Ijaw real owners of Warri —N-Delta Scholars

By Emma Amaize

WARRI—Niger Delta Scholars, NDS, Warri, Delta State, restated, yesterday, that they have proofs in support of Ogbe-Ijoh title of Warri and urged the Itsekiri ethnic nationality to desist from further stoking controversies.

Reacting to a recent reply by the Iwere People’s Congress, IPC, an Itsekiri group, NDS, in a statement by its national coordinator, Chief Monday Keme, said: “Once again, we appeal to our Itsekiri neighbours to refrain from further claims to Ogbe-Ijoh lands as there are abundant evidences, including the ancient Ogbe-Ijoh Market retaining the identity of Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri urban in support of Ogbe-Ijoh’s ownership of Warri.

“The group, IPC, in an attempt to mislead the public misinterpreted certain legal pronouncements , Ometan v Dore Numa and Chief Izoukumor Olioki and five others of blessed memory, on the one hand, and on the other hand, Chief Dore Numa’s letters to both Ogbe-Ijoh and Agbassa people.

“Ometan, on behalf of Agbassa, sued Chief Dore Numa in his capacity as a government agent,  not in his private capacity where he included leases B2 Vol. 1, dated 30/07/1906; B5 Vol. 1, dated 07/08/1908 Ogbe-Ijoh as part of Agbassa land as defined by lease B7 Vol. 1 dated 15/02/1911.

“The court held that Agbassa land did not extend to the area being claimed by Ometan. The Privy Council then interpreted the area now known as “Ogbe-Ijoh or New Warri.” Lease B2 Vol. 1 is from Ogbe-Ijoh Market Warri along the Okere Road to the Okere Prison, passing through the creek along the Ajamimogha Road to the back of the Central Hospital, Warri,  including the Nigerian Ports areas of Warri.

“Lease B5 Vol. 1, from Ogbe-Ijoh Market to the Roman Catholic Cathedral, including Warri/Sapele Road to Okere Road, extending to Warri Post Office down to Cavargina Primary School and  NBTC areas, as not forming part of Agbassa land. Itsekiri was never mentioned in that case, but New Warri or Ogbe-Ijoh. The man Alders was an Indian transporter, who was settled by the Ogbe-Ijoh people and became very famous in the transport business, hence the area was named after him (Alders Town, Ogbe-Ijoh).

“In 1956, Chief Izoukumor Olioki and five others sued the Olu of Itsekiri,  Erejuwa II, who was later replaced by Itsekiri Communal Land Trust. And in 1958, the Olu of Itsekiri also sued the Ogbe-Ijoh people, in which cases both parties were advised to withdraw for political solution as canvassed by the then Finance Minister, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh.

“Therefore, suit nos. W/148/56 and the counter W/63/58 were struck out accordingly. And this was confirmed in suit No W/48/68 where the trial judge held that suit no W/148/56 was not heard in the celebrated Okumagba land case. Justice E. A. Ekeruche stated that ‘evidence in this case shows that suit no. W/148/56 was not heard.’ Therefore, one wonders why the Itsekiri continue to make reference to this case. We challenge them to publish this case for all to see,” it said.

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