Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), Calls On His Excellency Rt Hon. Elder Chief Sheriff Orowedor Oborievwori, The Executive Governor Of Delta State To Call the Urhobos Of Ethiope West To Order.
For The past weeks, the social media have been very hot with confrontation between the Itsekiri Youths and Urhobo Youths over the alleged threat to the life of the Olu of Warri over the planned visitation of His majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, The Olu Of Warri, to his Itsekiri People who share same local government with the Urhobos of Ethiope West, the Urhobo Youths could be seen writing some deregotary words against his Majesty on Facebook and during a protest the Mosogar Women and Men threatening the Mornach not to visit his people, this is an infringement on the rights of the Itsekiri People who are law abiding citizen of Nigeria.
The Itsekiri Communities in Ethiope West local government which include Efurokpe, Ekuobodo, Ibrifo, Oyeaja (Aja-Omoneukanrin), Aja-Futughe, Efo, Ogunmeyin, Ajatiton, Aja-Uduaghan, Ifole, Ewuse, and Obite-ukpagha, with over 56 Polling Units, Making Over 40% of the total Population of Ethiope West supported the Elder Sheriff political race in 2023, but are still been faced with strong political battle for their survival, the Urhobos of Ethiope West are oppressing and starving them of all rights dued to them, while in Warri, the two Urhobo Hamlet in Warri South enjoy all previlleges due them because of the kindness of the Itsekiri People as against the greediness of the Urhobo in Ethiope West.
The council would love to inform His Excellency of the Historical Records and evidence of the Itsekiri People over the said land been dragged by the Urhobo People whose Kingdoms was created in 2006 by the Chief James Ibori led Administration.
Efurokpe Community is an Itsekiri Aboriginal Community in present day Ethiope West Local Government, this Community was founded by Chief Ijegbo in 1027AD (11th Century), it was Recorded that the Entourage that brought Oranmiyan to Benin further spread forward to form their own settlement turn Community, it’s also recorded by William moore in his book “history of itsekiri people” that while Prince Ginuwa left Benin, he first met the Efurokpe people, The Omadino Community history which is an itsekiri aboriginal community founded By Prince Nenuwa also state that they met chief Ijegbo descendants while they where on their journey to settle in their current location which is in Warri South, these historical facts point to the direction that Efurokpe Community is not just an ancient Itsekiri community but a law abiding one because of her patience that a government would come who will librate them from this day light oppression by the Urhobos of Ethiope West.
According to Egharevba, Obayemi 1977, who stated that Ijegbo is from Ijebu , current-day Ogun State, they came in the same migration trend of Korobe at Koko. Korobe aboriginals are from the same Ijebu.
While the people of Oghara who was farming on The Oba land, was paying rent of 50£ to the Oba of Benin yearly as recorded in the book by Prof Peter P. Ekeh, (History of the Urhobo People) for rent from 1890 to the early 1940, the Efruokpe and other Itsekiri communities didn’t pay any money to the Oba as owners of their land, rather they where the once who leased their land to Palmo Nigeria limited who are into rubber tapping, the documents are still all available for verification, it was also recorded historically that during the reign of Ogiame Ginuwa II and Erejuwa II (1936-1986) was at Idaniken as Omoba (Crown Prince) they both sent emissaries to worship the ancient deities of Efurokpe community on their behalf for guardiance and protection.
The Oghara and Mosogar people only came to the region in the late 18th century, when they migrated to farm in the default Benin Province, and their kingdoms founded in 2006, hence they lack the merit to claim land on Efurokpe soil.
While Ekuobodo Community was founded by Udah in the 15th century, Udah migrated from Ibrifo Community in Ethiope West which is an itsekiri community by crossing the river Jameson to found his own Community he called Ekuobodo, the history of Okuobodo (corrupted by the Urhobo People of Mosogar) of a man called Okuobodo is nothing but modern historical fabrication and falsehood, the people of Ekuobodo also didn’t pay any rent to the Oba while the Old Jesse (now Idjerhe kingdom of which Mosogar was formally under) paid Royalties and land rent to the Oba yearly.
While the Oghara Kingdom, and Mosogar Kingdom was gazetted by the State Government in 2006, the Itsekiri People in Ethiope West where not gazzetted among them, they own their lands and legal documents are available to back it.
The ancient boundary of the independent sovereign kingdom of Owerre (warri) covers both banks of Benin River down to River Calabar 1678 – 1682 John Barlot, Efurokpe and other Itsekiri communities in Ethiope west was part of the ancient warri kingdom.
Landolghe’s Memoirs 11 – 1778 “the sovereign of this state owns not only both banks of the river but also all the rivers of these parts as far as the tributaries of the River Calabar.
In ancient times the boundaries between Warri Kingdom and Benin Kingdom were the Itsekiri Villages in Ologbo and and environs in present day Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo State until the Oghara migration from Bini in 1880, this was what lead to the British zoning the area into Benin Province politically.
The Government led by Rt. Hon. Elder Chief sheriff Orowedor Oborevwori should kindly set up a planel of enquiry to investigate and verify all available documents to know the truth, while the Itsekiries of Ethiope West are law abiding, the Council will not allow anyone to bully the Itsekiri people or intimidate them in their God given land into submission.
The Governor should kindly act as a governor for all and ensure that the truth and justice previllege on this encroachment and intimidation by the Urhobo People of Ethiope West Local Government
The President of the INYC and the Chairman Of the Ethiope Chapter Of INYC appeal to the Governor of Delta State and his ever working cabinet to intervene before it gets out of hand because the Itsekiri people will not be the first to attack but will surely defend themselves from any attack from Her aggressive neighbors.
References
Egharevba, Obayemi 1977
History Of Itsekiri by William moore (1936)
History of Urhobo by Prof Peter P. Ekeh
1678 – 1682 John Barlot
Landolghe’s Memoirs 11 – 1778
Signed:
Comr. Godwin Utieyin,
President,
Itsekiri National Youth Council Worldwide.
Comr. Appearance Afejuku,
Secretary General,
Itsekiri National Youth Council Worldwide.