The Niger Delta Environmental Sustainability Movement, a nongovernmental organization, has appealed to the Federal Government to make reparations for the Borgu people of Niger State over the displacement they suffered 50 years ago.
The movement, in a letter made available to journalists in Warri, and signed by its coordinator, Sam Tuoyo Igbiaye and Director of Project/Mobilization, McCartney Obrotu, stated that the huge sacrifice of the Borgu people in allow their community, old Bussa to be submerged for the construction of the Kainji Hydro Power Station, in Niger State was long due for reparation.
“Bussa in its natural topography with its rapids was the ‘beautiful bride’. But the town must be buried entirely for a dam to be built at Kainji. Yet, the Borgu People obliged. Then the town ‘died’ and got buried (submerged) in the belly of Lake Kainji forever. Humans died. Whole settlement was lost. Historic artifacts were lost to eternity” the movement noted.
It urged the Federal of Nigeria to as a matter of urgency and fairness enact a payback mechanism to ensure the Borgu People reap benefit from their sacrifices to the Nigeria State in 1968, arguing that the Borgu people needed to get back an agreeable percentage of income from power generated from the Kainji Power Station.
The movement recalled that in the year 2004, the Expedition Society of Nigeria and the U.k based Metropolitan Expedition Club collaborated to carry out a joint Anglo – Nigeria Renaissance Expedition on the Niger River to mark the 200th birth anniversary of Richard Lemon Lander.
It revealed that during that expedition, there was a mind blowing under water recordings of the ruins of the old Bussa “sleeping” under the bed of Lake Kainji on the River course.
The body also appealed to President Muhamadu Buhari and Atsiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally involve in attending to the need of the Borgu people.
“This is a solidarity call by the Niger Delta Environmental Sustainability Movement. The Jagaban Borgu – Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu needs to fight this for his other home – Borgu where he holds the well respected title – The JAGABAN BORGU and President Muhammadu Buhari describing both as senior citizens of Borgu by long term association.
The movement announced that come 14th April, 2018 it will be 50th anniversary of the celebration of the relocation of the Borgu people from old Bussa and congratulated the HRH, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Haliru Dantoro, LL.B, BL, Kitoro IV, Mai Borgu, the Emir of Borgu and the entire Borgu people as they mark the auspicious renaissance in New Bussa.
