COMMUNITY leaders in Ugbolu, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State have advised uninformed persons of the Amachai quarter in the Okpanam community to desist from unfounded and unimaginable claims that the Ugbolu community is part of the Amachai quarter in Okpanam.
Reacting to recent media publications made by Obi Onyeayana Okafor, Ogbueshi Anthony Okafor and Okonkwo Uchanuzo on behalf of the entire people of the Amachai quarter in Okpanam, the Ugbolu leaders expressed dismay over such claims, describing it as a concoction of falsehood aimed to create unnecessary confusion.
They said that for decades, Ugbolu like every other community, including the Amachai quarter, Okpanam migrated from somewhere to settle at their present place of abode and wondered how and from where the insinuation from Obi Onyeayana Okafor and his group got their claims.
They urged the members of the public, including the state government to discard such statements as it had no basis rather an act to gain self favour and recognition.
On his part, a community leader in the area, Obi Iweanya Nwokolo disclosed that Ugbolu community had existed for decades with three Quarters that make up the community – Ogbe-Obi, Ogbe-Iyase and Amachai and also within the quarters, has palace title holders such as Obi Odogwu, Iyase Uwolo, Omu and others just like Okpanam has its own title holders and quarters.
“We do not obtain permission from Okpanam or any community to perform our traditional activities rather as a community we fix dates, for any of our activities, including title taking. Obi Nwokolo continued “Even till date one of our neighbours who are settlers/farmers from Anambra State but do their farm work in our vast acres of land, in appreciation, every year, come to Ugbolu to pay homage to us as an appreciation for offering them our land to farm, he reiterated.
“Ugbolu is not and can never be part or quarter in Okpanam rather Ugbolu is an autonomous community with vast acres of land and due to their hospitality to host visitors, while we wait and look forward to the government to recognize our community leader with a staff of office”, Nwokolo stated.
