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Tag: Itsekiri

  • Be good ambassadors of Itsekiri, Olu tells political aspirants

    THe Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, has urged Itsekiri politicians vying for elective offices to be good ambassadors of their homeland.

    The Warri monarch spoke at his palace while hosting a senatorial aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Irone Rita Begho.

    Ikenwoli said he would give his blessing to anyone seeking offices free of charge.

    The monarch described Begho as a competent and worthy aspirant.

    He advised her to prepare for other qualified contestants in the race.

    Ikenwoli said: “Your curriculum vitae (CV) shows you as competent and capable. All you need is my blessing. I don’t need your money. I’ll give you my blessing.”

    Begho, a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, called for a paradigm shift in the development strategy of Niger Delta, given the region’s enormous human and natural resources.

    The aspirant noted that the time had come for a woman to represent the district “after more than 18 years of uninterrupted male domination in Delta South Senatorial District”.

    According to her, she is the most qualified for the Senate seat because “the job is one that requires good knowledge of the law-making processes, solid educational exposure, vast national and international contacts and deep love and loyalty to the Itsekiri”.

     

  • Ijaw Youths decries calls for Itsekiri Senator

    Youths under the aegis of Delta Ijaw Youth Colligate Leadership (DIYCL), have decried the calls for justice and equity by the Itsekiri nation as regards the Delta South Senatorial seat.

    In a statement signed by the President and secretary, Hon. Bekesuode Abulu and Comrade Tamaraukuro Forteta respectively, an analysis of the ethnic representation of the district since 1954, the group described it as fair.

    According to the statement which was made available to newsmen yesterday, the Itsekiris quest for the senatorial seat “will continue to be a mirage, even in 2019” unless, people of the ethnic nationalities in the Warri Federal Constituency, Warri North and South council areas are allowed to hold political offices at the varying levels.

    Noting that the Ijaws are ready to work with the Isoko and liberal Itsekiri people of Delta South Senatorial District, the DIYCL urged incumbent Senator James Manager to seek reelection in 2019, otherwise he may not be forgiven for doing the Ijaw nation a “disservice.”

    The statement in part reads:
    “The 64 years injustice against the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri must be addressed before we talk of equity in Delta South Senatorial District. Our call to our Itsekiri brothers is, do unto others what you want other to do to you!

    “The Warri Division now known as Warri federal constituency was created in 1954 consisting of the Ijaws, Itsekiris and Urhobos of Warri.

    “In fact, the Itsekiris do not have the justification to cry of marginalization in the representation of Delta South Senatorial District they actually started with the late Justice Atake despite the fact that they have the smallest population compared to the Ijaws and Isokos in the senatorial district. In short, the call for equity should be in relation to the Warri federal constituency and not Delta South Senatorial District because equity have always been practiced in the political affairs of the senatorial district.

    “It is noteworthy to state here vehemently without fear or favor that Delta South senate seat was never zoned. Other ethnic groups have always contested primaries with Senator James Manager and even after losing out, they also fielded other candidates in the main elections. It does not end there, for they have always took him to court from 2003 till date. In one instance, it ended in the Supreme court late 2006, just months to the expiration of his tenure. As bizarre as it sounds, when they held the governorship position for 8 straight years, they still contested both the primaries and main elections with James Manager.

    “As shown in the first table above, the Itsekiri is the only ethnic group that has represented the Warri Federal constituency since its creation in 1954 till date, making it 64 years of absolute political domination.

    “Now just as the Delta South Senatorial District is made up of Itsekiri, Isoko, Urhobo and Ijaw, the Warri Federal Constituency is also made up of Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri, a constituency that typifies George Orwell’s ‘The Animal Farm’. In fact, in this constituency, both the Ijaw and the Urhobo have not been allowed to hold any elective office, at the level of the federal constituency, since the time of Okotie-Eboh in 1954. The dominance of the Itsekiri ‘paper majority’ would not allow us.”

  • Group sensitize Ijaw, Itsekiri voters on PVC collection

    A political pressure group in Delta state, Warri Southwest Political Alliance, has advised Nigerians to ensure that they register and collect their permanent voters cards in other to participate in the next general election.

    The group made the call in Madangho (Escravos) and Oporoza in Warri South West LGA of the state, when its ‘Voters card registration and PVC collection’ sensitization campaign trained berthed at the Itsekiri and Ijaw communities respectively.

    WSWPA Coordinator, Mr. Solomon Eyione, said, “It is imperative for eligible citizens to register and have their voters’ card and exercise their democratic rights by casting their votes. Without PVC, you cannot vote in an election.”

