On Saturday, angry youths from Akwa Ibom State’s Eastern Obolo Local Government Area came to the streets to protest state government intentions to remap the state.
Recall that the “State Map Establishment Bill” has been passed by the state legislature and is currently pending the signature of Governor Udom Emmanuel.
According to reports, the law has provoked isolated protests by youths from the state’s other local government areas, including Mbo and Ibeno. These youths have voiced their displeasure with the bill and pledged that it will not be passed.
The key roadways leading to the oil companies operating in the area were blocked by tens of thousands of demonstrators in Eastern Obolo, who gathered there as early as 7:30 am on Saturday. This prevented official vehicles from entering the town.
The young people distributed charms along the road while holding banners with various messages while periodically downing dry gin and beer.
Speaking to the crowd, Mr. Gabriel Gabriel, president of the Eastern Obolo Interest Group, stated that no community in Eastern Obolo would be given away in the name of remapping the state.
He said ” We are out today because we perceived that the state government has sent surveyors to survey our land for a new map and we are saying no to that policy because they have not come to us to create awareness on what they want to do; we just see them come up with a new policy.
“For now about 12 communities will be affected and we are saying that none of our communities will leave Eastern Obolo, because they have a reason why they are doing this. Why did the state government not carry out the remapping before now? For 35 years, they have not done anything, if you look at this area, no development. They use the money produced here to develop other places.
“They are going about telling people that mapping the state will end boundary disputes, this is a big lie, look at this place, so instead of peace it will create more trouble”
Also addressing, Mr. Samuel Adaisi, a former president of the Eastern Obolo Forum, stated that the state government’s assertion that the state hasn’t had a map until now is false and urged anyone interested in learning more to look at the state map on the state website and at the surveyor-general’s office.
“We call this remapping because when the state government started this in 2021, it was remapping, it is only now that they have changed the name to mapping.
“The state government is saying that Akwa Ibom does not have a map; this is a very big lie. If you check the website, the state map is there. All they want to do is cede our communities to others for the sake of oil and we are saying no to this.”
The youth president, Mr. Blessing Inglass, who described the attempt to remap the state as “evil” vowed that no community in Eastern Obolo would be ceded out.
He said that the state government’s move to remap the state would create more problems because the stakeholders and community leaders have not been consulted.
“We say no to this evil remapping because our community leaders, traditional rulers’ have not been consulted, so we will resist any attempt to cede any of our lands to another area.”
