A new vista of war as Eleme battle Ogun FROM CHRIS AGUNWEZE Tuesday, October 12 , 2010 Eleme in Rivers State generally believed to be Nigerian’s unofficial headquarters for oil and gas. Strategically located both on land and its waterways. Eleme hosts numerous sensitive oil and gas and other important Federal Government installations. Nigeria’s oldest refinery is in Eleme. The petrochemical, the National fertilizer Company (NAFCON) oil and gas free zone, the federal light terminal and the federal ocean terminal among others are all in Onne Eleme Soil. Indeed Onne alone houses over a hundred and fifty Companies. With these huge number of Companies operating in Eleme, its easy to conclude that Eleme soil and people will be drenched with milk and honey. But the Eleme people said that nothing comes to them. Practically nothing” in spite of the monumental environmental hazards we suffer from the operations of these Companies. No forms of Compensations what so ever comes to us” they said. They blamed their neighboring Ogoni people for their woes, saying that they have been short-changed and cheated black and blue by the Ogonis. According to them, the Rivers State and federal governments are jointly backing the Ogoni to frustrate them. They said that the Ogoni people perfected this cheating by telling the world that Eleme is Ogoni and therefore all the oil and gas and federal government installations in Eleme soil are in Ogoni. They said that the Ogoni has used this false hood to attract global sympathy and compensation that is made for them. To fight this, a new pressure group named Asama Eleme movement has sprang up. In this Exclusive interview with Daily Sun, leader and project Coordinator of the group Evangelist Jonah chujor insists that there is a deliberate Conspiracy by Ogonis, the Rivers State and the federal government to subsume Eleme people under Ogonis. Chujor a banking and finance graduate of University of Lagos now head of finance and accounts of the Port Harcourt City Education Authority stressed that the Ogonis and the government have carried such conspiracy against Eleme people over the years because Eleme are so peaceful a people.” But the peaceful disposition of the Eleme people has been taken for granted, but we can not remain docile forever Lamenting their loses over the years, he regretted that Eleme’s Identity has diminished under Ogoni as a result of the conspiracy. Eleme people also face extinction as a result of poisonous gas emitting daily from the operation of the Companies “life expectancy in Eleme land is now 55 to 60 years. It’s that bad” he lamented. “in spite of the huge sacrifice we made, benefits from the Companies still goes to Ogoni because the believe is that Eleme is Ogoni. According to Chujor that is shocking because Eleme people and Ogoni are different ethnic groups without any cultural or historical links. The Asama Eleme leader however recalled that Ogonis and Eleme people had met on how to pursue the struggle together during the time of ken saro wiwa. He said that the Eleme people insisted that the bill or right should reflect the distinctness of the two ethnic groups but said that ken saro wiwa refused and said the hell with Eleme and Eleme people opted out. According to him after all that happened Ogoni conspired with the government and begin to claim that Eleme land is Ogoni. He stressed that Eleme people will now rise and fight for their right and survival. He demanded that all the accruing benefits that went to Ogoni as a result of such claims should be returned to Eleme people. He also warned that the Eleme land should be treated separately by the United Nations Environmental programmed. (UNEP) in their planned clean up Exercise of the area.“ I can tell you the Eleme people are now prepared to lay down their lives for their right. The Asama represents a radical rediscovery and new consciousness of the plight of the Eleme people. Except. The movement Asama Eleme movement is a non violent pressure group formed, because of the activities that is happening on our land as it affects the ethnic Nationality of the Eleme people. We have as our most cardinal objective the protection and promotion of the ethnic nationality of Eleme people. Asama represents the voice of the voiceless; the strength of the weak, the defense of the defenseless; it represents the power of the people. Asama represents Comfort for the down trodden people; it represents hope for the hopeless and the will of the people. Opressed by the Ogonis. Eleme is gradually going into extinction. Eleme is facing the threat of extinction. And we can not sit and fold our hands and allow our land to be taken away. For instance you can see the activities of Rivers State government these days, most of the time you hear government give announcement on four L.G.A of Ogoni Land, for Instance, the activities of UNEP on our land in terms of the clean up. They are referring to the clean up and remediation exercise as the clean up of the four LGA of Ogoni land. And the question is where does these four LGA of Ogoni land start and where does it end. We are already facing these threats because we feel that what they are doing is a gradual attempt to erase Eleme from the sand of time and from the map of Nigeria. But I want to quickly let you know that Eleme is one of the 250 ethnic Nationalities that make up Nigeria in the 1953 and 1963 National Census of Nigeria. Eleme was recognized as one of the languages that make up Nigeria by the colonial masters. Every Rivers man knows that Eleme is a different people. We May not be as large as the Ikwere people, or as large of the Hausa people or the Igbo people but we are a Nationality of our own. So what we are seeing is a gradual attempt by the Ogonis and the government to subsume Eleme under Ogoni and this is not correct because we have the history of the people and of course the Ogoni bill of Rights cleared these things where Ogoni starts and ends. The paragraph 1 page 14 of the Ogoni bill of Rights rightly States and I quote. “we the people of Ogoni ‘Babe, Gokana, Kanka yo Khana and Tai numbering about five hundred thousand been a separate and distinct ethnic nationality within the federal government of Nigeria wish to draw the attention of the government and people of Nigeria to the under mentioned facts’’ Now this is a clear demarcation of where Ogoni starts and ends and the bill of Rights of the Ogoni was, written by MOSOP during the time of late ken Saro Wiwa and other senior sons of Ogoni who can not make a mistake of where Ogoni starts and where Ogoni ends. Now for the federal government and the state government to turn around to begin to name the four LGAs of Ogoni without Eleme, and still call Eleme Ogoni we see it as a deliberate attempt to silence the people of Eleme and oppress us. Because if you look at the whole state we fall among the unrepresented people of the world. The language of Eleme people is the only language that is not been spoken on the Rivers State television and Radio. But if you check historically Eleme has contributed so vastly to the development of Nigeria. Right from the time of the inception and completion of the first refinery in 1962 up to date. Eleme has been contributing to the development of Nigeria and there is nothing significant we have to hold on to. Right from 1999 till date there is nothing significant Eleme could hold on to in terms of dividends of democracy. Besides the few health centers and the primary schools that were built all over the State, there are no new roads been constructed within Eleme because they feel that we are Ogoni, so when new roads are constructed in parts of Ogoni they feel its the same with Eleme.