    Eyione and other members of the group, including Deputy Coordinator and Secretary Messr Newman Ekpo and Meshack Bebenimibo respectively, also solicited support for Governor Okowa and his Deputy, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro’s reelection for second tenure in 2019.

    Read Also: Letter to Ayo Opadokun

    They further reaffirmed support for Chief Favour Izoukumor as the best candidate to represent Warri Southwest in the State House of Assembly in the next political dispensation.

    “The Governor and his Deputy need to consolidate the SMART Agenda, and Chief Favour Izoukumor should be given opportunity for higher representation in the State House of Assembly.

    “He has represented the Ijaws creditably as DESOPADEC Commissioner; he is bringing developmental projects to the grassroots oil bearing Communities.”

  • Itsekiri leaders to Okowa: tackle festering Itsekiri/Ugborodo crisis before it is too late

    Itsekiri leaders to Okowa: tackle festering Itsekiri/Ugborodo crisis before it is too late

    THE apex socio-cultural group of the Itsekiri in Delta State; the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), has called on the state government to swiftly intervene in the escalating leadership crisis in Ugborodo before it goes beyond control. The ILoT, which made the call in a statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Chief Edward Ekpoko and Sir Amorighoye Mene, respectively, also called for the immediate arrest of the Olaja-Orori (Spiritual Head) of Ugborodo community for alleged violation of the state’s laws and impersonation.

    Ugborodo, where the oil multinational, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), has its largest operations field and facilities, which is also host to the Gas Revolution Industrial Project (GRIP), has been transiting from one local leadership problem to the other in the last few years. The spiritual head of the community, which is one of the Itsekiri enclaves in the state, Olaja-Orori Benson Dube Omadeli, was reported to have declared himself independent of the throne of the Warri Kingdom and addressed himself a royal majesty. However, the ILoT, in its statement, laid a background to the alleged rebellion of some elements in Ugborodo, leading to a legal matter, which was effectively decided in favour of the Olu throne in 1921.

    The body charged the state government to quickly take a step to stem the brewing crisis in Ugborodo, pointing out its importance to both the state and the nation’s economy. It also warned non-Itsekiri neighbours of Ugborodo not to further stoke the embers of the crisis. “We call on the Delta State government to intervene in the crisis in Ugborodo. Those behind the so-called Ugborodo Kingdom/clan brain-wave are in violation of Itsekiri native law & custom and also, the extant law. Mr. Benson Dube Omadeli who is parading himself as His Majesty, Olaja-Orori Suo VI of Ugborodo Kingdom and some others have since on the 24th November 2017, been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police for various criminal offences.

    “Ugborodo community is the host to major oil and gas facilities in the Niger Delta. The Delta State government and Federal Government must act now to check the excesses of this few misguided elements in Ugborodo. A stitch in time saves nine. From history and the case of Dore vs. Olue (1921), it is settled that the Olu has overlordship rights over all Itsekiri lands including Ugborodo and that the Olu of Warri by the 1st Schedule to the Traditional Rulers, Council and Chiefs Law Cap. T2, Vol. 5, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2008, is the only Prescribed Authority in Itsekiri in Warri North, Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State.

  • Itsekiri students call for speedy takeoff of maritime varsity

    Itsekiri students call for speedy takeoff of maritime varsity

    Students of Itsekiri extraction in Delta state have appealed to the Federal Government to urgently address issues delaying the takeoff of the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Warri Southwest local government area of the state.

    The students, under the auspices of National Association of Itsekiri Students, described as unnecessary the controversy generated by the naming of the university’s site.

    NAIS, in a statement signed by Esimaje Richard Ejueyitsi and Iwerebor Oritsegbami Jeffrey, President and PRO respectively, urged the “Federal Government and the National Assembly to do with utmost urgency, what is necessary for the institution to kick-off.

    “We also join forces with advocacy groups and all stakeholders that have remain unrepentant in a bid to ensure the correct name of the institution should be Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenghigho, and not Okerenkoko, that is unknown to law.

    “It would be erroneous, in a lawful nation, as the case of our dear country Nigeria, to name an institution after legal tenants of a locality, instead of its legal owners that is the Itsekiri people of Omadino (Okerenghigho),” the statement added.

    They commended the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), for his memo to the National Assembly, which drew attention to the misnomer and sought the correction.

