Zik Gbemre Knock Itsekiri Nation On Fuss Over Crowning Of HRM Ovie Of Agbarha-Warri Kingdom & The Bitter Truth On The Status Of Warri Urban

-By Zik Gbemre

FUSS OVER CROWNING OF HRM OVIE OF AGBARHA-WARRI KINGDOM & THE BITTER TRUTH ON THE STATUS OF WARRI URBAN

It is laughable, so disgusting, that a new Ovie of Agbarha-Warri Kingdom, HRM Kingsley Emakpor Orereh, Igbi II, is crowned and it is some faceless Itsekiri Historical Front, apparently trying to copy the formidable Urhobo Historical Society(UHS), that has issue with that memorable event.

Warri is a landmark name and it remains so. That is why Chief Mukoro Mowoe, foremost Urhobo leader represented the people of Warri Province as an Urhobo man and not as an Itsekiri man at the Western Regional House of Assembly in Nigeria from 1946 till his death in 1948.

Is it not true that the entire Warri province comprised of Ndokwa, Itsekiri, Ijaw, Isoko, and Urhobo areas? Is it not true that Obafemi Awolowo changed the name of Warri Province to Delta Province and changed the title of Olu of Itsekiri to Olu of Warri in 1952?

Is it not true that the Olu of Warri is the traditional ruler of Itsekiri people only and his traditional rulership is limited to only Itsekiri people? Is it not true that what is known as Warri urban city is the native villages and towns of Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu families of Okere-Urhobo, Agbarha-Ame comprising of Otovwodo-Agbarha, Ogunu, Edjeba, Okurode-Urhobo, Igbudu Oteghele and Ukpokiti?

Is it not true the Olu of Warri is not living in his ancestral home of Ode-Itsekiri? Is it traditionally right for the Olu of Warri to live and receive visitors outside his ancestral home of Ode-Itsekiri and only compelled to go there to perform traditional festivals and rites?

The Oba of Benin, for instance, lives in his ancestral home of Benin urban city and receives his visitors there. The Ooni of Ife lives in his ancestral home city of Ile-Ife. The Alafin of Oyo lives and receives visitors in his ancestral home of Oyo City. The Oba of Lagos lives and receives visitors in his ancestral home of Lagos Island, also known as Isale Eko.

Every traditional ruler in Africa should be proud to live and receive visitors in his ancestral home city or town.

Chief Daniel Okumagba and Chief Benjamin Okumagba were natives of Warri urban city of Okere-Urhobo and they lived and were buried in their ancestral native home of Okere-Urhobo town in the centre of Warri urban city. Chief Sam-Warri Essi also lived and was buried in his native ancestral town of igbudu in the heart of Warri urban city.

The truth is bitter but it must be said, that Itsekiri people had abandoned their native home villages and towns for Warri urban city, and their villages and towns in the far away creeks are gradually going into extinction for their special interest of laying false claim to the ownership of Warri urban city.

The question is very simple and clear, where are the native home villages and towns of the Itsekiri people in the Warri urban city they claim to own? I have repeatedly said that Urhobo people are proud of their native home villages and towns no matter how successful they are, and I gave an example of the Ibru brothers who built houses in the ancestral native home town of Agbarha-Otor, lived in the houses and buried there.

Also, Omotogor Ibru, mother of the Ibru brothers built houses in Ovwor-Olomu town, lived there, and was buried in her ancestral native home town. The Urhobo people build houses in their ancestral native home towns and villages but they also live in the houses with their community locals.

Every Itsekiri elite and politician of prominence doesn’t live in his ancestral native home town and village for the interest of claiming Warri urban city. Who is losing if the Itsekiri people hang around the urban city of Warri and allow their ancestral native home villages and towns to go into extinction?

What is known as Warri Urban today is entirely in Urhobo land. The popular Bendel Estate in Warri (now known as DDPA) is in Ugborikoko town of Uvwie LGA. The popular Plantation city of Otokutu is in Urhobo land of Ughelli South LGA. The Ex-Service City near Effurun Barracks, off Effurun-Sapele Road is in Uvwie LGA of Urhobo land.

