Soku oil wells belong to Rivers state, says David West

As the controversy deepens over who owns Soku oil wells between the Rivers State Government and the Bayelsa State Government, former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Professor Tam David-West,has waded in, declaring that the wells belong to Rivers State. Professor David-West, an indigene of the state, from the Kalabari Kingdom, where the oil wells are located, also stated that his people are prepared to fight the Presidency over the ceding of the wells to Bayelsa State at every level, stating that no part of Kalabari Kingdom will be allowed to be ceded to any other part of the country. He revealed that the Kalabari oceanic communities of Kula, Soku, Idama, Elem-Sangama and Abisse have been existing for over 300 years of Kalabari history in Rivers State. David-West disclosed this on Friday when he led a delegation of Kings, Chiefs, Elders, youths and representatives of the Oceanic Communities of Akuku-Toru local government area in Rivers State on a solidarity visit on the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in Port Harcourt. According to him, the delegation cameto thank Governor Amaechi particularly on what he has been doing for the Kalabari Kingdom. He regretted that some of the leaders of the Kalabari ethnic nationality don’t understand this. On the travails of the Governor, the Professor of Virology said “I know what you are going through. But why should an Ikwerre Governor be sacrificed, for saying that Kalabari Communities should no be ceded from Rivers to Bayelsa State. Tam David West said the Kalabari people need to support such person and carry him high. He recalled that “When Nnamdi Azikiwe came to Port Harcourt, I remember, we carried him and I think, every kalabari person should be carrying Amaechi high to replicate the kind gesture”. He pointed out that the Oceanic communities are older than, Buguma, Abonnema and Degema. The communities called, Oceanic communities have been in existence for over 300 years of Kalabari history, and over the years, our forefathers fought to maintain the integrity of the Kalabari kingdom. He said that anyone that is dismantling it now, whether from Borno, Kaduna, Sokoto or Bayelsa State, will never succeed. Our ancestors fought also with Canon guns to protect these territories, but, at this time, we have other implements to fight the struggle.” David-West said. He described the attempt by some Kalabari chiefs to sign a secret document to cede the Oceanic Communities to Bayelsa state as a ploy to distort facts that have genuine historical antecedents since the period of the colonial era. David-West said, “Truth only has one version, all the time they are shifting the boundaries to their favour with some Kalabari Chiefs, who were secretly approached to sign documents to cede all these territories to Bayelsa state. But, they cannot change the fact that, the controversial oil well territories belongs to the Kalabari people.