Ijaw Communities in Warri North Kick Against Map Linking Them to Ondo State

Briga News Nigeria

Indigenes of Opuama (Atilabo), Tsekelewu, and Okirigbo Communities of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North Local Government area of Delta state have disowned the map by the Ondo State Government Performance and Implementation Monitoring Unit (ODSGPPIMU), annexing them into neighboring Ondo State council areas.

Specifically, the people have rejected in its entirety the plot and grand designs to infused their communities into Ilaje East Local Development Area (LCDA), under Ugbo Ward 5 and Ese-Odo Council area of Ondo state, in a map recently represented by a lawmaker representing Ondo state in the House of Representatives.

The statement by the affected communities were signed by; Hon. Chief David Ugedi, Dr Bright Abulu, the Boundary Committee Chairman and President General, Leader of thought of Opuama Polotubo and Revd Doyah Clement, Chief December Aweh, Boundary Committee Secretary and Chairman,Opuama Community Secretary General Tsekelewu, Also, Chief Felix Adanse and Sir Christmas Ukugha, Leader of Thought, (Opuama)P.R.O. Tsekelewu Community Committee Member Committee Member.

Consequently, the indigenes of both communities have urged the Ondo state government, the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Council Authorities and any other group of persons or individuals to desist from incorporating Opuama and Tsekelewu into any political arrangement/creation in their state, since the two towns are already an integral component of Delta State.

The statement read in part; “Our attention have been drawn to a map produced by the Ondo State Government Performance and Implementation Monitoring Unit (ODSGPPIMU), annexing Opuama (Atilabo), Tsekelewu, and Okirigbo Communities of Egbema Kingdom, Warri North L.G.A, Delta State into Ilaje East Local Development Area (LCDA), under Ugbo Ward 5 of Ilaje L.G.A., Ondo State.

“Earlier, we came across some of such provocative maps in the social media space fencing Opuama and Tsekelewu Communities into Ilaje and Ese-Odo L.G.As of Ondo State. At the point of us wanting to react, we came across a press statement released by Hon. Donald Kimikanbo Ojogo, Member, House of Representatives, Ilaje Ese-Odo Federal Constituency which was dated (12/08/2023).

“Though, he was particular about the protests by Arogbo- Ijaw Kingdom and Apoi-Ijaw due to perceived ceding of their ancient towns to Ilaje and Irele Local Government areas respectively. However, he affirmed that there were obvious flaws in the said map but, that they were not intentional, and he was already interfacing with relevant officials of Ondo State Government with a view to clearing all grey areas.

“In same view, the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju also reacted to the protests on Tribune of 12th August, 2023. She said, no land in the said map, was ceded or awarded to any community, it did not belong in the state (Ondo), and that the map in question was part of instructional materials and textbooks produced in 2022 and was distributed recently to public schools.

“She proceeded further to state that, “In the map of Ondo State distributed, there were juxtapositions in names and some names were put where they should not be. Also that, it was an unintended error, which upon its discovery the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology moved swiftly to withdraw the materials.

“She concluded by saying that, This act of inadvertence has no link with the current process on the creation of new LCDAs in the State and should be disregarded completely.

“We felt, the publications of the aforementioned high ranking political officials of the Ondo State were viable reasons why we should believe that, the development was indeed unintentional, so we held our peace.

“But sadly, the reality now dawn on us by the fresh publication of Ondo State LCDAs Administrative Map covering 33 newly created LCDAs and 18 LGAs. In this fresh map our communities that were earlier found in the first erroneous maps are captured in Ilaje East LCDA, under Ugbo Ward 5, of Ilaje LGA. Could this be further error, or a daring affront and Invitation for War?

“This unhealthy political development has been a concern to Opuama, Polobubo (Tsekelewu) and Egbema at large, as this is not the first time, the government of Ondo State has attempted merger of the towns (Opuama and Tsekelewu) with Ondo State.

“For the records, in 1977 and 1978, the government of Ondo State contemplated and attempted transfer of the aforementioned towns and lands inherited from our forefathers to their state.

“The public should recall that the two communities protested against the provocative development via the new Nigerian and the punch published on Thursday August 17, 1978, respectively.

“In the same vein, when Navy Commander Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem was appointed Military Administrator, Ondo State, the administrator and entourage, visited Tsekeluwu to familiarize his government with the people of the town, because he was misinformed in the government house that the settlement was part of the state he had to administer.

“The visit of the Military Administrator and resultant development were published in the MIDWEEK DIGEST NEWSPAPER of Wednesday, November 27, 1996, on pages 7,8 and 11 respectively. The community out-rightly objected to the purpose of the visit of Navy Commander Anthony Ibe Onyearugbulem that memorable moment.

“There are several instances of imperialistic tendencies against our towns and lands by the government of Ondo State, not highlighted here because of space and time.

“We are aware of the statement by the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Ondo State, Mrs. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, in response to series of protests by towns displaced or dragged into the contentious map of Ilaje or Ese-Odo Local Council that no land in the said map, was ceded or awarded to any community, it did not belong in the state (Ondo).

“Therefore, we are having strong feelings of insecurity of our towns and lands due to our past experiences and it is upon this background, we are categorically saying that the government of Ondo State, the Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Council Authorities and any- other group of persons or individuals, should desist from incorporating Opuama and Tsekelewu into any political arrangement/creation in their state, since the two towns are ‘integral component of Delta State’; this status of the towns has been variously proved beyond reasonable doubt, in high quarters,” it concluded.