Maybe i worry a lot about trivial things or i just seem to have a different view to happenings within the OROKO tribe.
I don't know but i always find myself wondering about what's in this Chieftaincy Title,such that it continues to divide and rule the Oroko Man.Is it the "Pa Chief"; "Goats"; Women or the power to sell village land that causes this frenzy, commotion and uproar with daggers-drawn everlasting disputes?
Within the past twenty-five years, the Oroko people have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge in Chieftaincy disputes.From the Bakundus to the Mbonges, Balues to the Bimas,Ngolos to the Batangas, the chieftaincy title war game, witch hunting, fighting and killings are not new to all of us.Many illustrious Oroko children have lost their lands, homes, positions and lives as a result of these disputes.Countless people have either been duped or misled into chieftaincy disputes only to come out more impoverished than before diving into this duel.As far as i know, the Oroko people don't have this inheritance roadmap but that doesn't mean that,we should fight, divide and kill each other because of a mere TITLE".
As mush as i try, i still cannot understand, the reasons for this in-house gambit and how far people can go just to be come a village chief within the Oroko.Until three months ago, i had never known that Bole Bakundu had two chiefs and two villages in one.
Take a look at Bafaka Balue chieftaincy dispute that claimed many lives and where blood brothers were tussling for this title.What about the war between late Mr Ottobanje and the current Chief Mbotake of Ekwe Balue?What about the events leading to the enthronement and coronation of the Iboko Chief?What about the Somalia of the Oroko Land (Bekatokor Balue)?Years after the demise of its former chief, Bekatakor Balue still lingers without a chief?The issue here is that, the majority of the villagers migrated from Bafaka Balue.So a Bafaka Balue elite whose blood brother is also the chief of Bafaka Balue,wants to be the chief of Bekatakor Balue.From all my journeys around the world, i have never seen such a thing were two brothers rule over two separate villages,or maybe it's another Bonaparte Hegemony being enacted.
Take a look at Nganjo Titi or Small Nganjo,were the villagers had chosen their chief after their chief was struck by river blindness.Then,a letter arrived from the DO ushering in another person and even informing them of a coronation date without a prior consultation.
And what of Bekora Barombi after the death of chief Ndengi!It was a do or die for the Bagdad of Oroko to get a new chief. I vividly recall the days leading to the consultation, voting and installation of their new chief.Bravo to you Bekora Barombi, despite all the bombs and bullets,you peacefully have a new chief.How come Bekora Barombi of all could democratically select a new chief and places like Mbonge Marumba still have two chiefs?The situation of Mbonge Marumba beats my imagination because Oroko People don't have inheritance,therefore, it is the will of the people to select their chief.What is in this chieftaincy,please tell me.
The same goes for Big Nganjo where the current chief like Obiang Ngema of Equatorial Guinea had to dethrone,detain and eventually cause the death of his maternal uncle, just to take up the chieftaincy title.What of Dikome Balue?Ibemi Bakundu?Dibonya Bakundu?Mbongo?Toko?Pondo Balue?And what of Mabonji Bakundu whose chief after winning the chieftaincy title, has abandoned his Mabonji Palace to live with his wife in Ngongo Bakundu?
The complicity of local DOs and SDOs in these chieftaincy disputes have caused and continue to steer Oroko villages into a downward poverty and underdevelopment trap.It has caused and still causing a drop in our living conditions, fall in village revenues, internal and external elite conflicts and social strife hence a break in social cohesion.Great and promising Oroko villages plus their projects have come into a standstill because of poor leadership, wrong chiefs and his councilors. Much of our village lands have been sold out to companies or private individuals by these unscrupulous individuals whose aim is financially stocking their potbellies, waving brooms, trending red winter-caps, driving plush cars, building luxurious homes and feasting with bandwagons of council of elders while hundreds of villagers go without lands to farm on, build on, roads to pass or water to drink.
It is time for the Oroko to turn the tides, select and get the right chiefs to rule them,instruct the local ENAM boys to back-off and let peace reign within our villages.
Maybe am wrong again but i know that,for every ten Oroko villages just one will be happy with their chief and that, most villagers happen not to greet their chiefs because their opinions didn't count during his selection.But,do we really have chiefs and do they incarnate the typical OROKO Man?Do they live up to the task or are they competent enough or just band boys?Maybe,we should give women too the possibility!
Thank you for your comment especially with a different viewpoint and let's make the debate great.
