Battle Over Cocoa Allocation Rages On, As Secretary, Ogar, Allegedly Hires Mercenaries To Stifle Protest Against Unfair Distribution
By Ekanem ASUQUO
The controversy over Cocoa allocation has continued to gather momentum as Secretary of the Cross River State Cocoa Allocation and Regeneration Committee, Amba Ogar, allegedly hired mercenaries to stifle any opposition against the committee's unfair, lopsided and publicly criticised cocoa allocation.
While the Committee members were enroute to Calabar for a meeting with the Secretary to the State Government, at the behest of the State Governor, to answer questions over the nepotism, discrepancies and injustice that characterized the just- concluded allocation exercise, a sponsored crowd of gun-wielding individuals took to the streets of Bendeghe-Ekiem community on Friday, May 3, 2024 under the directives of the embattled Cocoa Allocation Secretary to macerate further opposition from any quarters and scooper public sympathy from community leaders.
The opprobrious outing, was organised by the Amba Ogar founded-group, 'Gladiators,' in collaboration with the youth president of Bendeghe-Ekiem, Ausaji Osang, having been allegedly promised a whooping one block of Cocoa from the Estate from the ones abundantly reserved for their selfish selves (committee members).
Orchestrating their brazen scheme, the hooligans chanted war songs, poured vituperations on the government and carried placards with inscriptions "As e-dey-pain-dem, e-dey-sweet us," "Opinch (Amba Ogar) Your Face Show," while guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons were brandished in the full glare of everyone in the community just as sporadic gunshots were fired into the sky as warning signals to those calling for a more inclusive and just allocation of the Cocoa Plots.
The protesters called out those who they termed anti-Cocoa Allocation Committee, while taking a 'solidarity walk' for Amba Ogar.
Political historians and security analysts have questioned the rationale behind such inciting act with the use of various deadly weapons, warning that same group of youths can mutate to a militia force and become a societal problem if left unchecked.
Those protesting against the just concluded cocoa allocation which, they say, was shrouded in controversy, have maintained that it was their inalienable right to peacefully protest, while hitting out against the Amba Ogar sponsored group for throwing caution to the wind and flouting the law in a bit to prosecute the machinations of their paymaster.
Zeal Agbor, their leader, thanked Governor Bassey Otu for his swift response to the cry of the vast majority of youths from the landlord communities of the Cross River State Cocoa Estate, saying they will continue to stand their ground until the right thing is done. He expressed belief in the present administration to redirect the Cocoa Allocation for a more inclusive, equitable and just distribution to truly reflect its 'People First' mantra that is fast becoming an axiom and one of the most used lexicons in the politics of Cross River State.