The local Airport at Osubi is in Okpe LGA of Urhobo land. The Warri Refinery and Petrol Chemical Company, Nigerian Gas Company are in Ekpan town in Uvwie LGA of Urhobo land. The popular NNPC Housing Estate is in Edjeba of Warri Urban city of Urhobo land and Ekpan town of Uvwie LGA of Warri urban landmark name identity.

The areas the Itsekiri people are seen in Warri Urban are satellite settlements sand filled to build houses, they live there since they are avoiding their native ancestral villages and towns in the far away creeks to claim Warri Urban city. The industrial and residential areas of Ogunu and Edjeba where oil companies are located are in Agbarha-Ame and Okere Urhobo towns of Urhobo in the Warri urban city.

The entire Delta Steel Company, DSC and residential areas are in Ovwian-Aladja and Orhuwhorun in Udu LGA. The railway station is in Ujevwu in Udu LGA of Urhobo land. The Effurun barracks are located in Uvwie LGA of Urhobo Land. The Ughelli Power Stations 1,2,3,4 and living quarters are located in Ekrerhavwe, Eruemukohwarie and Ekakpamre in Ughelli South and Ughelli North. What is known as Warri urban landmark identity today is Warri South, Uvwie, Okpe, Udu, Ughelli North, Ughelli South, Ethiope East, Burutu, Bomadi, and Warri South West LGAs.

What is known as Lagos landmark identity today is Lagos state and part of Ogun state including the popular Agbara and Otta industrial estate in Ogun State. But that doesn’t mean the Oba of Lagos is the traditional ruler of the entire Lagos state and some parts of Ogun state.

London in the UK is a landmark name for London Luton Airport, London Stansted Airport, and London Southend Airport. The London Gatwick Airport is in Crawley, West Sussex and not in London but the name of the airport is London Gatwick Airport. London Gatwick Airport is about 28 miles from the South of Central London.

London Luton Airport is in Luton City, Bedfordshire, UK which is 35 miles from North of Central London. London Stansted Airport is 30 miles to North East of Central London. The London Southend Airport is about 28 miles from the central of London.

The Washington DC Dulles Airport is in Virginia State in the US and not in Washington DC. All of this needs to be explained for the public to understand that Warri is a landmark name for Warri South, Uvwie, Okpe, Udu, Ughelli South, Ughelli North, Ethiope East, Warri South West, Burutu, and Bomadi.

The Schiphol town where the airport is located in the Netherlands is 18km from the Amsterdam city Centre. The Amsterdam airport is not in Amsterdam just the same way the Osubi airport is not located in Warri South but it is in Okpe LGA. Amsterdam is a landmark identity name.

The name Warri as an identity name that doesn’t confer the traditional rulership of Warri Urban on the Olu of Warri. The Petroleum Training Institute Effurun, PTI, Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, FUPRE are in Uvwie LGA of Urhobo Land. So where are the ancestral native villages and towns of the Itsekiri people?

The Itsekiri people need to face reality and return to their native home villages and towns in the creeks, build houses in them, and live in them and not leaving them for rodents to occupy. If Urhobo people build houses in their ancestral native home villages and towns they live in them and relate with their locals and not just visit their home towns on ‘Election and Christmas days’ after which they abscond to the urban cities.

Gov Sheriff Oborevwori from Osubi town built his houses there and lives in Osubi in Okpe LGA, the Asaba Government House is his official house and office as governor of Delta. James Ibori lives in Oghara in his ancestral native home town in Ethiope West.

Festus Keyamo also lives in his house in his Effurun ancestral native home town in Uvwie LGA, Ighoyota Amori lives in his ancestral home town of Mosogar in Ethiope West. Senator Omo-Agege lives in his home town of Orogun in Ughelli North. As for me, I live in Iwhrekan town in Ugheli South LGA of Urhobo land. I’m not shy to live in my native home town.

Kenneth Gbagi relocated to his native home town of Oginibo town in Ughelli South LGA before he died. Gen John Obada lived in Agbarho town in Ughelli North LGA for over 30 years before he died few years ago. Chief James Edewor and Chief Johnson Ukueku lived in Eku town in Ethiope East LGA before they died. Justice James Omo-Agege relocated to his ancestral native home in Orogun town of Ughelli North and lived with the locals before he died.

