RE: Enough is Enough, The Ogbe-Ijoh People Are Tenants To The Itsekiris of Warri South, they own no land in warri city, Itsekiri group caution IYC-Ogbe-ijoh Chapter
Our Attention Has been drawn to a Publication made by some faceless group known as IYC Ogbe-ijoh as a response to the world press conference held by the sole representative of the OLU of Warri palace and Liason to the NNPCL on 16th of April 2024
It’s obvious that Comr Omare Moses – Chairman IYC Ogbe-ijoh and Comr Donye T. Vincent secretary IYC Ogbe-ijoh lacks the basic knowledge of history.
The status of the Ijaws in warri have longed been settled as tenants to the itsekiri people who own all lands in the three warri local government, but as a result of their lawlessness, they forget their origin which is obviously from the current day BAYELSA state.
The Ijaws always pride themselves with their violent nature and total disregard for law and order, but little did they know that the itsekiris of this generation will no longer accept this madness.
It will be resisted with every strength left in us. The said area of land from NPA old port to Main Market Belongs to itsekiri, Ijaw doesn’t have land any land there .
We hereby call on His Excellency, Rt Hon Sherif Oborevwori the governor of Delta state to caution the Ijaw people of Ogbe-ijaw for their continuous disrespect to the Warri throne, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR is the OLU of Warri and not Olu of Itsekiri. There is no title as the OLU of itsekiri, and no amount of false Publication can give the Ogbe-ijaw people what they lost in Court.
The OLU of warri kingdom is located in the three Warri Local government and the Ogbe-ijaw people are tenants to the itsekiri people in warri South West local government. if this insult continues, the Ijaw people will have a battle on their hand from both end, warri city will be heated more than the Warri crisis.
The General Public should disregard the said publication, the Ogbe-ijaw people own no land in warri South Local Government.
The land Ogbe-ijaw is currently residing on in Warri South West is a major cause of the crisis between Ogbe-ijaw and ALADJA. The said land was given to the Ogbe-ijaw people by the OLU of Warri.
Today the Ogbe-ijaw people are claiming ownership of the said land in ogbe-sobo.
This Publication has the hand writing of the Idimi-Sobo people who have always raised false claims that the Ijaw people own the whole GRA in warri, this false narrative is to send the itsekiris and the Ijaws into another round of Crisis and we the itsekiri people are equal to the task, this is nolonger business as usual, we will no long tolerate any insult in our ancestral home for peace sake, a war with the itsekiri is an obvious close down of the only gate way into Ogbe-ijaw as the Ijaw people can’t nolonger pass through the ALADJA area because of same land grabbing attitude, the Ijaw people has no land in warri South.
A case of most considerable importance was the action in Suit No.W/148/56 taken by Chief Isuokumo Oloiki and others (for themselves and on behalf of Ijaw settlers in Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri Division) against Itsekiri Communal Land trustees & Anor.
In the action the Ijaws, not without the prompting of the Urhobos, claimed a declaration of title to most of Warri Division including Warri township. After much of legal arguments and seeing the futility of their actions, the plaintiffs, that is the Ijaws, eventually decided to discontinue the Suit, and Rhodes Vivour J. delivered a judgement part of which reads as follows:-
“On the 9/7/64 this Court delivered its ruling refusing the plaintiffs’ application to discontinue after the trial date had been fixed to the knowledge of the parties. The plaintiffs have now asked for leave to discontinue under Order 28 Rule 2 of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules Cap.44 Laws of Western Nigeria 1959. The Plaintiffs are hereby precluded from bringing any further actions or action against any or either of the 1st and 2nd defendants in respect of the claims of which specific particulars were given in the Writ of Summons, Statement of Claim and amended statement of claim in this action. Leave is accordingly granted the plaintiffs to discontinue this action.”
As the Ijaw people were aggrieved by this order which forever barred them from re-opening this case against the Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees, they appealed to the Supreme Court, which on 24th April 1967, with Sir Lionel Brett Ag, C.J. presiding, summarily dismissed the appeal in Suit No. SC/450/65. So, the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh should never be heard to say anything about ownership of Ogbe-Ijoh lands or any lands in Warri Divisions again.
With the above case, the ogbe-ijaw people in their lawless ways still went further to start a case, the case with suit no: W/147/2020, HRM Amaokosu Mobene Vs The Executive Governor Delta State & 5 Ors, This was a case that was commenced in 2020 as the Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-ijoh claiming to be entitled to royalties in warri south local government, the Itsekiri preliminary objections of the on the case was upheld and the entire case struck out.
We want to conclude by appealing to the state government, Rt Hon sheriff Oborevwori the Executive governor of the state, the Nigeria army and the Inspector general of police to look into the current activities of the ijaw youth group, because they are senanimous lawlessness, if at this time the ijaws will still be disobeying court Judgement and orders. We advise them to stop all this lawless act and land grabbing character, because it will not be business as usual.
Signed:
Comrade Mone Oris
Chairman Itsekiri Youth For Good Governance IYGG
Comrade Lily-white O. Esigbone
PRO Itsekiri Youth For Good Governance IYGG