Paramount ruler of Tongeji Island, Oba bi Olorun ko si, has called on the Federal Government and Ogun State Government to provide the island with infrastructure, saying it will make the land more attractive to tourists.
Tongeji Island is located between Benin Republic and Nigeria.
The monarch, who was the first to be crowned the king of the island has fought a long battle with the Benin government, which had made attempts to acquire the island because of its oil deposits.
In fact, Benin government had provided infrastructure such as bridges and roads for them, but the king and his people reportedly refused the gestures because it was done in collaboration or approval of the Nigerian government.
According to the monarch, he wrote a letter to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, when he was the president, requesting for infrastructure.
Though the former president acknowledged the letter, he said, he never took any step to answer their request.
He said: “I’m calling on the present governments of Nigeria and Ogun State to come to our aid. We need linking roads, we need infrastructures.
“Though they stationed the Navy here but what we need is more than this. The government needs to come and take charge of the oil because this is attracting the Benin government.”
