Odahiekwu Ogunde, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has approved the Ayakiri community in Gbarain clan of Yenagoa Local Government Area as one of the communities serving as host to the operations of the Shell Petroleum Development Company in the state.The community, according to the approval dated December 16, 2020 with Ref. No. MLG/ADM/187/T/66 and announced by the State Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Development and signed by the Commissioner, Thomson Amule and Permanent Secretary, Adeh Ebiere, was separated from Ogboloma community of the Gbarain clan in Yenagoa LGA.Ayakiri, which is formerly known as Igbenbiri compound, will now be a recognised host community of the SPDC with its abundant oil and gas resources for exploration after 50 years of non-recognition.Confirming the development during a peace and thanksgiving forum, the elders and youths of the newly-recognised Ayakiri community led by a former Chief Medical Director of the Bayelsa State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Benjamin Tabowei, said the approval would bring more peace and development to the area.Also speaking, the Chairman of the Organising committee of the inaugural Ayakiri Peace and Thanksgiving Day, Chief Bruce Buba, said Ayakiri community is traditionally made up of Inebraton, Onunu, Waripamo, Makurai, Egbuke and Timizi families as direct descendants of Ogboloma community in Gbarain kingdom during the slave trade era.He, however, said there was historical controversy over issue of status, which was further broken by a comment that Ogboloma only has four compounds excluding Igbenbiri.According to him, the comment was the reason that led them to approach the Bayelsa State Government for registration and recognition.He said they were duly recognized and the process to gazette the approval within the first quarter of the new year is ongoing.The acting Paramount Ruler of the community, Chief Emmanuel Onunu, in an interview with journalists called for unity among the indigenes of the newly-approved community and its neighbours.He prayed that God would help the four-month-old community to achieve its desired goals and development.