By Chukwuma Ajakah
IN a bid to put accounts of the persistent communal conflicts between two warring Delta communities in proper perspective, independent researcher and historian, M. Keme presents authenticated reports in his book titled “Civil Diary of Aladja & Ogbe-Ijoh Boundary Dispute”.
Published by Ben-Ame Corporate Ventures in 2020, the 93-page nonfictional narrative captures contending issues around the seemingly intractable imbroglio that has claimed lots of human lives and material resources, especially from 1976 till date. With its plot structure revolving around the frosty relationship between the people of Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja, the book is arranged in four chapters with divergent, but interrelated subtitles such as Introduction, Origin, Claim, Government Intervention and Resolution.
Chapter 1 addresses a wide range of topics which include Genesis of the conflict, Attempt to Implement Report, Renewed Hostility and Constitution of Third Panel of Inquiry. In Chapter 2, the author treats other topics that revolve around the dominant theme, “Historical Facts” which he explores through the narration of the historical background of the constituent units-Ogbe-Ijoh, Urhobo, Udu Clan and Aladja whose claims feature as the central subject of Chapter 3.
Chapter 4, subtly captioned, “Government Intervention” catalogues the roles various governments of Delta State have played, albeit unsuccessfully, to resolve the age-long crisis. Government Intervention features highly informative subtopics like Persistent attacks, Justice Dan Azinge’s Judicial Commission of Inquiry, Frustrating Government Efforts and Professor Abednego Ekoko’s Panel of Inquiry.
In the last chapter, Keme explores five cardinal topics which he believes are critical to salvaging the pervading precarious security situation in the area. These include Intensified Attacks, Administration, Expanded Security Council Decision, Political Will and Vested Interest. Besides authenticating his views with documented evidence, the author enriches the storyline with insightful historical tips that readers will find very useful in appreciating the seminal material.
Civil Diary of Aladja & Ogbe-Ijoh Boundary Dispute chronicles the myriad of events, including incessant clashes instigated by the perpetrators of the lingering crisis that has engulfed Ogbe-Ijoh and Aladja communities of Delta State, Nigeria for decades. The book thrives on what the author describes as the “facts of the matter.., well-documented histories, boundary laws, gazettes and other legislations.” Keme explicitly states his motive for writing the historical piece, saying: “The purpose is to reach out to those who wish to know the facts of the matter rather than accept political statements of government spokespersons that the government is doing all it could to ensure that the conflict is resolved.”
Moreover, the author attempts to correct erroneous impressions about the seemingly insoluble boundary dispute and what he terms as “the deliberate misrepresentation of facts in government circle”. As he presents this well-researched work to the public domain, Chief M. Keme assures prospective readers that its content is meaty enough to satisfy their hunger for the truth, saying: “The book is relatively a short one, but long enough to cover the subject matter…I have analyzed, summarized and presented the claims of the two communities, what is documented and official records of successive governments…, including legislations and litigations in the past.”
The author acknowledges the mediatory roles of certain prominent personalities in concerted efforts towards bestowing peace in the disputed territory. Persons mentioned include frontline traditional, political and socio-cultural leaders, especially those of Ijaw extraction in the Niger Delta region, past and serving government functionaries, judicial officers, retired and serving military personnel, elder statesmen, the clergy, the Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and his predecessors- Chief James Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Justifying the stance that “The Ijaws are the original and indigenous inhabitants of wherever they are found in the coastal areas of Nigeria”, Keme cites legendary Professor J.S. Coleman (1963), Professor Strides and Ifeka (1971), Professor A.C. Ryder (1977), Dr P.A. Talbot (1932) and a host of other scholars whose works reiterate that the Ijaw tribe were the earliest occupants of the coastal regions where they related with Portuguese explorers prior to the migration of non-Ijaw ethnic nationalities such as the Urhobo to such areas.
In the Civil Diary of Aladja & Ogbe-Ijoh Boundary Dispute, the author situates the age-long acrimony from a historical perspective. Decrying the absence of the required political will to implement the recommendations of various commissions of inquiry set up by the government, the author strongly condemns the barrage of unprovoked attacks Aladja assailants unleash on Ogbe-Ijoh people, resulting in a colossal loss of communal property and the death of many innocent lives, some of whom were barbarically beheaded. Besides being a must-read for indigenes of the affected communities, the book is recommended for scholars of history, public administrators, security agencies, legal practitioners and conflict resolution advocates.