The youths of Ute-Okpu Kingdom under the umbrella of Ute Youths Association Boji-Boji Urban chapter have raised alarm towards what they described as inhuman treatment meted on them by some of their political leaders.
The Ute Youths bared their mind during their meeting held on Tuesday September 4, 2018 at their secretariat in Boji-Boji Owa. According to a press statement released, the group expressed bitterness over being neglected by their political leaders and demanded to know their offense.
“Truly, we are yet to know where we have gone wrong that our political leaders should abandon us and will not want to see us around them. It is really an issue for thought and we are confused knowing that we have not offended them in any way. On several occasions, we had wanted to see our brother and uncle, the Principal Secretary to the governor of the state, Hon. Hilary Ibegbulem both in Asaba and Ute-Okpu to discuss issues concerning our betterment but we were not permitted to. Also, our brothers and uncles like, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Ika North East, Hon. Chief Godwin Ogadi and Hon. Festus Okubor have abandoned us. None of them has come asking to know our challenges and we are not welcomed when we go asking after them.
It is only Rt. Hon. Prince Pastor Sam Obi that has at all times open his door to welcome us as his people. We are not happy over the abandonment. We wonder why we will not have brotherly discussion with our people who are our leaders. We have decided to pour out our anger through the press as it is capable of causing riot. By this publication we are appealing to Ibegbulem, Ogadi and Okubor to tell us our wrongs so we can apologize to end the enmity”.
They used the opportunity to warn their fellow community youths who go about speaking evil of them to gain favour to desist in order not cause conflict in their community.
The group while pledging her support for the re-election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa comes 2019 general elections, appeals to him to use his good office to affect their community positively, saying that their community lacks social amenities such as electricity, water, good roads, health facilities and good schools.
The President of Ute Youths Association, Boji-Boji Urban Chapter, Comrade Engr. Stanley Uwajie appealed to members of the group to be calm and told them that all will be well. He thanked Governor Okowa for the good works he is doing in the nooks and crannies of the state, and for the construction of Owa-Alero/Ute-Okpu road which according to him has put smiles on the faces of the people and passersby.
Just like Oliver Twist, he appealed to Okowa to do more for Ute-Okpu people, pointing out that the absence of electricity, good road, borehole water and other basic amenities in the community has inflicted a lot of hardship on the people of the area. He, therefore, called on the governor to rescue them from the hardship they are going through.