From Ben Dunno, Warri
 
The 46th year birthday anniversary lecture in honour of the embattled ex-militant warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo,  aka Tompolo came to an abrupt end yesterday, following a protest show instigated by a factional group of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) at the venue.
Distinguished guests and lecturers as well as prominent Ijaw sons and daughters present at the event, held at the Okuemi Hotels, in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, fled as gunshots rent the air.
Daily Sun gathered that the disruption of the lecture was a warning message by youths loyal to the opposing IYC leadership recently elected by another factional IYC body in  Okirika, Rivers state.
Meanwhile, the police brought the situation under control, as the invaders were repelled and dispersed.
IYC leader, Eric Omare, who was the special guest on the occasion, said: “I don’t have details of what transpired minutes ago, but if they (the invaders) happened to be IYC members, I apologise for that, but I need to confirm if indeed whether they were IYC members.
“If factional IYC members tried coming to disrupt an event to honour Tompolo, it is condemnable because they ought to know that Tompolo represents peace and they ought to conduct themselves in orderly manner.”
Before the event came to an abrupt end, guest speakers on the event, Prof. Godini Darah, and Prof. Tosan Harriman, had presented lectures on different perspectives on the event’s theme, “The Niger Delta Question.”
Darah’s lecture on “Niger Delta Struggle and Ethnic Identity” highlighted that all tribal groups in the Niger Delta came from same roots and the growing disharmony among these coexisting groups was a collective weakness the Nigerian “ruling oligarchy” capitalises on to sustain the domination of Niger Delta.
Prof. Harriman, whose lecture showered encomiums on Tompolo as an exceptional fighter for the Niger Delta cause, said: “The fifth columnist is the greatest challenge against the struggle. If you are among those trying to accentuate the oppression of the Niger Delta people by those who steal their wealth, desist from it. Tompolo is not a militant. He does not need amnesty anymore. The people accusing him are the militant against Nigeria’s wheel of progress.”

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