Contrary to claims by the itsekiri people that the Agbarha Urhobo are tenants to the Olu of Warri, the Agbarha Warri Urhobo people have vehemently restated that they are the owners of Warri metropolis from time immemorial with several documentary evidence reinforced by several commissions of enquiries such as Hon Justice Nnemeka Agu, Hon Hassan Idoko and Theophilus Danjuma”s all set up to resolve the lingering Warri crisis that has spanned over 100 years.
To this end, the Agbarha Warri Urhobo have warned the Itsekiri people under the aegis of the apex Itsekiri socio-cultural organization, Movement for the Protection of Iwere Homeland, Development and History (MPIHDH) Worldwide, to desist from misforming members of the public by their fictitious claims, even though we need peace and development, we will not allow the Itsekiris to make misleading, and false claims as to the ownership of Warri which has been laid to rest with several landmark judgments and historical facts.
According to the President, Warri-Agbarha Diaspora Network, Lennox Egavoja Gold in a reaction titled “Itsekiri False Alarm on Land Revalidation by Agbarha Warri people addressed to the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt.Hon.Sheriff Oborevwori in response to an earlier publication by the apex Itsekiri socio-cultural organization, Movement for the Protection of Iwere Homeland, Development and History (MPIHDH) Worldwide, titled “A Petition To Your Excellency To Call The Heads Of The Agbassa People In Warri To Order And To Immediately Jettison, And Abandon Their Dangerous Plans To Subject Property Owners To A Purported Revalidation Of Title Documents For Lands Situate In The Area As Condition Precedent For Citizens To Continue To Exercise Their Fundamental Right To Freely Acquire Immovable Property, Have Peaceful Possession And Quiet Enjoyment Of Same Contrary To The Provisions Of The 1999 CONSTITUTION AND THE LAND USE ACT, 1978” .
The Statement added that the Agbarha Warri Urhobo people cannot revalidate what is theirs as they remain the owners of Warri from time immemorial and strongly advised against any move to trigger another ethic crisis on the foundation of lies and distorted facts for personal gains.
“The Itsekiris referred to Agbassa (which is the ascetral headquarters of Agbarha Warri Kingdom) as Obomale, meaning Juju town. However, the question we should ask ourselves, is it not the Agbassa people that owns the Juju.And this town is in the heart of Warri metropolis. The case between Ometan vs Dore Numa in suit No W/41/57 and W/121/57 was a case between Ometan for himself and on behalf of Otovwodo (Agbassa community) vs Dore Numa and others. The judgement of the above case does not extend or affect the other sub clans of Igbudu, Edjeba, Ogunu, Okurode, Ukpokiti and Oteghele.Moreover these are questionable judgements,when you put into account the influence of Chief Dore Numa during the colonial period”.(Chief Dore was a political agent to the British government and his from Benin River)
“However we challenge the Itsekiri people to publish the content or paragraph of the judgment of the court that made the Agbarha Warri Kingdom a customary tenant to the Olu of Warri”.
“We want to repeat the fact that the Olu”s continued claim that Warri belongs to him and Itsekiri people is a blatant falsehood and that the issue as to the false claims of the ownership of Warri by the Olu was completely laid to rest in suit No. W/48/68, in the Warri High court which was between the Olu of Warri for himself and on behalf of the entire Itsekiri people, the Itsekiri communal land Trustee and the Ogitsi family represented by D O. Idundun, and others as plaintiff against Chief Daniel Okumagba representing the people of Okere Urhobo clan as defendants which was decided in favour of the people of Okere – Urhobo clan and an appeal by the Olu and Itsekiri people, the supreme Court confirmed the decision of the Warri High court in its entirety in favour of Okere-Urhobo people in which the court found amongst others as follows”.
The Learned trial Judge held “A point which plaintiff and their counsel have tried to urge on this court is that because the land in dispute is in Warri and so in Warri Division, the Olu of Warri, has rights of overlordship over all lands in the Warri Division. The whole argument or view is erroneous. The Olu by his title, is Olu of Warri, but his rights of overlordship relate only to lands of Itsekiri people and even then, there is ground for saying that it does not relate to the lands of all Itsekiri people”
“Ginuwa 1 expedition from Benin ended at IJALA and does not extend to the Warri metropolis W/48/68 and Supreme Court 309/74”.
“Even,the so-called Olu palace belonged to the Ighogbadu, Oki and Olodi families of the Okere-Urhobo kingdom .We challenge the Itsekiri people to mention any prominent Itsekiri leader (dead or Alive) that can trace his or her ancestry to Warri metropolis. The answer is none.! But Agbarha people will do. The land belongs to us, so we are not going to REVALIDATE what belongs to us”.
“Furthermore, the Idoko white paper report, which is widely recognized, provides valuable insights into the historical and cultural background of the region. This report can serve as a point of reference for understanding the complexities of land ownership and community”.
“It is worthy of questioning whether the notion of ownership should be the focal point of our conversations. Instead,let us focus on fostering unity, collaboration,and peace that will bring unprecedented development to Warri the Oil City, that was once riddled by ethnic crisis”.
“A word is enough for the wise”