the same with Eleme. Now let me ask this question very quickly. The Ogonis said that Eleme and Ogonis are one. Of all the benefits that accrued to MOSOP from the sufferings they claimed that they were suffering? What has come to Eleme? Scholarships are being award to the sons of Ogoni, the presence of international community is in Ogoni. What have we seen in Eleme. For instance, let’s merge the Ogoni Bill of Rights with the Ogoni Calendar of 2009. Which they captioned the pains and gains of Ogoni struggle, showing the past and present leaders of Ogoni. Including Ledum Mitee. In that calendar they numbered the important things to note about Ogoni. Point number eight said that Ogoni is the unofficial headquarters of Oil and gas industries in Nigeria as the host companies, such as petrochemical, NNPC, Federal Ocean terminal the best in Africa, and federal light terminal and the National Fertilizer Company. Now what do we say to this. These Installations on Eleme soil are they in Babe, Gokana, Kenkhana or in Tai are they in Tai as was written in the Ogoni bill of Rights. These that Ogonis has published to the world using it to claim sympathy and benefits from the international community where are they situated. I am still asking are they in Gokana, Yokana Babe or in Tai. Ogoni-Eleme link never worked This is a more recent thing. This thing of Eleme been one of the L.G.A of Ogoni is a more recent thing. Because when this Bill or right thing started. The Ogonis and the Eleme people sat together and Eleme people made a proposal and the memorandum of the Eleme people were totally rejected. One of the cardinal points of the memorandum was that the Bill of rights must State Ogoni slash/Eleme bill of right or Eleme /Ogoni bill of right. Ken saro wiwa said that that can not happen and to hell with the Eleme people. Eleme people then said that since the distinctness of the two ethnic nationalities can not be spotlighted on the bill of right then it means that Eleme people can not be part

Everybody wants to be King of his own little castle. Eleme is to Ogoni what Opobo is to Ibani. Leaders of Eleme are the ones pushing this nonsense because they need power base rather than diluting themselves into the larger Ogoni. Eleme consists of barely ten villages. My people share border with them and the Ogonis and I have visited their lands more than any other ethnic group in Nigeria. They should stop this nonsense. Even back in 90's main Eleme town was just a smattering of houses. From Onne to Bori, there's little difference between them. We Ijaws have never recognised ELeme as seperate entity from Ogoni in all our recordings of dealings with them back in the 19th century. It is impossible for Eleme to be completely seperate people from Ogonis yet speak the same or similar language. Ogoni language was never a lingua franca or language of trade in our region so anybody who speaks it does so by blood. If Eleme feel they have been sidelined in terms of developmental projects, they should sort that out by concensus agreement with Ogoni rather than dissociate themselves totally. If not for their close association with Ogoni, Okrika would have flattened them completely several times in the past. They should be careful what they wish for.

