop this type of sea incursion and people are able to drive freely; not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.
“Like what the community said, they are about three kilometres away now. A lot of houses have been eroded; children cannot go to school. So, we are worried, but we are assuring our people that we will not relent in our efforts to stop this disaster.”
Ajayi, who represented the Governor, called for Federal Government’s urgent assistance to tackle the ocean surge after inspecting the damage it caused in the community.
Accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde; Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC), Gbenga Edema, sympathised with the residents, particularly those directly affected by the sea incursion.
He regretted the loss of home and other property to the disaster.
He urged the Federal Government to increase its protection of the oil producing community.
Ajayi, a former member of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said only modern technology can end the crisis.
He said: “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives. I led members of the NDDC to this community. I also travelled to The Netherlands to look at the modern technology we felt would solve the problem.”
“As I am here now, you should know that Ondo State is here: the SSG is here, the Chairman of Ilaje Local Government Area is also here. We are all here.
“As a matter of fact, the Governor would have been here personally but he is away with Mr. President in The Netherland. He directed us to be here today to express our feelings, to assess the level of damage and look for best way to prevent future occurrence.”
“Certainly, you can see this has gone beyond the Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the world know that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger. The Federal Government should rescue this oil producing community.
“Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic City. It was able to stop this type of sea incursion and people are able to drive freely; not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.
“Like what the community said, they are about three kilometres away now. A lot of houses have been eroded; children cannot go to school. So, we are worried, but we are assuring our people that we will not relent in our efforts to stop this disaster.”
The state government’s visit to the devastated oil community, followed closely on the heels of a story which was entitled: “Ocean surge threatens existence of Ayetoro, Ondo community: Need for urgent intervention.” The story which was written by Mr Moboluwade Ajijo, and published by The Radiance, follows:
For the inhabitants of Ayetoro, a community noted worldwide for its unique brand of communal living in the 40s to the early 70s, life has not been the same for years now.
Reasons. No thanks to the continuous activities of companies prospecting and exploring crude oil popularly called the black gold from the bowel of its soil- on shore and off shore, depletion of ozone layer resulting in global warming, rise in sea level leading to sea incursions and other attendant negative consequences.
Ayetoro, founded in 1947 by some group of Christians religious adherents and fishermen mostly of ilaje extraction, was once a thriving commercial nerve centre for the old Okitipupa division especially for ilaje people.
Ayetoro meaning The World is at Peace, is now an irony of its meaning. The perennial sea incursion coupled with the ocean surge has made live unbearable for the people.
Speaking on the origin of this menace, the Archbishop of Holy Apostles Church, Rembo Eretan who also doubles as the Baba Ijo (Father) of the religious settlement, the problem of sea surge started more than 50 years ago though gradual. Rembo whose father is one of the founding fathers of the community and its first Baba Ijo attributed the challenge to the unwholesome activities of the oil companies most Gulf now Chevron Nigeria Limited and its subsidiaries prospecting and exploiting crude oil in the area.
According to him, the situation became worse year in year out as more oil companies joined the search for black gold both on shore and off shore of the community.
Investigations showed that the submissions of Pa Rembo who is in his late 70s, is not far from the truth. Some of the inhabitants of this community corroborated this position of Pa Rembo by taking us through the memory lane.
Prince Bolu Ajijo, a Journalist and a younger brother of the king of the Community Oba Micah Olaseni Ajijo, the Ogeloyinbo of Ayetoro, recalled what a former Commissioner for Finance in Ondo State, Chief Sam Funso Amoye told him about the Ayetoro Sea shore.
According to him: Ayetoro sea shore was more than four standard football fields in the 50s. It was from there the whole Ilaje peoplee used to congregate to mark the Empire Day during the colonial era.The Empire Day was replaced by the Independence Day Anniversary in 1960 at the attainment of political statehood.
By inference, it means that the beach of Ayetoro is so large enough to accommodate almost the entire Ilaje nation during the celebration of the annual ritual.
As a young boy, I used to play with my mates and those older than me on the beach and the beach was very far off from the last house along the coast and accommodated not less than three football fields diagonally.
But all that is now history. The hungry ocean surge has eaten the whole beautiful beach and is now threatening the very existence of Ayetoro Community once the glory of Ilaje nation, Western Region and black race considering its contributions to sociopolitical discourse and development of mankind.
Ayetoro at its prime scored many firsts. Some of these are the first community to have private ship building and dock yard in Africa, first to generate private electricity, first to have internal pipe borne water with full reticulation, first to have thriving private businesses that it lent money to Western Region, first to build three storey block palace et al.
Speaking further on the effects of the sea incursion, Apostle Henry Ojagbohunmi, a retired federal worker and cleric, the situation is very pathetic. Apostle Henry whose father was the first Ruler of the community fought hard not to betray emotion as he was full of tears while narrating the sorry state of affairs of his people.
To him it appears the powers that be have abandoned us to our fate because the community has made spirited efforts year in year out to draw Federal and state Governments attention to our plights to no avail.
We had addressed World Press Conference in Akure, Lagos and Abuja coupled with writing petitions and made appeals to ONDO State and Federal Governments including to the Ecological Fund office and the National Assembly. As I\\\’m talking to you we are yet to see the impact of these efforts in our community instead things are getting worse.
According to Henry, the loss our people have incurred because of this perennial sea incursion and surge cannot be quantified in terms of money and properties. The surge has paralysed our people’s occupation which is mainly fishing. Apart from making fishing very difficult and expensive, it has also destroyed many properties rendering hundreds homeless. Many of the inhabitants of the once bustling town have relocated to other Ilaje towns while some moved to Lagos, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers States even as far as to Dodo River in Akwa Ibom State for greener pasture. The resultant effects of this forced migration are poverty, diseases, joblessness and crime which are in ascendancy in the area.
However, the situation is not all about knocks all the way for the authority because the Federal Government through the NDDC over ten years ago had intervened by awarding Sea Embarkment Contract of Ayetoro worth over N12 billion but not much has been of the project.
Speaking on the Project, if completed would have saved the community and adjoining towns and villages from the recurrent menace of Sea Surge, Ajijo said what the community recalled was that the companies collected mobilisation worth six billion naira and bolted away with it adding that nothing was on ground save a house boat and some dilapidated tools. Nobody on site.
My people are afraid that the Ayetoro Sea Embarkment Project has now been added to the growing list of abandoned NDDC intervention projects.
To make matter worse, it appears the Federal Government and NDDC are overwhelmed with these challenges because they are not asking questions about this turnkey project in view of the anti-graft posture of the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Muhammad Buhari.
Though the situation appears very daunting yet Apostle Henry and Prince Bolu Ajijo still feel all hope is not lost. They appealed to all kind hearted people, local and international institutions and organisations especially, United Nations Environmental Program UNEP, Federal and State Governments through their special intervention agencies NDDC, OSOPADEC and Ecological Fund Office in the Presidency to come to the aid of Ayetoro to save the Community from being washed away along with its Civilization by the surging Atlantic Ocean