As noted by Chief Godwin Notoma, “In truth, people are being deceived. For example, the then Vice President of the Federal Republic, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, was to visit what you call the landmark Warri. All the Urhobo traditional rulers were waiting for him at the PTI conference hall.

He landed at Osubi, in Okpe LGA, drove pass the Conference Center, through Uvwie, and went to visit the Olu of Warri before coming back to PTI conference hall to meet the Urhobo kings and others at 4pm. Kenneth Gbagi was pissed- off, and he expressed himself unequivocally.

“Amaechi came to flag off the lifting of cargo through the rail at Ujevwu in Udu LGA. I represented the Ovie of Udu Kingdom. The Olu was invited, but he sent a Chief. Amaechi kept referring to Ujevwu as Warri. When I addressed the audience and put the facts right, that Ujevwu town is Udu, in Udu Kingdom, not in Warri Kingdom, he took offense, was rude, but was booed out by Udu youths.

A youth from Udu went to seek for a job at Utorogu Gas Plant. He was asked to get a referral from the Olu of Warri.

So dignitaries and companies are deceived to believe that what you call landmark name is the actual thing, and all the communities covered in that landmark are subject to the Olu. Above all, the subjects of the Olu do not help matters. They claim it to be so and are ready to grab them and run with them”

The Olu of Warri has no traditional rulership in Urhobo land and Ijaw land in Warri South Urban areas, Uvwie, Okpe, Udu, Warri South West, Ughelli South, Ughelli North, Ethiope East, Ethiope West, Sapele, Burutu, and Bomadi.

The Olu of Warri traditional rulership is limited to only Itsekiri people and land not extended to Urhobo land in Warri urban and other LGAs I mentioned above. The Olu of Warri can’t speak for the Urhobo people in Warri urban. Every traditional ruler in Delta is important in his own domain and the Olu of Warri can’t lord it on Urhobo people of Warri urban.

We need to set the record straight for the public, oil companies operating in Warri Urban, and the government to know the truth about Warri Urban landmark status. When you say Warri urban it concerns the Urhobo people of Okere-Urhobo, Okumagba layout and Agbarha-Ame comprising of Otovwodo Agbarha, Edjeba, Ogunu, Igbudu, Okurode-Urhobo, Essi Layout, Agaga layout.

As for the Itsekiri people, they should return to their native home communities in the far away creeks rather than hanging around Warri urban city. Their native home communities are going into extinction. Every time we hear of Itsekiri prominent people talk of marginalization when they don’t return and live in their native home communities.

How will their native home communities develop if they don’t live in them by their elites and politicians? How can their villages develop when few locals live in them? Even the Olu of Warri is living in Warri urban city when his ancestral native home is Ode-Itsekiri town.

The faceless Itsekiri Historical Front should stop the false media propaganda on who owns Warri urban. Every Agbarha-Ame/Okere Urhobo native is an indigenous person of Warri Urban and have the birth right to claim the ownership of Warri Township?

These Urhobo communities of Agbarha-Warri Kingdom and Okere-Urhobo Warri Kingdom are what make up of Warri urban city. Is Okere-Urhobo Warri land not in the center of Warri urban? Is Essi Layout not in the central of Warri Urban? Is Okumagba layout not in the central of Warri urban?

What is called Warri urban city is in Urhobo territory. All these myopic thoughts that Warri urban belongs to Itsekiri people is fake. I ‘m not a native of Warri Urban and I am a proud native of Iwhrekan community in Ughelli South and so all other Urhobo people are proud of their home towns and villages no matter how remote they are located.

The ijaws are busy developing their communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom. The ijaws have made Gbaramatu Kingdom a tourist centre while the Itsekiri people are abandoning their communities which are going into extinction.

It is time for Itsekiri people and Olu of Warri to think of how to relocate to Ode-Iteskiri and their towns and villages on the Benin River and develop them rather than sitting tight in Warri urban city that is never their ancestral home towns. I advise the Itsekiri to be courageous to relocate to their towns and villages which they have long abandoned. No foreigner will develop their communities for them if they don’t stay in them.

Zik Gbemre
July 6, 2024

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