Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri Kingdom IYC Replies Itsekiri Over Claim On Warri Ownership

Re:THE CONTINOUS PUNISHMENT OF THE ITSEKIRI NATION BY THE NNPCL AND ITS JV PARTNERS; A TIME TO ACT

~ IYC Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom Cautions Olu of Itsekiri and his Representatives

~ Urge Itsekiris to go back to their ancestral home

Our attention has been drawn to spurious claims of ownership of Warri township against the Ogbe-Ijoh people who are domiciled in Warri South and Warri South West respectively by the Olu of Itsekiri through his representatives most recently is a press statement made by one Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema who is a representative of the Olu of Itsekiri palace to NNPCL on the 17th of April, 2024, making the rounds online and on social media, in which he claimed to have described the present day Warri township as their homeland. The unsubstantiated claims which are designed to mislead the general public are completely false and and if not cautioned and corrected will truncate the existing peace in Warri.This latest attempt which is aimed at dragging the peace loving people of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom into Itsekiri internal issues is the result of failed blackmails and land grabbing attempt by the Olu Of Itsekiri and his co-travellers, which has been reported to relevant authorities. We urge the public to disregard the falsehood the said press release in its entirety!As aborigines of Warri, we the Ogbe-Ijoh people are aware that we share common boundaries with the Urhobos in Warri South , we are responsible and peace loving citizens of Delta State, Nigeria and our conducts are guided by the rule of law.We therefore, state that the 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 and also that Egwa an Oil producing community in Warri South West LGA belong to the Ijaws in the aforementioned Local Government. It is also worthy of note to state that the recent actions of the Olu of Itsekiri and his kinsmen is aimed at bringing back sad memories from the Warri crisis which if thrown to the wind will not be good for the peaceful coexistence that is been enjoyed by all in Warri.It is also pertinent to state 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 in which it’s office complex is sited belongs to the Ogbe-Ijoh people.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, the general public should disregard their lies of been in existence from the 15th century as such lies do not hold water; while we respect our tenants (Itsekiri )now as neighbors today because of how long they’ve stayed with us in the present day Warri township, we would not give room to anyone including the Iwerre King to lay false claims to lands that do not belong to him nor his ancestors who are tenants.Most importantly, as a council we urge the Itsekiris in Warri to go back home and develop their villages and their headquarter’s (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 incase they have forgotten.Lastly, we urge the Governor of our dear state Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, to call the Iwerre King to order as his actions are tantamount of causing another tribal war which if not cautioned now will lead to loss of lives and properties and eventually lead to unrest in our dear state.Sign:Comr Omare Moses -Chairman IYC Ogbe-Ijoh Warri KingdomComr Donye T. Vincent -Secretary IYC Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom.