Osa Director, former senior editor of TELL Magazine, and Editor-in-Chief of INSIDER Weekly, now a practising lawyer has waded into the brewing crisis of confidence between two major Niger Delta Militants and activists, Alhaji Dokubo Asari of the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, NDPVF and leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND, Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo.
The two prominent Niger Delta sons are locked in disagreement over the monthly N4 billion pipeline surveillance contract awarded to Tompolo. Not a few have criticized the award of the contract. Only recently Dokubo warned Tompolo to stay clear of pipeline surveillance in his kalabari region of Rivers State. He criticized and accused Tompolo of greed, and that he was been aided by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva just to spite him.
In a press statement, Osa noted that in the interest of peace and stability in the Niger Delta, “there is an urgent need for the two activists to have a heart-to-heart conversation and resolve the grey areas in their relationship, especially in respect of pipeline surveillance in the region”.
According to the author of Suicide Journalism, “Tompolo has started well with his consultations with the major stakeholders in the region. As a matter of necessity, he should broaden his interaction with the peoples of Niger Delta to get their buy-in and support”.
In the words of Osa, “there is no way anyone can wish away the pivotal roles of Dokubo and also Tompolo in the agitation to redress the injustice and degradation of the Niger Delta region over the years. These two men in addition to many others sustained the struggle to ensure pride of place for the Niger Delta region, making sure it is not cheated out of its resources. Therefore, when they disagree, it is only reasonable to ensure that their differences are thrashed out and resolved amicably, in the interest of peace in the region”.
For those who criticized the award of the contract to Tompolo, the Lagos-based lawyer disagrees. “There is absolutely nothing wrong in awarding the contract, especially as he has the pedigree in executing similar contracts in the past. These contracts will not be awarded to spirits, and Tompolo is a Niger Deltan with an established pedigree in delivering on the job so I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be given the contract, Osa said.
However, “Tompolo, according to Osa, must ensure that every hand is on deck to deliver, and that is the more reason he needs to discuss with Dokubo now that the latter has voiced his area of disagreement”.