As the leadership tussle over control in Diebiri Clan, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, continues to linger on, the chairman, Diebiri Governing Council, Mr. Emmanuel Orubu, has hinted that the Constitution, as amended 2019, vested authority on the Governing Council to see to the day to day running of communities in the clan.

The chairman of the Governing Council, who recently issued a communique after a general meeting between the clan's leadership and stakeholders, noted that the current disagreement experienced in the clan springs from what he termed as "the distortion" of the history of Diebiri by some group of persons for selfish purpose.

He said, "Sometime in 1995, our ancestral home, Diebiri, was sacked by the Aladja people as a result of transferred aggression. And this has given root to schemers, to people of all shades, who, out of greed and their inordinate ambition, have overtime distorted the history of Diebiri, tampered with the psyche of the people. And by God’s grace, the Governing Council as well as the youth council in place are saying enough is enough. We will no longer allow this to thrive, more so as it has to do with the Ugbanabou marginal field.

"Communities in Diebiri as well as when we were dealing with SPDC, in our acquisition data, all the communities that make up Diebiri (of course Diebiri is a kingdom), is being administered by the central body in conjunction with the various communities' excos, but subject to the central governing council," Orubu added.

On the oil prospecting company that is set to commence operation in one of the Diebiri communities, Orubu hinted that, "Kalm Marine is about to commence operation in one of the communities that make up Diebiri Clan. The people have allowed the central government to liaise with the company to see how it brings benefit to one and all."

Orubu therefore called on the dissenting faction in Diebiri to sheath their swords while reiterating the stand of the general assembly that, "We have all agreed that Diebiri cause should be managed by the Governing Council whose constitutional rights it is to see to the day to day administration of the communities that make up the clan.

"Authority has been vested on the Governing Council by the constitution as amended 2019. We will not relent in that course. We will ensure that we live up to the expectation and see how we bring the good to the generality of our indigenous people," he affirms.

Meanwhile, other stakeholders of the Diebiri Clan have sued for peace between the factions as they stressed on the fact that Diebiri people are from the same family and have a common challenge before them that require unity on their part to overcome.

"I have been saying it times without number, a house that is divided against itself cannot stand," said Pst. Hon. Ako Samuel, a deputy national leader of Diebiri. "And often times we ask them to consolidate on the unity in line with the established recognized structures, like the Constitution, to work in line with it to be able to bring peace to all and sundry in the entire kingdom. That is the bedrock, because anywhere that peace is eluded, hardly that place can grow and develop.

"So, my advice is that the Diebiri people should embrace peace at any given point in time with a view to consolidate on what God has endowed us with. God has endowed us with so many numerous wealth, but if there is no peace how can you enjoy this wealth? Everybody should embrace peace and work in line with existing recognized structures," he charged.

Towing the same line, Chief Frederick Brossy, an elder in the clan said, “My advice is that Diebiri community is a united people; we need peace and we should live as one. I advise everyone to work cooperatively with this present executive leadership. We should put aside our grievances, we have a constitution.”

Comr. Tekedor Quinton, youth president of Diebiri Clan, while lamenting that it is shameful for Diebiri to fight amongst themselves, applauded the Governing Council for searching for a solution by calling the Diebiri people together to advocate for the way forward, just as he pledges to continue to sensitize the youths and carry them along, so as to avoid their being misinformed and financially induced to work against the common good of the clan.

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