… A Tale Of Man’s Inhuman Treatment To Man, Creation Of Poverty In Nigeria To Nigerians
There is this popular Nigerian slogan, ‘This life nor balance at all’, judging from these, one would agreed that truly life is not balance as some persons are looking for just a square meal while others changes jets like bicycle.
This is the case of the people of Odidi 1, Odidi 2, Egwa 1 & Egwa 2, Batan and Jones Creek in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, host communities of OML 42.
Despite these communities being host to the Oil Mining Lease OML-42 and their contributions to the wealth of the nation and to some individuals, they have been left to wallow in abject poverty.
The communities and its indigenes lack all basic infrastructures and social amenities that are needed to make life better, meaningful and worth living, but from under their feet’s comes billion of dollars monthly to the either the government, NPDC or few individuals.
The chairman of Neconde Energy Limited Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, a multi a billionaire, founder of chains of multinational companies in Nigeria. He is an Igbo man who single handedly built the Nestoil group. He is the highest shareholder in Julius Berger and he builts the popular Obijackson Foundation Children’s Hospital and also built a Jesuit Loyola College in Okija.
He is said be brain behind the biggest internationally rated golf course in Okija his home town and owns Nestoil Aviation, Hammakopp, Nesthak Shipsidedrydock amongst others.
He is also adjudged to be one of the richest young Nigerians and has its company operating the OML-42 asset with the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company NPDC, Amarata-JPMT in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State.
An indigene of Okija in Anambra state whose presence has much been felt in the village of Okija which he alone has transformed to a mega city.
Recently, it was widely reported that this Nigerian multi-billionaire businessman lavishly and allegedly ordered a 60 billion naira luxury private Jet for himself. No doubt he is in riches.
Unfortunately, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi’s companies has been accused of giving no or very little attention to the plight of his poor and starved host, OML-42 communities.
A visit to these communities few days ago, present a pitiable sight of neglect and absence of any corporate social responsibility as well as visible abandonment of the PIA implementation.
In the cause of interaction, this Online newspaper closely following the rot in the creeks of Niger Delta gathered that Dr. Ernest Obiejesi’s Neconde Energy Limited company like other oil companies operating in the creek of the Niger-Delta, is allegedly playing the role of ‘divide and rule’.
He has allegedly succeeded in dividing the few against the majorities and why few live fabulously, rewarded heavily to unleash mayhem in the rest with their enrichment through Dr. Ernest inducement, the rest majority are left to wallow in poverty.
They alleged that; “The billionaire contractor created division and disunity amongst us in order to exploit our resources, harvest Trillions of naira, and deliberately keep the youths especially the educated ones in poverty and far from understanding, participating or to benefit from the blessings of their own land.
Though to acquire such private jet whose monthly maintenance levy alone is enough to service the aforementioned communities, is a good news to Nigerians, but where he got it wrong is neglecting one of the sources of your wealth.
An unconfirmed allegation jad it, that Dr. Ernest make over 11 million dollars monthly for just lifting the Nigeria crude oil abroad. If such allegation is anything to go by, then one could say it is totally wrong to deliberately ignored the plight of the host communities.
Despite the bounties that comes from these creeks, there are packets of untold story of how these Ijaw speaking nation particularly those in the domain of OML-42 host Communities including, Odidi 1, Odidi 2, Egwa 1 & Egwa 2, Batan and Jones Creek in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State are suffering hardships.
It is therefore worthy to make bare and conspicuous the disgusting, appalling and pitiable plights of the people who partners to the overall growth and development of Nigeria and foreign companies.
Severally, host communities to OML 42 have issued ultimatums to Neconde Energy Limited, the Nigeria operators of the OML42 asset, and the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, asking for menial jobs to earn a living, ironically, instead of addressing their needs sustainably, the business entities seemed to enjoy the profits accrued from the woes of the people.
The N60 billion luxury Jet just acquired is also a testament that Nigeria is and Delta State in particular, is richly blessed with what could sustain the entire people, create employment opportunities and lift thousands of people out of poverty, but reverse has always been the case. Greed, selfishness and blinded conscience has made those in the helms of affairs circumvent and siphoned the general wealth of all to selves alone and variably use such wealth to torture their own people.
