By Mark Lenu
There was mounting tension in the Abalama Community in Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State over the weekend when news broke loose that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, would attend the Thanksgiving reception of George Kelly.
The reception followed the federal appointment, Kelly had recently gotten from President Bola Tinubu.
Kelly once served in Wike’s cabinet as commissioner for works when the latter was governor of the state.
Information reaching us had it that the Ijaw Youth Council had fixed the same date and venue to hold its meetings, which triggered speculations that there could be a bloodbath if both Kelly and IYC were allowed to use the venueon the same day.
In order to forestall violence in his community, the traditional ruler of Abalama, HRH, King Big Tom Tom, wrote the state police command over the imminent crisis that would occur if the venue is allowed to be used by Kelly and IYC on the same day.
The King, on behalf of his Council of Chiefs, cancelled the use of the venue by the said parties, but Wike defied the King’s order, insisting that the event be held as planned.
On the event date, the adjoining areas of the venue, which is the secondary school field of the community, were overwhelmed by a heavy security presence till the next day, when Wike arrived for the event.
It was also gathered that the women who went to the venue of the event to protest against the entry of Wike on their land were teargassed and chased away by security agents.
The reason for the protest may not have been unconnected with the alleged recent insult on the Ijaw ethnic nationality by Wike whom the people of Kalabari viewed as disrespect to them and their Ijaw brothers.
Wike eventually graced the reception on Saturday as scheduled and took some swipe at his political opponents in the state including the sitting Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