Is Eleme the same with Elele?

Elele is Ikwerre. I met lovely Elele lady over the weekend who runs a restaurant in Manchester. I am still licking my lips from the Ugba and Nkwobi she prepared. Its been years since I tasted Ugba.

I noticed a claim of distinct language by the writer which I am yet to ascertain but any Eleme or Ogoni in the house should give us a hint about their language.

just did a little research on ogoni and it seems eleme was once considered part of them.

one of their languages is called gokana and legend has it they migrated from ghana although this isnt set in stone.

they have the ability to network undetected extensively with other tribes in the southeast. Ijaw in particular.

they were also affiliated with opobo.

during the ken saro wiwa saga, thousands of them were transported to Benin [possibly benin republic] and the US as refugees due to the warfare in the region.

they seem to be traditional enemies of the okrika though i could be wrong.

they were relatively untouched by the trans-atlantic slave trade.

obama recently honored an ogoni man serving in the US army with a medal of some sort- i remember reading about that.

most of the oilfields in the niger delta seem to be located in their region.

Eleme is Ogoni. Let's quit the BS.

Dawgpound:

Eleme is Ogoni. Let's quit the BS.

I heard that Ogoni was only 500,000 in population. That seems kinda sketchy to me. Are there other groups who speak your same language and pretty much share the same culture but are called something other than Ogoni?

Eleme is not ogoni  although they were once under the same LGA as Tai- Eleme LGA. The languages are distinct and an Eleme folk needs to learn Ogoni to be able to speak it well. A few words sound similar though. Ogoni begins around Tai and extends to Gokana and Bori. I think it ends in the Bane waterside which is the country home of Saro Wiwa and in Akwa Ibom state. On the other hand, Eleme comprises of Alesa (refinery area) Aleto/Akpajo (Petrochemical area), Onne (Nafcon/wharf areas) Alode, Ebubu, Ogale, Ekporo, Agbonchia and Eteo. Eleme, all things being equal, should have been the richest single community in Nigeria but every thing there is not different from those in lesser endowed communities elsewhere.

The Elemes dare not engage the ogonis in a warfare because aside their close affinity, the Ogonis would simply swallow them due to their larger size, although these days wars are fought by how much weapons at your disposal and not by the number of fighters. So a richer Eleme, with all its wealth to purchase weapons, will probably give a poorer Ogoni a run for their population in a warfare.

Any idea of the population of these two groups i.e. Ogoni & Eleme.

Environer:

Eleme is not ogoni although they were once under the same LGA as Tai- Eleme LGA. The languages are distinct and an Eleme folk needs to learn Ogoni to be able to speak it well. A few words sound similar though. Ogoni begins around Tai and extends to Gokana and Bori. I think it ends in the Bane waterside which is the country home of Saro Wiwa and in Akwa Ibom state. On the other hand, Eleme comprises of Alesa (refinery area) Aleto/Akpajo (Petrochemical area), Onne (Nafcon/wharf areas) Alode, Ebube, Ekporo, Agbonchia and Eteo. Eleme, all things being equal, should have been the richest single community in Nigeria but every thing there is not different from those in lesser endowed communities elsewhere.

The Elemes dare not engage the ogonis in a warfare because aside their close affinity, the Ogonis would simply swallow them due to their larger size, although these days wars are fought by how much weapons at your disposal and not by the number of fighters. So a richer Eleme, with all its wealth to purchase weapons, will probably give a poorer Ogoni a run for their population in a warfare.

^^^^^
Ogoni will be like 500K plus while Eleme will be like 150-200K (or even less) but many people in Eleme are not indigenous peoples. There are thousands of Igbos and a good number of Yorubas and hausas there. In contrast, Ogoni is like 90-95% its people because there is less attraction there for an outsider especially since the oil companies stopped operations there after Saro Wiwa's execution by Abacha. There is so much poverty in Ogoniland it is unbelievable.

