By Ebiowei Lawal

The paramount ruler of Opolo community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, HRH Eniya Moneyman Nengibo (Ogborogo Xii), has launched an academic scholarship scheme worth N2 million for indigenous students in post-primary and higher institutions of learning.

The monarch, HRH Eniya (Ogborogo Xii), stated this when he inaugurated the scholarship scheme management committee members, promising that he would ensure that the selection process of beneficiaries of the scheme would be free, fair and unbiased.

Speaking with newsmen in his palace shortly after the inauguration, he explained that scores of students from the community will start benefiting from the scheme once the management committee works out modalities for the selection and award processes to qualified students.

He also noted that, while awarding scholarships to students from the community on yearly basis, his leadership would also partner with the Bayelsa State Institute of Tourism Development and Hospitality, Yenagoa, in the area of skills acquisition for interested members of the community.

The paramount ruler who also bared his mind on the recent clashes between his community and neighbouring communities explained that the crisis was fomented by the latter, calling on security formations in the state to apprehend the alleged murderers of a native of the community.

He said: “On the day of my coronation, I launched a scholarship scheme and realized about N2 million. I have set up a committee to manage the funds and work out modalities so that our students in both secondary schools and higher institutions can benefit from it.

“Under my leadership as paramount ruler, we are going to ensure that more women also participate in politics and developmental processes of the community.

”I urge the Nigerian Police and other security agency to fish out the killers of our son during the recent crisis between this community and Okutukutu/Etegwe communities.

“Opolo has been very peaceful, we’re not the ones who first attacked the Okutukutu people. They’ve been attacking and assaulting our people who go to struggle for their legitimate sources of income and livelihood in the forests and bushes belonging to our community for decades now”.

In the same vein, the Opolo royal father has described as ‘less impactful’ some infrastructure projects executed in his community by previous administrations of the state.

He said prior to the building of the government-owned ‘Diete-Koki Memorial Hospital’ in his community, there was a comprehensive health centre built by the community.

He, however, regretted that upon demolishing the previous health facility to make way for the building of the general hospital, indigenes of the community have been constantly denied employment opportunities in the health infrastructure.

He added: “Some of the Government-owned infrastructure projects in this community, though are good, but haven’t really impacted the community adequately.

“A situation where government estates in this community are sold to private individuals after acquisition of land from the community for these projects is also very unfair. By so doing government has rendered these projects less impactful on the community”.