By Ayodele Oni
Rather than facilitating development and Infrastructure, the people of Gelegele, a community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, have demanded that an oil company, Dubri Oil, operating within the locality should vacate the place as soon as possible, as its continued stay is a threat to their life.
The people made the call in their contributions to discussions at a capacity building workshop organized by a non-governmental organization (NGO), Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in the community.
Making their contributions one after the other the inhabitants narrated tales of their near death experiences from the aftermath of the company’s exploration and exploitation activities over the years, such that their means of livelihood are destroyed, their growth is stunted and their skin is affected.
Prince Barbs Pawuru, President of the Host Communities Network of Nigeria Oil and Gas Solid Minerals Forest, who is an indigene of the community, said: “Our agitation stems from the fact that Dubri Oil operating here is actually causing our suffering and death.
“Infact, it is almost ending the life of this community and so they cannot just survive again with Dubri Oil Company in place.”
According to Stephen Oduware, HOMEF Programme Manager and Coordinator, Fishnet Alliance, “we’re here in Gelegele Community to have a capacity building workshop with them and to get their stories of survival.
“You will recall that Gelegele is one of the communities that’s highly impacted by the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas.
“There is a company here called Dubri Oil that positions its gas flaring stack right in the heart of the community and you will hear from the community that there is a lot of issues with that on them.
“Number one on the environment on the people even with their wellbeing and on their livelihood. So, we’re here to sit with the community people to hear those stories and also for us to talk together about solidarity, integration and responsibility.
“And you have heard it from them that there is a common demand that cuts across what the communities need which is Dubri Oil must go. This pollution must go.
“That the people are now living corpses. The temperature here is far higher than normal. So it’s a call that this environmental injustice must stop. This destruction of the people’s environment, their livelihood and the people themselves must stop and justice must take its course.”
