Ekpeye Group Calls on Elite To Support Change Initiatives in the Area
3 min read
by Oyagiri Chime-emeleAn ethnic based organization, Ekpeye Liberation Movement, ELM, has called on Ekpeye elite to come out of their conclaves to bring about the needed change in the ethnic nation.
The organization made the call through its National Public Relations Officer, PRO, Amb. Ijeoma Okpara, Sunday, January 14, while chatting with journalists at Ahoada town, stressing that; “We need their voices now more than before. They should come out of their shells and do the needful. Most people in those offices are their academic mates and contemporaries. Why the timidity. Why the silence, when your voice can make a change.
Amb. Okpara called on the elites to join the fight against continuous subjugation and suppression of Ekpeye Land by the IOCs and some government agencies through provision of logistics, finance and ideas to correct the more than five decades of injustice and lack in the midst of plenty.
He likened the seeming complacency of most of the elite like someone that had used a ladder to get to his desired height and decided to throw away the ladder for others not to benefit from its use
Expatiating on the core vision and mission of ELM, the PRO said; “Ekpeye Liberation Movement, ELM, is an amalgamation of cheated, oppressed, suppressed and debased Ekpeye youths that have discovered their constitutional rights and decided to pool their intellectual and physical energies to peacefully agitate for the rights of the entire ethnic nation especially from the government and international oil companies IOCs.
“From the companies, the organization wants full implementation of the local content law, where the natives have 60% of employment opportunities on non skilled and semi skilled labour workforce
“Ekpeye Liberation Movement ELM, does not encourage anyone to bear unlawful arms. We detest cultism and condemn their activities wholely.
“Instead, we engage in intellectual agitation. Bearing of arms would only lead to violence and escalation of the already tensed environment.
“We have constitutional options from bearing unlawful arms. We can picket, occupy, seize company vehicles or even shut down any company premises within our land but as a last resort, if the situation warrants that.”
On the accusation bordering on shortchanging of Youths opportunities by the traditional rulers, the ELM PRO posited that, in recent time, the traditional rulers have been working in tandem with the youths agenda because of the burning zeal to change the narrative by its leadership, which has led to mutual working relationship.
He enjoined the brothers and sisters in the forest to come out from their hideout and embrace the Ekpeye Liberation Movement, ELM, for the sake of the ethnic nation, through which much can be achieved.
It urged the youths to welcome the investing companies coming to the land, stressing that Ekpeye people are known for their hospitality, and warned against selfish sabotaging of agitation that would bring the desired change by any youth or group of youth.
Ekpeye ethnic nation is one of the many indigenous ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. It occupies two Local Government Areas, Ahoada East and West in Rivers State. And is said to be the second largest ethnic group in Rivers State.