  • Warri searches for new Ologbotsere, two others

    Warri searches for new Ologbotsere, two others

    Southsouth Regional Editor SHOLA O’NEIL and Warri Correspondent BOLAJI OGUNDELE examine the controversy over the planned installation of the Ologbotsere of Warri and other titles

    Olu of Warri Ogiame Ikenwoli received some angry visitors on Tuesday. Their grouse: Billionaire businessman Chief Ayiri Emami must not be made the Ologbotsere (Prime Minister) of Warri Kingdom. They were also against the installation of two others.

    They came in their hundreds. The Itsekiri citizens laid siege on the palace (Aghofen) of the Olu of Warri, protesting alleged untraditional approach of the monarch to some issues, including the appointment of some persons to fill three prime chieftaincy positions.

    The protesters  took over all the accesses into and out of the palace, which is situated on Ajamimogha Road, preventing even the chiefs to gain access in and the Olu trapped within the walls of his palace.

    The siege on the palace assumed a dire dimension, after the aggrieved protesters cut off electricity and power supply to the palace premises, at Ekurede-Itsekiri, Warri late Tuesday morning.

    “Public power and water supplies to the Aghofen (Palace) have now been cut off and the palace is in darkness. The people are really very angry,” a source at the scene said.

    By the evening of that day, signs of ease emerged when some chiefs and representatives of the protesters, who had gone in to consult with the monarch, came out after about hours and announced his decision to suspend plans to install Emami and others with the key offices.

    A source, who was at the palace when the decision of the Olu was communicated, said: “The Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, has graciously listened to the voice of the Itsekiri people. He has suspended the issue of conferment of the Chieftaincy titles of Ologbotsere to Chief Ayiri Emami, Iyatsere to Chief Johnson Atserunleghe and Uwangue to Mr. Gabriel Awala.

    “Ogiame said he has already sent words to the concerned families that the Itsekiri people do not want the three men, and as such, fresh names should be submitted. Ogiame however advised all protesters to work within the concerned families with a view to ensuring that the right names are submitted this time around.”

    One of the leaders of the protesters, Weyinmi Agbateyinero,  said aside Emami’s issue, the Olu was also meddling in the affairs of Itsekiri Regional Development Council (IRDC), HOSTCOM, and the Itsekiri National Youth Council among others.

    Agbateyinero, who said the action of the protesters had the blessings of key Itsekiri actors from various walks of life, called on all Itsekiri people to join in the call on the monarch to heed the call on him to save the image of the traditional stool.

    Agbateyinero said: “Persons so nominated in the selection and nomination of Ologbotsere fall short of all known traditional standards and requirements paraded by previous occupants of such chieftaincies in terms of age, integrity, intellectual capability, status, etc.

    “The issues surrounding the selection of Iyasere and Uwangue titles did not follow all known traditional procedures and processes. Nominees for the Iyasere and Uwangue titles also lack the requirements for such exalted chieftaincy titles.

    “Since 2015 that Ikenwole was installed as the 20th Olu of Warri, the reverence, respect and regard attached to the throne has been intentionally diminished through his actions and inactions. He has brought us as a people to the lowest point of our history.

    “We make this clarion call to all Itsekiri sons and daughters to join hands to stop this desecration, demystification, destruction and degradation of our collective traditional heritage that we hold so dear to our soul. History beckons on us to rise up to this occasion to stop forthwith, the callous, humiliating, embarrassing, disgraceful and shameful acts of Ogiame Ikenwole and Yemi Emiko. The time to act is now”, he said.

    Prince Yemi Emiko, who is a sibling of the Olu, attributed the action of the protesters and their organisers to mere partisan politicking, noting that the state government had a hand in the offensive against the palace.

    “There are not so many issues to confuse anybody. Some titles in the land that are family titles. Even the Olu has no power as such as to who will be holders of such titles. The Ologbotsere title happens to be one of such. The head of the Ologbotsere family as of today is Pa Okporoku who crowned the Olu December 12th 2015.

    “It is not true that the Olu wants to impose anyone, that’s why it is so annoying. In the last one year, the title family has been engaged in meetings almost every other week in the last one year, trying to agree on who to present. Finally, about three months ago, they came in large numbers to the palace, let by Pa Okporoku and all the seniors.

    “It is a large family with about twelve gates. All came to present a letter to the Olu, nominating two persons, Chief Ayiri Emami and Chief Eyewoma. Two weeks ago, the Olu called the families leaders again and said I am getting ready to give out this title. Of the two nominees you presented in a letter to me, I give you seven days to go back, pick one and bring me a result.

