Elo Edremoda, Warri
Leaders of Ogulagha kingdom in Burutu council area of Delta State have called on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to caution neighbouring Oborotu people of Iduwini Kingdom over claims on their lands, in order to avert a communal crisis in the area.
This was contained in a petition dated September 15 and addressed to the governor, a copy of which was made available to newsmen in Warri, Monday.
According to the petition which was signed by Chief William Igere, Chief Emmanuel Potoki, Chief MacDonald Anoruse, Chief Larry Adanike, among eight other leaders of Ogulagha Kingdom, Oborotu people were laying false claims to their lands and looking for a means to cause the breakdown of law and order in the state.
The area under contention is host to the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Forcados Terminal among other oil and gas facilities in Delta state.
It will be recalled that leaders Iduwini kingdom, Chief T. M Binebai, and Pastor Bebe. I. Joseph, had in a press statement insisted ownership of the said lands, referring to Ogulagha people as tenants.
The traditional secretary (Fungewei) of Iduwini Kingdom, Chief Evans Etimigba, reinstated the claim in a phone chat with The Nation, Monday, “we will not join issues with them but rather appeal to them to face the court case. This matter has been in court since 2001 till date. They should face the court and expatiate on their claims”.
However, the petition stated thus: “it was wrong and an act of irresponsibility for Oborotu people to have referred to Ogulagha people as tenants in their own lands, as such insulting, dehumanizing, defamatory and scandalous statements have lowered the public esteem of Ogulagha people and our revered King who is a recognized and gazette traditional ruler in Nigeria.
”We advise the King of Iduwini to caution his subjects from making inflammatory and abusive statements on the King and people of Ogulagha Kingdom. Having said so, it is demanded that the Oborotu people should retract their statements in the said publication, and publish it through the same medium”.
”The Ogulagha people were not and are not known as kroos of Liberia and have no connection with Germany and their ancestors were never victims or survivors of a shipwreck as alleged by the Oborotu people.
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“We state categorically that the Ogulagha people are the aboriginal owners of their lands including Ogulagha, Oborotu (Burutu), Forcados and Ofougbene lands and are rightly living in their own lands.
“The Iduwini or Oborotu people never signed a treaty in 1895 or in any other year with the Royal Niger Company over Ogulagha Lands in Ogulagha town. However, the Ogulagha people signed a treaty over Ogulagha lands extending from Oborotu (Burutu), to the sea with the Royal Niger Company in 1888.
”The Ogulagha people are worried and concerned over the violent and unfriendly disposition of the Oborotu people towards the Ogulagha people. The obvious reason for this posture is because of the huge presence of oil and gas and operational facilities and companies in Ogulagha lands. The Oborotu people want to forcefully take over these Ogulagha lands.
”We, therefore, call on the Federal, Delta State Governments and Burutu Local Government Council to investigate the intentions behind these publications which have security implications and also urge all strata of government and security agencies to call the Oborotu and Odimodi people to order.
“One would only recall that it was a like scenario that led to the crisis between Odimodi and Ogulagha which was ably triggered and assisted by her sister Iduwini communities in Delta and Bayelsa states.”
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