Kula is a kingdom jutting into the Atlantic Ocean and awash with oil and gas of about 40,000 barrels per day; but when it is not fighting for more amenities, it is fighting over kingship or titles.
Just smarting from over two years of shutting down Oil Mining Licence (OML) 25, the area has exploded in another fierce dispute that may end at the heart of the oil economy.
The Rivers State government has just conferred 3rd class status to a king or paramount ruler in a section of Kula in Akuku-Toru Local Council of the state, but a strong rejection sprang up almost immediately.
A group calling itself the ‘Opusingi Group of Houses’ in Kula kingdom expressed dismay and what it called utmost disappointment at the decision of the Rivers State Government to confer 3rd class chieftaincy title on Hope Dan.
The statement said Dan parades himself as paramount ruler of a non-existing community known as Opu-Kula.
The statement signed by Adumoba Dumo Sokari, the public relations officer of the Opusingi Group of Houses, stated: “Hope Dan is neither a chief nor the head of Opusingi Group of Houses. The chief, Gibson Suku Tyger, Opusingi (VII) is the head of Opusingi Group of Houses.
“He was duly nominated by different lineages of the Opusingi family, installed and recognised by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs as well as the Kalabari Council of Chiefs (Sekobiri), the highest decision-making organ of the traditional institution of Kalabari kingdom.
“It is an undisputed fact that the Opusingi Stool is not a paramount stool in Kula Kingdom as to head Opukula to warrant its classification to a 3rd class status by the Rivers State Government. Oko was the last king of Opu-Kula before they migrated to the present day Kula Community.
“It is highly preposterous and disheartening that a state that is governed by a lawyer would confer such a legitimate chieftaincy title on someone without first visiting the so-called Opukula community to authenticate the veracity of the claim of the existence of such community.
“The action of the Rivers State Government is tantamount to legalising illegality and encouraging false claim as neither the authorities of Kula kingdom nor any court of competent jurisdiction has declared the said Opu-kula as an existing community.
“The decision of the governor further undermines the Supreme Court position on the disputed territory. It also fell below any responsible and acceptable action of a government.”
The group also said the action of government questions the credibility of the classification of chieftaincy stool by the Wike-led government and brings to disrepute the traditional institution of Rivers State. “We view the action of the Rivers State government as an attempt to balkanise Kula kingdom and trigger a resurgence of chieftaincy crisis in the area. We also warn that if this charade is allowed to stand it would distort the history of chieftaincy stool in Rivers State and set a wrong precedent.
“We therefore appeal to His Excellency to have a rethink and reverse his decision in the interest of peace and to save the state of further embarrassment.”
However, some supporters of Dan have taken out radio slots to commend the Rivers State governor on the decision taken. They have not only defended the emergence of Dan but have stated that it would bring peace to Kula kingdom.
One such statement rejected the right of Dumo Sokrari, saying the king is yet to appoint a spokesman and that Sokrari is not the mouthpiece of Opu-Kula.
Reacting, however, Stanley Benibo Gold Ekeke (I), the traditional head of Ibiame in Kula kingdom, has raised alarm over alleged plot by the Rivers State Government and some other persons to carry out arrests on trumped up charges.
Ekeke mentioned those he believed to be behind the plan to arrest Christian Don Pedro, Sopakiriba Igbikis, Gibson Suku Tyger Opusingi (VII), Akubo Dokubo Erise, Vuva Willy Ikalama and others.
The whistleblower said the arrest would be hinged on roles played by the named persons in the OML25 saga. The petitioners said the actions by the threatened persons were rather what led to the peaceful resolution of the dispute by the federal government in favour of the host communities.
They said: “It is worrisome that a state government that is supposed to queue behind the laudable peace initiative of the federal government would again engage in such surreptitious and vindictive move.
“The only offence of these innocent persons targeted for the unlawful arrest is their noble contribution in the liberation of the host communities of OML25 from the shackles of extreme poverty, total neglect, enslavement, under development and the worst form of human backwardness of an area which contribute immensely to the wealth of this nation. The federal government acknowledged this fact with regret and rendered unreserved apology to the host communities during the official re-opening of the Flow Station.
“These worthy Kula sons are among the heroes of the OML25 struggle. We treasure them for their individual roles in the actualisation of the purpose of the struggle for emancipation, development and advancement of Kula Kingdom.
“In the light of the above, we therefore put on notice the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva; the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari; the Group General Manager of NAPIMS, Musa Lawan; the Ijaw elders under the auspices of the PANDEF; relevant security agencies and other stakeholders who played roles in the peaceful resolution of the dispute and the re-opening of the Flow Station of the alleged plot by the Rivers State Government and its allies to arrest these worthy Kula sons on trumped up charges.
“We warned that this plot if not checked is capable of jeopardising the fragile peace in the area.”
The group warned that the deteriorating crisis could endanger the newly restored peace at the OML25 Flow Station.
Dan (or Hope Opusungi) and his supporters fought on the side of the Rivers State government and Shell against the side of Belemaoil and the kings of Kula and Belema during the over two years of dispute that led to the shutdown of ONL 25.
The political hint is also that Dan supported the political party that the governor belongs to and is said to have played roles for their victory against the ones supported by other groups. He and his group heavily endorsed the position of the Rivers State government and Shell and supported the Wike-induced peace agreement which was never accepted by the other kings and chiefs supporting the Belemaoil case.
When the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum stepped into the matter, they seemed to embrace the other kings and chiefs and not the Dan group. The state government now seemed to compensate his side by conferring on him the 3rd class chieftaincy title.
By this, the division in Kula may have only begun. The billions of naira expected from Shell as accumulated and new rights to the Kula cluster may be the apple in everyone’s eye and may head back to court as the opposing groups may not be in any shape to unite and qualify to collect the compensations. The funds may remain in the usual escrow account where none of the contending factions may come near for a long time to come.
The new crisis may linger for long because while Belemaoil and the FG may be in sympathy to one group, the Dan group may feel backed by the Rivers State government and a major oil company. Funds may not be a hindrance in prosecuting their objectives but any losing side would likely fall back on OML 25 as scapegoat and may seek shut down to attract FG attention.
Ignatius Chukwu