    “The family went outside the sitting room in the palace, came back to the Olu and said they don’t need seven days, that Chief Eyewoma does not qualify for the office because he is born of a woman in the family. Unanimously they said their end decision was Chief Ayiri.

    “That’s the story. The haters of Ayiri are the one doing protest, the same people who have been fighting the Olu since he came on the throne. The Olu says it’s not me, go to the Ologbotsere family and let them bring any name of their choice. So the protest is out there is not the Olu’s matter.

    “Now, they are just like oh, it is going to be Ayiri. The same way the Iyatsere family has nominated one Chief Johnson for that title. Uwangue family has chosen one Gabriel Awala, all nominations in letters signed to the monarch. The fifth of August has been set aside for presentation of the Iyatsere title.

    “What I see there is partisan struggle. Ayiri is APC. They have reduced it to politics and we see the hands of Asaba in all these,” Emiko said.

    Ologbotsere (Prime Minister) of Warri is the second highest rank in the land and the decision to bestow it on Emami, who was only made a chief five years ago has not gone down well with a section of the kingdom.

    The stool of Ologbotsere has been vacant since the demise of Chief O. N Rewane, the last occupant in 1987.

    Olu Ogiame Atuwatse II did not install an Ologbotsere during his 28year reign until his demise in 2015. However, his older half-brother and successor, Ogiame Ikenwoli was said to have bestowed the stool on Chief Emami, much to the consternation of other members of the traditional council, women and youths of the ethnic nation.

    The search for new individuals to fill the three vacant seats has begun. Who will the caps fit? Time will tell.

     

  • Itsekiri youths to shut down Chevron facilities, if…

    The National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG) has urged its compatriots who are VTP5 and VTP6 trainees of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to prepare to shut down the company’s operations at Escravos and other fields, if the company fails to give them permanent jobs before their contract runs out next month.

    In a statement at the weekend by its President/CEO, Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, NAIG said: “It is an insult on the Itsekiri nation to keep our graduates as trainees for four years without employment.”

    The group urged the trainees to ensure that “Itsekiri graduates under VTP5/OTP2 and VTP6/OTP3 are staffed without further delay”.

    It said the OPITO certificates of the affected trainees were in custody of Chevron to purportedly keep them tied to the company.

    NAIG noted that such treatment was “not being done in Richmond, Angola or those trainees in ‘national’ the programme”.

    The group said the excuse of cutting cost, as adduced by Chevron for non-regularisation of the trainees, “is not only a fallacy but a dent on the integrity of CNL”.

    It said the company “recorded a profit of $1.2 billion in the just concluded fiscal year” and “the EGTL train 1 and 2 are fully operational. Pure diesel, naphtha and LPG are constantly being exported daily”.

    NAIG said the Itsekiri host over 75 per cent of Chevron’s onshore/offshore/swamp fields under the Olu of Warri.

    The students’ body decried the attitude of House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Majority Leader Femi Gbajabamilia for their position on the Presidency’s directive for IOCs to relocate their corporate headquarters to the Niger Delta.

    It noted that the actions of the lawmakers “only buttress our long-held belief that the treatment meted out to the Itsekiri by Chevron is because some people in the corridors of power, especially of the Yoruba stock, are aiding Chevron to marginalise us without recourse to the fact that we host Chevron Tank Farm at Ugborodo”.

  • Itsekiris protest, decry marginalisation in NDDC

    Itsekiris protest, decry marginalisation in NDDC

    A coalition of Itsekiri social groups; the Itsekiri Coalition Movement (ICM), has given the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) a 21-day ultimatum to commence attending to its list of demands, bordering on issues of development and marginalisation, or face the wrath of Itsekiri nation.

    The group, which led a crowd of angry protesters to the Warri Area office of the NDDC in Ejeba on Thursday, also called for the sack of the Commissioner representing Delta state on the board of the commission, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo, whom it accused of ethnic bias and incompetence. 

    The protesters, who were effectively contained and prevented from accessing the premises of the area office by a combined team of soldiers and policemen, created a huge scene around the area, causing traffic discomfort along the already narrow Ejeba road.

    The protesters, among other allegations, as contained in their communique, alleged that the NDDC had over the years failed to complete key projects in their area, frowning especially at the recent call for contract tenders, with the exclusion of Itsekiri areas in the bid process.

    The group, led by Tuoyo Ofuyaekpone, Samuel Khalil and Eddy Olueh, among others, presented a communiqué containing their grievances against the commission to an Assistant Director of the NDDC, Haruna Mazadu, who led other available management personnel to attend to the protesters.

