Elites of Ogbia Kingdom in Bayelsa State have unveiled a new movement called the “Pan-Ogbia Movement” (POM).
The Tide gathered that Ogbia is a kingdom which spans across communities in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, with some communities in Nembe Local Government Area of the State and others some communities in Abua-Odual and Ahoada-West Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
Speaking with newsmen recently in his country home, Imiringi, one of the various communities that make up the Kingdom, former member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and founder of the group, Chief Augustus Elliot Osomu, said the intent of founding the group was nothing far from the unity, peace and progress of the ethnic group.
He said the group has plans to hold its maiden physical sumit to brainstorm with a view to proffering solutions to problems allegedly inhibiting the unity and development of the kingdom.
The former lawmaker who currently serves as a Commissioner in the Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission (BYSIEC), noted that the Pan-Ogbia Movement comprises elites from the Ogbia extraction, all over the world.
Osomu said all willing and interested sons and daughters of the ethnic group both home and abroad are assiduously contributing to the development of the group upon their admissions as members.
The Tide reports that the Pan-Ogbia Movement is a social media based interactive and impactful discourse group consisting mostly elites of the Ogbia extraction.
“Very soon we’ll inaugurate a committee to work out modalities for our maiden physical submit where we’ll proffer solutions to some of our challenges as a people.
“Many of us have come to the notion that our fathers, our ancestors aren’t happy with us regarding the way and manner things have become with us as Ogbia people.
“So, the essence of this movement is to task us on rebuilding the almost lost unity, progress and development of the Ogbia ethnic nationality”, he said.
The Tide also learnt that the first Executive Governor of the Old Rivers State, the late Chief Melford Obiene Okilo, and former President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the present CEO/MD of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, amongst others hail from the Ogbia ethnic nationality.
Meanwhile, Chief Osomu has commended the aggrieved indigenes of the Kingdom who hitherto were in court challenging and defending the status quo of the acting executives of the parent Ogbia ethnic group’s body, the ‘Ogbia Brotherhood’ for willfully withdrawing the matter and resorting to out-of-court settlement.
He said he was convinced that the withdrawal was due to the mutual love the parties have for the ethnic group, saying it is the more merrier for the unity and progress of the Kingdom.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,
Yenagoa