Dr. Ernest Obiejesi no doubt swims in billions and can easily transform and impact in lives as what the people are demanding is too meager to his status.
Posterity demands that where the wealth is coming from should at least benefit from their God given blessings. For example, the billionaire Dr. Ernest knew what is good for his people, hence he has built hospitals, roads and provided other basic needs of the people to them. This is a good gesture, but it become a bad attitude when you rob Peter to Paul.
It is said that whenever any substance of international value is for d in Africa, instead of bringing joy, succour and leverages to the people, it rather causes division, war and setbacks. This is because some Nigerians or Africans allowed themselves to be used by foreigners against their people. Imagine that of all the oil mining business that is taking place in the Niger Delta especially in OML-42, the best jobs given to the few selected locals is either clearing of grasses, security and open boat contract. Whereas, there are educated, skilled and qualified indigenes. These menial jobs they give in order to paint a picture that the locals are among their contractors, and due to their poverty, some of these locals are now being used against the people thereby impeding on the development of the communities because while the rest make their cases, the few who are given security and clearing jobs will be used to counter their request and demands.
Such is unacceptable, and Dr. Ernest Obiejesi and his company, Neconde Energy Limited, Amarata need to change their ways and philosophy and impact in their host communities and the people.
Neconde Energy Limited, Amarata is also advised to refrain from the attitude of jumping major and professional local contractors in the execution of jobs even as the company operates in their domain.
It could be recalled that in March 2023, OML-42 host communities in Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, cried out when the management of Neconde Amarata NPDC , JPMT, allegedly duplicated itself into smaller units like Amarata, Nestoil, Impac Oil and Gas, and many more and pretended to be bidding for contracts that should be awarded to local contractors.
These were tactics implored to dissuade host communities from calling on the Federal Government to withdraw their operational licenses or protesting against them.
This was so glaring and obvious that Neconde is deliberately not willing to involved local contractors in the execution of jobs even in the community where the company operates. It is a situation where foreigners cunningly and pretentiously play out the locals and took what rightfully belonged to them and denies them of good Jobs, development and from empowering the people.
The communities despite being rich with huge deposit of crude oil and other mineral resources, has nothing to show as they continue to wallow in poverty, no development, no roads, no jetties, no clean waters, hospitals, schools, and other basic infrastructures of development. Just like our Nigerian politicians, the companies aims and intention is solely to enriched their pockets at the detriment of the ordinary people who battles with untold hardship, sicknesses, diseases and the direct impact of oil exploration in the region.
As a Nigerian, this is not a positive tale on the part of the billionaire business man with the chains of businesses across the globe. There is no gain saying that Dr. Obiejesi knew exactly the needs of the common Nigerian man, if not, the development projects he has attracted to his home state and community would not have e been done.
As the moment, the indigenes of OML-42 communities cannot afford decent accommodations, their living conditions is so deplorable. They lack jobs and their living standard so low as a result of poor income and destruction of the waters due to oil explorations. The laws of the seems not to be favorable to the people as only the rich get richer and the poor gets poorer. The welfare and well being of the hosts should be paramount to those that operate in their land. Salaries should be appreciative and paid as and when due with all accruing arrears.
The Ijaws must rise, demand and given their rights. The must emancipate themselves from the shackles economic degradation, backwardness, neglect and deliberate and gross exploitation by Nigerians and their foreign allies.
To the management of Neconde Energy Limited, Dr. Ernest Azudialu-Obiejesi, this is an appeal to you. You have been accused of owing your contractors for months and years, do well to pay them so they too can pay their local workers. We appeal to you Sir to create, develop and support human capital development programs and as well site benefiting projects in the area as part of your corporate social responsibility.
A stitch in time they say saves nine. Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi is equal to the task and must not rob Peter to pay Paul. Listen to the people and change their lives by providing their needs and projects that will be beneficial to them.