Alesi-Ogar Agbor/Odonget War, An Attempt To Demarket The Tourism and Commercial Potentials Of Ikom and Obubra LGAs

Alesi-Ogar Agbor/Odonget War, An Attempt To Demarket The Tourism and Commercial Potentials Of Ikom and Obubra LGAs

Eriacy Confidence Oba

Coneri Blog

Many parts of Africa are ravaged by challenges. These challenges which are primarily inspired by land and boundary disputes, result to wanton destruction of lives and properties and displacement of thousands of people who seek refuge in neighboring villages and towns. 

Like all conflicts in the history of mankind, the recent war that broke out between the Alesi Community of Ikom Local Government Area and Ogar Agbor/Odonget Community in Obubra Local Government Area respectively have  further emphasized the fact that land and boundary triggered disputes are highly volatile and have the tendencies of snowballing into unimaginable disasters if not adequately handled.

According to reports, the people of Alesi and Ogar Agbor Communities only came to settle in their present locations after the civil War and following the construction of the Ikom/Calabar highway by the then military Government. Prior to this time, the Ogar Agbor people, descendents of Odonget/ Ochon allegedly lived in the Okpon forest. While the Alesi People, descendents of Agbaragba lived at the banks of the River Cross. Even though they were people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, the fact that they were neighbors on the highway compelled them into coexisting peacefully with themselves.

They had lived here peacefully for years until a decade ago when the dwindling land amid a rapidly growing population compelled them into struggling space for their farmlands and subsequently resulting to minor disputes which were too inconsequential to be taken seriously at the time. These Minor misunderstandings, due to lack of timely Government intervention, inability of leaders from both ends to advise their followers appropriately against the menace of war and against escalating the little misunderstandings and inability of the two Communities to disagree and agree, are what have triggered a full blown war, where both communities abandoned their civilization and engaged the stone age method in settling disputes. Accordingly, Alesi has accused the Ogar Agbor/Odonget/Ochon people of casting the first stone of the war by seizing the motorcycles of their people. This seizure triggered their actions of setting Ogar Agbor ablaze. On their part, the Ogar Agbor/Odonget/Ochon people have accused Alesi of harassing their people whenever they go to work on their farmlands. They said that Alesi has formed the habit of invading the farms of the Ogar Agbor people and harvesting their crops forcefully. This triggered them seizing their motorcycles leading to the crises that rocked the two Communities on Monday, 7 March 2022. The war has so far claimed six lives from the Ogar Agbor/Odonget axis and four from Alesi,  in addition to destroying properties worth over a billion naira. Although, the military has been accused of causing mayhem and being responsible for most of the recent killings.  Ogar Agbor/Odonget which used to serve as the agricultural/industrial hub of Ochon has been completely razed down with school building, yam barns, health facility, farms, houses, police post, garri factories and other valuable properties of the entire Community destroyed. This is one of the sad reality of war. 

And while we try to come to terms with the reality of the war, the Communities are increasing the burden of the conflict by dwelling on the inconsequential topic of boundary. While the people of Alesi believe that the Okpon River is the original boundary between Ikom and Obubra Local Government, the Ogar Agbor/Odonget Communities are insisting that Ajuwal, a stream in between Ogar Agbor and Alesi is the original boundary. Both parties have strong conviction that they can defend their points in court. 

But one thing is certain, the Alesi- Ogar Agbor war is an economic miscalculation and an attempt to demarket the tourism, agricultural and commercial potentials of both Ikom and Obubra local Government areas respectively. It is needless to remind us that both LGAs have abundant economic, agricultural and tourism potentials.  While Ikom is famous for its numerous stone monoliths, Obubra is host to the largest cave in West Africa, the Onyen Okpon cave. And while Ikom is home to the Afi Drill Monkeys, Obubra is host to the most spectacular fishing festival in the south of Nigeria, the Okpambe Fishing Festival. Similarly, in the area of Agriculture and commerce, while Ikom is regarded as the commercial nerve centre of the State, Obubra is arguably the Agricultural headquarters of the state. These tourists sites, commercial and agricultural are endangered if the clash is not nibbed in the bud immediately.