From the ancient riverine Tebujor Community in the popular Ijaw kingdom of Gbaramatu, Warri South-West area of Delta State, the agitated fishing women tasked themselves with financial contributions from their meager savings to embark on one mission—to lend their voices against the circulating rumour of attempts by the Federal Government to cancel the pipeline surveillance contract currently handled by Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), a company chaired and managed by their illustrious sons from the kingdom, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo, and High Chief (Engr.) Kestin Pondi, among other stakeholders.

For the fishing women group known as Tebujor Women Fishing Association, making the rigorous journey from the creeks of Gbaramatu to the Warri township is part of their desperation to save their traditional occupation they believe is once again under threat of extinction. The fishing occupation is one they guarded jealously, an asset many of them inherited from their forebears, who during their time did not depend on government contracts or jobs to survive.

Rallying themselves at the central location of their meeting point in Warri, the fishing women group embarked on a peaceful protest armed with two banners that bore the inscriptions: 'Tebujor Women Fishing Association Support and Stand with Tantita' and 'Tebujor Women Fishing Association Plead for Employment and Support from Tantita'.

"We don't want to go back to the days of oil bunkering," said the Women Leader of the Association, Fiyetua Ebilade Mala, while referring to the business of illegal oil refining popularly known locally as 'Kpofire', as she feared that the cancelation of the pipeline surveillance contract will resurrect such trade that poses a threat to their occupation of fishing, due to the pollution that accompanies such an activity.

Supporting the concerns raised by their Women Leader, another member of the Association, Madam Beke, who expressed herself in Pidgin English, said, "Wen dis Tantita com, dem stop dis Kpofire and bunkering. The time of bunkering, you nor go fit put leg for ground dey waka becos oil scatter everywhere. The oil of the kpofire dey disturb us for our water, we nor fit dey drink am. Even for the river, fish and crayfish, we nor dey see anything dey kill. But when dem give our leader this contract, no problem. Now, wen we dey fish we dey kill plenty, even our water we dey drink am (everybody know say we nor get water)."

Still sharing their thoughts on the benefits of TSSNL to their occupation, Madam Ote Doupregha, a member of the group lamented the effects of the illegal oil trade on not only their business, but also on their health conditions, when she said, "The first time wey kpofire dey, smoke everywhere, our children self dey fall sick anyhow—catarrh, cough—but when dis Tantita come, everything don reduce," she affirmed on the contributions of the security firm in curbing pollution of the environment and improving their living conditions.

The group's Women Leader, Mala, chipped in by crediting Tantita with the improvement of security in the creeks, an atmosphere she noted has helped women to move freely without fear of harassment because the company through employment of youths has helped to reduce crimes and other illegal activities in the waterways.

She also lamented a situation whereby the soothe from the activities of kpofire reduced vision leading to accident on most occasions, as well as stain their clothing whenever they are set to grace a social celebration. Another odd picture she painted is the losses from their fishing trade, explaining that the high level of pollution of the waters did not only reduce their catch, but also led to the damage of their fishing equipment. 

The women group therefore hailed Tantita for the wonderful job the company has been doing in not only safeguarding oil pipelines, but in preserving the natural environment from harm. They also commended the security firm for its open policy as against being stingy, by its management ensuring that various ethnic groups were benefitting from the contract and empowering individuals and businesses.

"Before Tantita came, there were others guiding pipelines and nobody heard anything about them. But when Tantita came, our brother gave opportunities to many people, even from other tribes to benefit. Tompolo is not stingy. Nobody can do what Tantita has done because they are not capable like him," Madam Doupregha added.

The women fishing group also appealed to Tantita to look into the welfare of its members, who are also in dire need of better fishing equipment to aid them in their natural traditional occupation and to aid them in the expansion of their aquatic trade.

As for their message to the Federal Government, the fishing women group reiterated their confidence in Tompolo as being a "capable hand" to execute the contract and as such they pleaded on the FG not to listen to those seeking the stoppage or removal of the contract from the High Chief because such action will affect so many people in the region, especially those in the creeks.

Other members of the fishing women group present during the protest are Denyefa Famous (Secretary), Favour Mala (P.R.O), Lovina Dazide, Victoria Micah, Regina Johnbull, Becky Ayefade, Abei Tina, Evelyn Amadon, Gladys Abei Osomi, Mary Otodo, Vicky Ayefade, Loveth Dazide, Tamaraebi Ogrenfa, Esther Alafia, Deborah Titon, Salome Godwin, Preye Ogrenfa, Hope ThankGod, and Naomi Tortor.

View photos of the protest here: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BLdAhvKPz/

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