Residents of Otuabagi community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have stopped Julius Berger Nigeria Plc from continuing work on the Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Centre project over the company’s alleged failure to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the host community.
During a peaceful protest to the project site on Friday, hundreds of men, women, and youths from Otuabagi trooped out with placards bearing inscriptions such as “No MoU, No Work,” “Respect Otuabagi People,” “Dr. Akpe, Stop the Sabotage,” and “Julius Berger Must Employ Our Youths.”
The protesters accused the company of deliberately sidelining the host community in the execution of the historic project, which is being handled by Julius Berger on behalf of the Federal Government.
They also alleged that the Chief of Staff, Bayelsa State Government House, Dr. Peter Akpe, was frustrating the process of signing the MoU between the community and the construction firm, thereby sabotaging their efforts to secure fair representation in the project.
Addressing journalists at the protest ground, the Chairman of the Otuabagi Community Development Committee (CDC), Chief Okorie Obulor, said the community was shocked that despite several meetings and correspondences, the company had continued work without concluding a formal agreement with the host community.
“We have been patient for too long. This project sits on our ancestral land. Yet, our youths are unemployed, our women are not engaged, and our community has no input in the process. We are aware that Dr. Peter Akpe, the Chief of Staff, has been using his influence to delay the signing of the MoU. We see that as an act of sabotage against Otuabagi people,” Chief Obulor stated.
He called on Governor Douye Diri to urgently intervene and ensure that Julius Berger complies with due process by signing a binding MoU that clearly defines the rights, benefits, and obligations of all parties involved.
Speaking in the same vein, youth leader Mr. Samson Ebi accused both the construction company and government officials of excluding Otuabagi indigenes from employment and contracts related to the project.
“We will not allow any external manipulation to deprive us of our rights. This is the birthplace of oil in Nigeria — Oloibiri. Our people must be part of the process. Until Julius Berger signs the MoU with the community, there will be no further work here,” he declared.
Women protesters also joined in the demonstration, singing solidarity songs and demanding empowerment and participation in the project’s social responsibility programmes.
One of the women leaders, Mrs. Felicia Amakiri, lamented that previous assurances given to the community had not been honoured.
“We supported this project in good faith, but we are disappointed. We want fairness, employment, and community development. Our men cannot continue to be security guards while others get the contracts,” she said.
The Otuabagi community called on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and the Bayelsa State Governor to intervene and resolve the standoff to prevent further disruption of work at the site.
Efforts to get Julius Berger’s reaction proved abortive as project officials declined to speak on the matter. However, sources within the company hinted that consultations were ongoing with key stakeholders to find an amicable resolution.
The Oloibiri Oil Museum and Research Centre, located in Otuabagi, marks the historic site where commercial quantities of crude oil were first discovered in Nigeria in 1956. The project, being executed under the supervision of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Petroleum Ministry, is expected to serve as a national monument for tourism, research, and heritage preservation.
The Otuabagi community, however, insists that while it supports development, it will not tolerate marginalization or any attempt to suppress its voice in decisions affecting its land and people.
“We are not against progress,” Chief Obulor emphasized. “All we ask for is justice, respect, and inclusion. Until then, no work will continue at the Oloibiri Oil Museum site.”