Environer:

^^^^^
Ogoni will be like 500K plus while Eleme will be like 150-200K (or even less) but many people in Eleme are not indigenous peoples. There are thousands of Igbos and a good number of Yorubas and hausas there. In contrast, Ogoni is like 90-95% its people because there is less attraction there for an outsider especially since the oil companies stopped operations there after Saro Wiwa's execution by Abacha. There is so much poverty in Ogoniland it is unbelievable.

The numbers just dont add up. How can a tribe only be 150-200k? It seems as it these tribes along with others were separated from each other and called different names.

chyz1:

The numbers just dont add up. How can a tribe only be 150-200k? It seems as it these  tribes along with others were separated from each other and called different names.

You think everyting is Igbo, Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba? There are ethnic groups in Nigeria that are far less than Eleme. Try northern Cross River and Middle Belt. There are people with pops of only 10 K to 50 K in those places.

Environer:

You think everyting is Igbo, Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba? There are ethnic groups in Nigeria that are far less. Try northern Cross River and Middle Belt. There are people with only a pop of 10 K to 50 K in those places there.

what im saying is that those little groups might actually belong to a larger group but were classified as something else either as a divide and rule tactic or they wanted to separate from the mother tribe and be alone. What are the tribes in cross river and middle belt that you are taking about?

Just to point a few and all from Wiki:

Berom
Spoken in Nigeria
Region Plateau State
Total speakers 300,000 (1993 SIL)

Ekoi (Cross River)
Total population
152,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Nigeria 87,000[1]
Cameroon 65,000[1]

A 2007 report estimated the number of Kuteb people (Taraba) as approximately 100,000.

Environer:

Just to point a few and all from Wiki:

Berom
Spoken in Nigeria
Region Plateau State
Total speakers 300,000 (1993 SIL)

Ekoi (Cross River)
Total population
152,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
Nigeria 87,000[1]
Cameroon 65,000[1]

A 2007 report estimated the number of Kuteb people (Taraba) as approximately 100,000.

The Bolded proves my point. The Ekoi are Ibibios. it is just a clan/dialectical group under the Ibibio mother group. The separation was made as a divide tacted becausre of their roll in the Biafra war.


Ibibio:

Identification. The name "Ibibio" identifies the largest subdivision of people living in southeastern Nigeria, in Akwa Ibom State, and it is generally accepted and used for both ethnic and linguistic descriptions. Like their Igbo neighbors, the Ibibio people originally shared no common term that identified them as a whole. The name "Agbisherea" was first used by European explorers in the nineteenth century to describe Ibibio inhabitants, but apparently died out soon after. Some Igbo-speaking people refer to their Ibibio-speaking neighbors as "Mong"; others call them "Kwa."

Location. The Ibibio are located to the south and southeast of the Igbo, in southeastern Nigeria. This includes the former Calabar Province (the Itu Mbuzo subgroup is in the Bende Division), Owerri Province, and certain villages of the Obong. The Eastern Ibibio, or Ika, have attached their village groups to the Ndokki Igbo of Owerri.

Demography. The Ibibio numbered over two million in the 1963 census and fell into the following six major divisions: Riverain (Efik), Northern (Enyong), Southern, (Eket), Delta (Andoni-Ibeno), Western (Anang), and Eastern (Ibibio proper). These main groups are further divided into groups that are identifiable by geographical location.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G2-3458001495.html


Ibibio people [/b]are an ethnic group in southeastern Nigeria. They are closely related to the Anaang and the Efik peoples. "Ibibio" may also refer to those who speak the Ibibio language. During colonial period in Nigeria, the Ibibio Union was formed asking for recognition by the British as a sovereign state (Noah, 1988) [b]The Annangs, Efiks, Ekid, Oron and Ibeno share the same names, culture and tradition with the main stream Ibibios, they speak the main Ibibio language naturally and prior to present day Nigeria were regarded as sub Ibibio tribes. Understandably, these sub Ibibio tribes are now different tribes claiming no relationship exist with the Ibibios even there are very strong linguistic, cultural, traditional and historical relationships!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibibio_people


The Ekoi are related to the Efik, Annang and Ibibio people of southeastern Nigeria and have lived closely with them and also claim to have migrated from the Cameroon's to their area.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ekoi_people

How is Ekoi same as Ibibio even from your post? They are not. Ekois speak ejagham which is 100% different from Ibibio.

