OGULAGHA: The Land of Black Gold, Home of IOCs
To a first time visitor to the oil-rich Ogulagha kingdom in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state, the kingdom may appear like other kingdoms within the Niger Delta region. But a tour of its land mass and study of its natural endowment will reveal something new and different.
Led by His Royal Majesty, Elder (Capt.) Dr. Joseph I. Timiyan (JP), Torububou 1, Agbonu, the Ebenanaowei of Ogulagha Kingdom and also the Chairman, Delta State Ijaw Traditional Rulers Forum, a well foresighted and quietly influential traditional ruler in the Niger Delta region. Ogulagha kingdom is one of the most ancient kingdoms in Ijaw nation and made up of several communities and villages.
These communities includes but not limited to Ogulagha, Sokebolou, Obotobo 1, Obotobo II, Yokiri 1, Youbebe, Okuntu, Obuguru, Yokiri II, Osain, Abarabebe, Souse-Ama, Diegbegha-gbene, Asisaghagbene and many other villages, the kingdom is blessed with a workable traditional that provides day to day administrative needs of the kingdom.
The kingdom is strategically located along the Atlantic Coast at the entrance between Forcados River and the Atlantic sea, watered by several creeks and lying well spread over a wide expanse of land of which they are the aborigines.
Because they are strategically located along the Atlantic Coast and watered by several creeks, the people of the kingdom are predominantly into fishing. Many of the neighboring communities and kingdoms depend on the Ogulagha kingdom for the supply of fish.
Fishing activities in the kingdom have become so pronounced that people from other parts of the country like Bayelsa, Edo, Rivers states, and outside the country like Ghana, are presently in the kingdom carrying out their fishing business. Some have reportedly lived in the kingdom for over 30years.
Also working in its favour is the fact that the kingdom is blessed with huge deposits of crude oil hydro-carbons and massive gas deposits abound in all the territory. They are host to strategic national oil assets with over five major oil companies operating in the kingdom.
For instance, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) operates the Integrated Central Crude Loading Platform as well as several lengthy stretches of pipelines in their land, creeks, the river and ocean within the territory. This is in addition to SPDC many oil well onshore and offishore and seven (7) flow stations (i) South Bank (ii) North Bank (iii) Yokiri, (iv) Estuary 1, (v) Estuary 2 (vi) Afremor, (vii) Afremor B.
Again, SPDC has the Forcados Yokiri Integrated (FYIP) Gas Gathering Project, a massive gas-to-liquid project meant to increase Nigeria oil revenue hosted in their land.
Evidence also abounds that Shell is not the only International Oil Company (IOC) operating within the kingdom as Chevron Nigeria limited (CNL) manages Meji Oil flow station with oil wells and pipelines.
The kingdom is also host to Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Beniboye flowstation, several oil wells and pipelines. Oando Nigeria limited also has oil wells and pipelines. NPDC equally operates a lengthy stretch of pipelines and oil manifolds in our kingdom.
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