Firms Operating At Trans Amide Industrial Estate Are Unfair To Their Host Community -HRH Eze (Dr) Odum

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He is a distinguished and highly respected paramount ruler of Oginigba community, HRH Eze (Dr) Amb.G.B. Odum MACI, FATC, Igwu-Gwu Oha1, Global Excellence took a trip to his palace at Oginigba community in Obio/Akpor LGA, being his seat of power to have a first-hand information from the distinguished monarch and also have a share of his experience as to how life has treated him and the good people of Oginigba Community who are known for peace and hospitality. In the interview with CHINEDU OGUH, the respected traditional ruler was very comprehensive and apt on key issues. The amiable 2nd class king and a member of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers stated in the interview that he is a paramount ruler and does not belong to any political party, but his duty as a paramount ruler is to bless anybody that comes to his palace and would always remain neutral following his position as a paramount ruler. As traditional ruler, he said he would always work with any government in power and relevant authorities to ensure that there is peace, security and order in the society.

Excerpts:

 

You have kept silent for a long time now, what informed that?

I have kept quiet for some time now for fear of being misconstrued. I would add that the public should not be misdirected or misinformed about me. I want the general public to note that I give equal attention to everybody who comes to my palace and anybody or group who comes for my blessing as a traditional ruler. I am stating this with dismay that some persons for reasons best known to them just want to spoil my name and hard earned integrity that I have continued to protect. In this hard time what the people of my community in particular and the state in general need is to embrace peace and show love to one another. Doing so would go a long way to foster the much needed unity and development in my community and the state. I want everybody in my community to toe the path of peace and not to do anything that is capable of threatening the fragile peace and creating unnecessary tension and animosity among the people.

Peace is a priceless commodity that is capable of producing disastrous consequence if toyed with and it could only be achieved when people show love and strive to live in harmony.

 

You are a host to Trans Amadi Industrial Estate; could you comment on the activities of the companies with reference to their corporate social responsibilities?

It’s sad that most of the companies within the Oginigba community are taking the peaceful and hospital disposition of the peace for granted. It’s unfortunate that some managers of some companies are fueling and sponsoring crisis in the community by colluding with some greedy youths to short-change the community. I want this unholy attitude to change now that every body is preaching change. It is the obligation of the companies to operate in accordance with laid down principles in order to foster peace and development in Oginigba. I am not happy with the situation whereby multinational oil companies and other corporate organizations operating in here do not employ Rivers people for a job in which they are qualified and competent to do but rather prefer to employ outsiders. I want the situation where companies operating in the state should employ  River youths so as to assist the government in its fight against crime and all forms of criminalities as well as tackling the unemployment problems in the state. I will use this opportunity to call on companies to obey the federal government directive on employment of indigenes from grade level 1 to 6, while the state government should also give firm directive to companies on employment of indigenes so as to reduce crimes while the federal government should create the way for the implementation and companies which flouted the directive. You cannot believe it that most of the companies don’t have MOU with the people, they don’t perform well in meeting their corporate social responsibilities towards the people particularly in community development and provision of royalty to both the king and the people. As I am talking with you, I have forwarded strong worded petition to the state government, registering our displeasure over the neglects by the firms. I appeal to more investors to come to Rivers State and do business so as to create  job opportunities for the youths. The youths should desist from involvement in criminal activities but rather they should engage themselves in meaningful ventures. I want the general public to know that most of the companies are not taking interest of my welfare and that of the community. Frankly speaking, almost all of them are unjust to us as their host community.

As a royal father and father to all, what is your advice to the politicians especially those from Ikwerre Land?

My advice to the politicians in the state is to bury the hatchet and embrace peace in the best interest of the people. They should shun any violent conduct before, during and after the legislative re-run election coming up this month. They should be peaceful and civil particularly in going about their campaigns. They would do this by guarding against making inflammatory comment that could ignite violence in the state. If politicians of the old had not played politics by the rules, there would not have been a conducive atmosphere to ply their trade. To me, the game of politics is likened to a relay where individuals are bound to hand over the baton without prejudices in order to accomplish a common goal. Rivers people are of one family. I urge the people of Ikwerre Ethnic nationality in Rivers State to embrace the unifying effort of the area in order to benefit maximally from the unfolding political trend in the state and the entire nation.

I am impressed with renewed wave of unity sweeping through the land. I appeal to them to maintain the tempo. What the state needs today are leaders who could take it to a new level of development and peace. I commend Governor Nyeson Wike for his developmental strides to the state and urge him to keep the flag flying.