Oyorokoto fishing community is the adjudged biggest fishing settlement in the Sub-Africa Sahara region. It was known for peace, tourism and economic viability to the admiration of all. It is located at the tip of the Atlantic Ocean and off course could habour the country’s newest sea port.
From her period of establishment till later years Oyorokoto, a community harboring numerous people from various nooks and crannies of Africa, it has been a peaceful and desirable living and loving settlement. Prosperity, peace, harmony and all good things of life were associated with Oyorokoto irrespective of the difference in languages, culture and tradition of the people in it.
Everyone within and outside Andoni Local Government Area always desire visiting Oyorokoto at least to familiarize with its God’s giving endowment, freshness, commercial viability and natural disposition above all.
As it were, the fishing settlement is the largest in population wise and in geographical consideration. Well known fact is that it habours people from many locations such as the Yorubas, Ghanaians, Hausas, Kongolease, Camerounians and others.
There are virtually several natures of businesses going on at the community which adds value to life.
Regrettably, recently the community was taken over by hoodlums who kill, rob or commit various kind ill-vices. That community has not known peace, as residents sleep with their eyes open and always fleeing for their lives.
About the month of May in 2014 hoodlums invaded the community carted away properties worth millions of naira and worse still made away with some lives thereby keeping residents on their toes as they did not only scamper but seek solution else where for their lives.
To water down and provide succor to the people, the then chairman of Caretaker Committee in the local government council Elder, Hon. Sampson Gilbert Egop proposed the station of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).
That effort met the brick walls for what was characterized as poor allocation from the federation accounts to the council. Residents were then advised to also contribute a guota for their safe guard.
Would Egop be able to complete that task or not, was only known to fate but he was not given the opportunity to run the council for a second tenure as Caretaker Chairman.
Since then to date residents of Oyorokoto fishing community have being in perpetual bewilderment, searching for peace without positive result as they faces all kinds of intimidation from hoodlums who invades to either kill or cart away properties.
The sorry state of all the happenings around Oyorokoto is that there are known faces amongst the hoodlums even as residents with parents, guardians or relatives are in difficulty to exposing them. The only reason for resident’s inability to unearthing the hoodlums among them is tie to their personal lives as no one wants to die.
Ironically, these hoodlums invades the community to kill, and destroy, they are merciless, regardless of who you are but those who could be killed at any time occasion of incessant attacks are not really ready to unmask those troubling them. They did not want to assist the government or the security agencies to return the community to its originally known peaceful disposition.
In another development, the ugly scenario of killing and armed robbery in the community continued in September, Friday 25th, 2015 where about 5 persons were killed in an attack that struck between 12 and 2AM that day.
The Caretaker Chairman of Andoni Council Hon. Ere Godwin Victor on arrival from his overseas trip pulled the council to the embattled community on a visit. It was not only a sympathy but action visit to find solution for the recurrent bloodbath in the area.
Unlike, the Egop’s era where residents were advised to also contribute to their welfare, the Ere’s administration hit the nail on the head by not only promising the stationing of a military base but provided temporary measure.
The measure is the empowering of the military base stationed in Ataba to oversea the Oyorokoto axis by patrolling the area until the main unit in established.
The September attack was not different from the previous once orchestrated by unknown gunmen.
What is expected of the government of the local government area now, is the immediate and effective means of salvaging the community through effective means of security system which only the local government in conjunction with Rivers State government could provide.
Indeed it is important to note that the incessant attacks had led to lost of many lives, properties and off-course disruption of economic activities as well as desertion of the community, therefore to restore the green glory of that community, urgent steps need to be taken by government.
The military, presence promised by the Ere led administration of Andoni if put in place would among other things check the inversion of the community, monitor and crack down on the hoodlums who chose to wreck havoc on innocent lives. It would also bring back the almost lost economic relevance of the place.
Meanwhile, issues abattoir calls on the incoming government of Andoni LGA probably to be led by Hon. Ere Victor again to take proactive measures in salvaging the Oyorokoto community, to enhance its residents the opportunity of experiencing new lease of lives.
It is never a mistake for God Almighty to place the Obolo people in such a position and as well bless them with the gifts of nature, therefore all should be part of the move to salvage Oyorokoto and cleanse it from all evil menace.
The time to rescue and restore that community is now.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
