Women from the oil-rich Uzere community in Delta State’s Isoko South Local Government Area have taken to the streets to protest against a looming leadership crisis and urged the state government to step in.
The community has been on edge since August, when an attempt was made to extend the term of Sunny Eke’s executive leadership beyond the allowed limit, sparking concerns about the community’s future.
The Uzere community’s leadership crisis has been ongoing, prompting Lugard Eboh, the Odiologbo of Uzere, to write a “Save Our Soul” letter to the state government last year.
The women protested on Monday, calling for the governor’s intervention to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Eboh, who serves as the second-in-command and chief adviser to the community’s traditional ruler, urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to intervene immediately and prevent the crisis from escalating.
Eboh expressed concerns about recent meetings held by the monarch, where attempts were allegedly made to overturn key decisions made at the community’s August 2024 annual general conference.
Specifically, Eboh’s exclusive right to appoint the Oletu-Ode of Uzere (Defence Minister) was challenged, despite being reaffirmed in the conference.
Uzere community has faced leadership crises in the past, with an eight-year crisis being resolved by the Delta State government.
In a letter addressed to the governor, copied to the state Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Asaba, the Delta State Police Command, and leaders of Isoko Development Union (IDU), Eboh raised some concerns over potential unrest, allegedly due to the actions of the community’s traditional ruler.
He alleged that the attempt by the monarch to extend the tenure of the Sunny Eke-led executive beyond the constitutionally mandated term, has created tension and generated a crisis in the area.
Tensions reportedly escalated last year when the Delta State government’s Peace Building and Conflict Resolution Committee, led by Edwin Uzor, declared that the decisions made at the Uzere conference were final and cannot be overturned.
Additionally, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Community Development withdrew a certificate that had mistakenly extended the tenure of the Eke-led executive beyond December 2024, further fueling confusion.
In an effort to prevent a recurrence of the violent 2011 crisis that forced the community’s monarch into self-exile, Eboh urged the governor to address these issues swiftly to ensure peace and avoid disruptions to oil production activities in the area.
The Uzere community announced the impeachment of Sunday Eke’s executive team on January 1, 2025, citing abandonment of duty, forgery of the community’s constitution, and overturning decisions made at the August 2024 conference.
Specifically, the community accused the executives of failing to convene the December 2024 annual general conference and manipulating the constitution to deceive the public.
Following the impeachment, the community unveiled its new executive members, who will lead the community for the next four years. The new team includes: President General, Raphael Odorewu; Secretary, Aladha David; Treasurer: Raphael Akpebe; Auditor, Obi Samuel; Financial Secretary, Governor Emamuzou; Assistant Secretary, Daniel Enezioke; Public Relations Officer, Stanley Okoh and Chairman, Edafemako Agbaka.
But this reportedly did not go down well with the chairman of the local government, Friday Ovoke Warri, who issued a stern warning order prohibiting the Raphael Odorewu-led executive and the impeached Sunday Eke-led executive from controlling the affairs of the community pending a security committee resolution on the matter.
Warri strictly warned that failure to adhere to the prohibition shall be viewed as an affront to the government and shall be met with the full wrath of the law.
As the crisis looms, women from the oil-rich community on Monday took to the streets to protest against the looming leadership crisis and called on the state government to intervene.
The protesting women displayed placards with different inscriptions such as: “We don’t want war in Uzere”, “Sunny Eke should respect the constitution of Uzere”, “They want crisis but nonviolence is our strength” and “No to tyranny under democracy”, stormed the council secretariat and appealed to the federal government, state governor, local government chairman to urgently intervene in the looming leadership crisis in the community.