Environer:

How is Ekoi same as Ibibio even from your post? They are not. Ekois speak ejagham which is 100% different from Ibibio.

Reread it.

Ekio is not same as Ekoi. They may be related but are different. Just like Igbo is related to Ibibio

Do I hear my people being mentioned?

You will get beat if you ever call an Ibibio person an Efik. lol Do not ever make that mistake.

These etok ayin speaking about things they know nothing about. Ekoi are not Ibibios. Only Annang, Ukwa and Efik.

Environer:

How is Ekoi same as Ibibio even from your post? They are not. Ekois speak ejagham which is 100% different from Ibibio.

Idem mfo? Ame kan speak Ibibio?

Environer:

Ekio is not same as Ekoi. They may be related but are different. Just like Igbo is related to Ibibio

My bad but im sure you get my drift?

Ekoi people, also known as Ejagham, are an ethnic group in the extreme southeast of Nigeria and extending eastward into Northern Cameroon. Ekoid Bantu languages are spoken by many groups, including the Atam, Boki, Mbembe, Ufia, and Yako. The Ekoi are related to the Efik, Annang and Ibibio people of southeastern Nigeria and have lived closely with them and also claim to have migrated from the Cameroon's to their area. The inhabitants of Kwa, located near Calabar, claim to be the first Ekoi people to have migrated from the Cameroon's. The Ekoi are best known for their Ekpe headdresses.[2]
Contents
[hide]

Do you know of an ethnic group called Ogori in Kogi state with just about 40 K people?

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-59565.0.html

chyz1:

My bad but im sure you get my drift?

Ekoi people, also known as Ejagham, are an ethnic group in the extreme southeast of Nigeria and extending eastward into Northern Cameroon. Ekoid Bantu languages are spoken by many groups, including the Atam, Boki, Mbembe, Ufia, and Yako. The Ekoi are related to the Efik, Annang and Ibibio people of southeastern Nigeria and have lived closely with them and also claim to have migrated from the Cameroon's to their area. The inhabitants of Kwa, located near Calabar, claim to be the first Ekoi people to have migrated from the Cameroon's. The Ekoi are best known for their Ekpe headdresses.[2]
Contents
[hide]

Ekoi is different from Ibibio. FACT.

Environer:

Ekoi is different from Ibibio. FACT.

I take it you are not Ibibio though. . . lol

EzeUche0:

I take it you are not Ibibio though. . . lol

I am Igbo. My community is bounded by communities in Akwa Ibom state (AKS) on two sides. I have lived in Rivers and Aks most of my life though. Own a home in Eleme, like hundres if not thousands of other Igbos do there.

Environer:

Do you know of an ethnic group called Ogori in Kogi state with just about 40 K people?

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-59565.0.html

Yep I remember them. It seems as though if anything it may be a sub group of the Igala tribe. Ogori is a LGA so I mean come on. Its just like a lot of Ukwuanis call themselves that because their taking the name of the LGA as an ethnicity however the Ukwuanis are Igbos.

Environer:

I am Igbo. My community is bounded by communities in Akwa Ibom state (AKS) on two sides. I have lived in Rivers and Aks most of my life though. Own a home in Eleme, like hundres if not thousands of other Igbos do there.

Do you speak the Ibibio language. I am an Aro Igbo of mixed blood. My mother is from Ikot Ekpene. So I take it that you have some knowledge about my people then.

EzeUche0:

Do you speak the Ibibio language. I am an Aro Igbo of mixed blood. My mother is from Ikot Ekpene. So I take it that you have some knowledge about my people then.

I understand ibibio (especially the annang variant- Ikot Ekpene dialect) but do not care to learn to speak it. Am not Aro though. My neighbour in Eleme is Aro, Mr John Ogbonnaya from Ihechiowa. Plus, there are two different Aro communities around my home town.

MHM see history, one mile one language. I love my country.

My take on this one is that the Eleme might belong to the larger Ogoni but have a high Igbo and Okrika mix.They also luckily found themselves in an advantaged position which they feel that a separate identity will be to their benefit.I see that as similar to Ogba or Omoku people versus their Igbo brothers.I won't be surprised hearing that Eleme does not sell land to Ogoni.