By Razaq Bamidele
Apa Kingdom, the host community to the recently found OML Aje Oil within Badagry West axis of Lagos State has called on the State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode to take urgent steps in studying the Environmental Hazards Assessment of the project, if any, as it will affect the community.
The call was made on behalf of the Royal Father of the kingdom, His Royal Highness, Oba Oyekan Adekambi Ajose Ilufemiloye Possi 111 (JP), by Prince Demola Bankole during the 94th Annual Adult Harvest and Thanksgiving Service of the United African Methodist Church, Apa, held last Sunday.
The Prince, who described the event as a, “solely church affair,” however agreed that, it was an opportunity to reflect on the affairs of the community about how God has blessed it bountifully.
“Apa Kingdom is now blessed with oil that is found within our kingdom. We have the deep water port, both of which are of monumental economic issues. But one would have been happier if a lot of things are feasible to our knowledge because right now we don’t even know the essence of our community in all the happenings around us vis-a-vis the oil discovery,” Bankole submitted.
Against this background, Bankole therefore called on the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode to “please create more awareness about these oil fields, create more awareness about the opportunities that would accrue to the communities and create more awareness about the possible hazards the project may cause on the host community because of its proximity to the oil field.”
According to him, with the experience in Niger Delta, one should not wait until hazards start to happen to affect the community’s means of livelihood adversely before those involved start running from pillar to post, stressing that, “a lot needs to be done and a lot needs to be known about precautions being taken to forestall avoidable calamity.”
The spokesman, who expected the Lagos State Government to assist in giving more knowledge about what is happening around the Oil Fields as regards opportunities and the hazards involved,” regretted that, “we seem to be in the dark,” cautioning that, “when people are in the dark, we wouldn’t know what would happen at any given time in the event of preventable hazards.”
In a situation like this, Bankole averred that, “the organizations involved, especially Yinka Folawiyo group ought to have emphasized the essence of what they are doing very well, and this, as far as I am concerned is not good enough.”
He argued that, one of their social responsibilities is to give knowledge of their activities to the community, saying, it was again unfortunate that they pretend as if it was all about offshore oil.
“But then, offshore oil has its environmental issues too. And if these are not properly coordinated, it will result into conflict between the oil organization and the communities that are within the proximity of the Aje Oil Field. “If the Environmental Impact Assessment is something that is hidden, it is not going to augur well for both the organization that is producing the oil and those who ought to know. Because, if for one day there is oil spillage, even 40 kilometres away from the shore, how long would it take the oil spilled to travel and come onshore? These are the things the communities are concerned about,” Bankole pointed out.
Recalling with nostalgia, the concerned spokesman informed that, since over 30 years ago, when the land in Apa Kingdom was acquired by the Lagos State Government, the action had limited the scope of the economic activities in the Apa Kingdom which he said, is about 7,000 hectres of land.
“We can hardly do anything with it except of course, the tourism activities which are limited to the beaches. And now, we have also realized that not far away from the beaches we have the oil field. And if we are happy that we are within the proximity of oil production in Lagos State, we are also careful about the possible effect or hazards that may accrue. We don’t want a repeat of our suffering over the acquired lands from the blessings at hand.
“This is why, the Lagos State Government led by His Excellency, Governor Akinwumi Ambode should please let us know exactly how the blessing would affect us, good or bad. We need to know. And we also call on Yinka Folawiyo to broaden the horizon of their social responsibilities. It is not about someone doing what he wants to do, but they must be prepared to do it according to the dictate of the law,” he stated.
He therefore warned that, “Apa community should not be seen by anybody as an ancient kingdom that is bereft of technical expertise on the current issue,” disclosing that, they have people who are knowledgeable, who actually have seen the entire world.
“Our traditional ruler travels from time to time; he sees all these things and he has encouraged his subjects that are knowledgeable to come together and deploy their knowledge to help the community,” he concluded.