The Itsekiri National Youths Council is questioning the Ogbe-Ijoh community's claim to land ownership in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, saying that “Ogbe-Ijoh has no claim in Warri South!”
This information was in a statement by INYC, Warri South chapter, signed jointly by its Secretary and Public Relations Officer, Comrades Ajemijeroma Gabriel Mene-Ejegi and Amejuma Adidi, respectively, copies of which were provided to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday.
Ijaw Youth Council, in Ogbe-Ijoh Warri kingdom, previously stated in a press release signed by its Chairman and secretary, Comrades Omare Moses and Donye Vincent, respectively, that “Warri township does not belong to one ethnic group and that the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh and Urhobos of Okere and Agbarah share common boundaries, and are the landlords of Warri township.”
Ogbe-Ijoh had claimed that “the NNPCL and its JVs are hosted by the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh, with their office located along NPA road, just opposite the Nigeria Naval base and the land on which its office complex is sited belongs to the Ogbe-Ijoh people.”
Ogbe-Ijoh had further claimed that “it is a known fact that the Itsekiris found their way to the present day Warri township as tenants to the Ijaws of Ogbe-Ijoh.”
In conclusion, Ogbe-Ijoh “urged the Itsekiris in Warri to go back home and develop their villages and their headquarter – Ode Itsekiri – which was leased to them by the good people of Ogbe-Ijoh on the premise of hospitality and way of benevolence, because they are not aborigines of Warri and this is because we know their history, just in case they have forgotten.”
However, the Itsekiri group, in its statement declared that Itsekiri “shall continue to defend our territorial integrity against aggressors and will never relent.”
The Itsekiri group maintained that “every empirical material, bears testament to Ogbe-Ijoh being in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria and not in Warri South Local Government Area.”
The Itsekiri group said, “The attention of the INYC, Warri South Local Government chapter has been drawn to a reply by the Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri kingdom IYC to the Itsekiri ownership of Warri, especially as against the Ijaw people of any description.
“We elect to presently respond to the extant publication on this occasion that: first, it is baffling that the publication was made under the name ‘Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri kingdom,’ when every empirical material bears testament to Ogbe-Ijoh being in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria and not in Warri South Local Government Area.’’
“Secondly, it is worthy of note that besides empirical materials, the law has also settled this issue on several occasions including: (a) the decision of the High Court of Justice in suit No: W/277/2012: Chief E.F. Esisi & 10 Ors vs. The Governor of Delta State & 5 Ors, where the honourable court referred extensively to the decision of R.W. Rhodes-Vivour J, sitting in Warri High Court in suit No. W/148/56 before the Warri High Court between Chief Izoukumo Olioki & 5 Ors (for themselves and on behalf of the Ogbe-Ijoh people) vs Itsekiri Communal Land Trustees and Chief Sam Warri Esi (for himself and on behalf of Agbassa and the Igbudu people) over the declaration of title to land in Warri, including the areas now being claimed by the people of Ogbe-Ijoh of Warri; the relevant portion being 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 are hereby precluded from bringing any further actions 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.’
The lawsuit filed by the Ijaw people on the same matter as the existing one was dismissed. Following this decision, the court dismissed the lawsuit again.
With the help of top Ijaw leaders, the Ama Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh planned to establish an Ijaw kingdom called Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom of Warri South in Warri South Local Government Area. They initially sued only the local government council and the state, but the Isekiri people objected and the lawsuit was dismissed before 2020.
After the above development, the Ijaws filed a lawsuit no. W/147/2020 between HRM Amaokosu Mobene and the Executive Governor of Delta State & 5 Ors. In this lawsuit, Ama-Okosu of Ogbe-Ijoh claimed entitlement to royalties in Warri South Local Government Area. After four years of intense legal battle, the lawsuit was dismissed for being incompetent and lacking in merit.
The lawsuit was filed secretly in Asaba rather than Warri, and they almost secured a judgment without others knowing. When the Itsekiris found out and joined, the matter was transferred back to Warri in 2022. Judgment was eventually delivered on March 26, 2024 in favor of the Itsekiris.
It is clear that the Ogbe-Ijoh people have been trying to enter Warri South since 1964 and continue to fail, as seen in the failed attempts from 1964 to 2024, and they will keep failing.
We will keep defending our territorial integrity against aggressors and will not give up. Ogbe-Ijoh has no claim in Warri South!
