The peace agenda of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan may suffer a setback as Urhobo indigenes of Okpe in Sapele local government area are warming up to stage a war with the Itsekiris for allegedly claiming ownership of Sapele.
The Urhobo leaders had in recent times described the Itsekiris as trouble makers, and were warned to beware of Okpe lands, insisting that the Okpe people were ready to shed the last drop of their blood to fight the Itsekiris for encroaching on their lands.
It would be recalled that the Itsekiris residing in Sapele had sometime ago publicly claimed ownership of parts of lands in Sapele and Okpe community, which almost led to a serious ethnic crisis and break down of law and order, but for the intervention of the Delta State government that averted the situation.
Investigation further revealed that some Itsekiris have formed communities in the Urhobo area of Warri metropolis, an issue that is also currently threatening the prevailing peace in the area.
An Urhobo community leader in Sapele, Chief Dickson Omamomo Obirenfoju, while reacting to the development told THE WILL that the Itsekiris were using the advantage of their brother Governor Uduaghan to cause confusion but will be vehemently resisted.
The Urhobo communities therefore called on Governor Uduaghan to prevail on his Itsekiri people to desist from claiming ownership of lands that do not belong to them to forestall imminent crisis.
THEWILL can report that the ownership tussle of Sapele between Itsekiris and Okpe had long been settled in favour of Okpe by the colonial masters at the West African Court of Appeal.
1 comment:
Let there be peace. It is only when peace prevails that we can have growth and development. the issue of land is important but what will it profit us if we lose the last drop of blood in our body? I believe dead men don't bite. My people say 'it is only the dead that have lost everything'. When there is life, there is always hope. We must all live on land (afterall we cannot live in the air!) and must do so in peace. Let us therefore abide by the rule of law and allow others live even as we live. Violence cannot do anyone any good. Let us try and put away tribal mediocrity and seek our collective growth, development and prosperity. I think we have seen enough violence in this country and the leadership of these people should rise up to the task of providing good leadership that can generate trust from the people.
Pat Matemilola, 4, Jaba Close, Area 11, Garki, Abuja
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