    Presenting the communiqué to the commission’s personnel, Olueh, who appeared very angry, said failure of the NDDC to speedily attend to the demands within 21 days would force the group to initiate the next level of the protest, the nature of which he was silent about.

    “We came here hoping to meet the commissioner on seat, unfortunately the commissioner who ought to be on seat this morning is no where to be found. Therefore, as a nation we find him incompetent to hold the office of the commissioner and we ask him to tender his letter of resignation or be sacked without delay.

    “Having said this, we want to see a road from Warri to Ode-Itsekiri. We want to see the road leading from Omadino to Ode-Ugborodo. We want to see the Koko/Ogheye Road, which has been under construction for more than 6 years, but has yet to go as far as 4 kilometers, yet money has been paid for all of these projects and we are not happy.

    “Itsekiri nation is saying no to marginalisation. A couple of days ago they called for tender and our nationality, due to wickedness and a deliberate act by the NDDC, was left out of the tender. This is a slap on our face and we’ll no longer accept it. We are the largest producer of crude oil in Delta state and the second largest producer of crude oil and gas in Nigeria, yet we are being marginalise. This is unacceptable to us and we will no longer accept it.

    “Take our massage beyond here; take it to the NDDC office in Port Harcourt and to the Presidency. We are presenting to you our bill of demands, hoping that in the next 21 days this bill of demand will have started being implemented. Itsekiri nation wants to start seeing implementation and all abandoned projects completed, fund our projects because it is our money, give us what belongs to us, we don’t need to beg for it because it’s our right.

    “We hope that in 21 days, we would have started seeing the implementation of these demands. However, after 21 days we’ll be forced to take this protest to the next level”, he said.

    In his response to the presentation made by the group, an Assistant Director of the commission, Haruna Mazadu, promised that the list of demands would be passed on to the appropriate authorities, adding that necessary actions would be taken.

  • Itsekiri decry NDDC’s ‘neglect’

    Members of Itsekiri Coalition Movement (ICM) have given the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) a 21-day ultimatum to correct the alleged neglect of Itsekiri nation, or face their wrath.

    The group yesterday led protesters to the Warri office of NDDC at Ejeba, demanding the sack of the commissioner representing Delta State on the board of NDDC, Dr. Ogaga Ifowodo. It accused him of bias and incompetence.

    The demonstrators, who were prevented from entering the premises by soldiers and policemen, caused a gridlock on Ejeba Road.

    They alleged the commission failed to complete projects in their area, adding that they were excluded from the call for contract tenders.

    The protesters, led by Tuoyo Ofuyaekpone, Samuel Khalil and Eddy Olueh, presented a communiqué to the Assistant Director of NDDC, Haruna Mazadu, who was with other management officials.

    Olueh said after the expiration of the ultimatum, they would embark on another action.

    Mazadu promised to pass their grievances “to the appropriate authorities”, adding that actions would be taken.

     

  • Itsekiri youths call for naval base at Escravos

    The National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG) has urged the Federal Government to establish a naval base at Escravos in Warri South-West Local Government of Delta State.

    NAIG said this would ensure the security of life and property in the area.

    In a statement at the weekend by officials of its Publicity Committee – Solomon Sholuwa, Dede Shuwa and Toju Apoh – NIAG backed the Olu of Warri, H. M. Ogiame Ikenwoli, for claiming  the land on which Nigerian Maritime University (NMU) at Okerenkoko was built.

    The monarch’s claim generated negative reactions from Ijaw youths and leaders, who viewed his action as capable of igniting ethnic crisis.

    But NAIG’s statement, titled: The visit of Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo To The Niger Delta: Our Position, NAIG noted that the establishment of a naval base at Escravos, as the monarch demanded, would give residents a sense of security and facilitate an enabling environment for multinationals to operate.

    Receiving Prof Osinbajo recently, the Olu of Warri demanded the establishment of a naval base for Escravos-Ogheye waterways, dredging of Escravos Bar and Koko River, revitalisation of Warri Port, kick-off of Gas Revolution Industrial Park (GRIP) of Ogidigben as well as the Koko-Ogheye-Lekki Road and Omadino-Escravos Highway.

    The group noted that the projects could create over 300,000 jobs for Niger Delta youths at the construction stages.

    It added: “We want sustenance of peace in the Niger Delta as this will allay the fears of multinationals, which have refused to relocate their corporate headquarters to their areas of operations, despite the call by the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

    “Chevron should relocate its headquarters to Warri, but government should create the enabling environment.”