Exclusive: We will resist any attempt to cede our land to Ijaws - INYC vows

The National President of Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC, Comrade Esimaje Awani has vowed that the Itsekiris will use all legal means available to them to resist the ceding of Okenghigho (Okerenkoko) to the Ijaws.

Comrade Awani made the vow during an exclusive chat with Fresh Angle International on Thursday November 17 in Warri, while opposing the proposed Bill of the Representative of Delta South Senatorial Constituency at the National Assembly, Sen. James Manager, for the establishment of the Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

INYC quipped that for the sake of innocent lives in the Niger Delta area, peace in our communities and Delta State at large, we request that the Senate should suspend the reading of the Bill establishing the Maritime University because of the unresolved issues surrounding same which Senator James Manager is concealing from members of the Senate.

The group expressed displeasure at how the Ijaws conveniently chose to forget that they are tenants and Itsekiris are their landlord, noted that ‘‘the Itsekiri have it on record that the Ijaw settlers in Okenghigho now referred to by the Ijaws as Okerenkoko are customary tenants to the Itsekiri of Omadino. The Ijaw settlers in Okenghigho before the Ijaw-Itsekiri crisis of 1997 paid land rent to the Itsekiris of Omadino, the receipt are in the record.’’

‘‘Let it be known that an individual or factional interest of a tenant cannot override the interest of the landlord or land owner in and over his property which seems to be what Senator James Manager is doing at the Senate by forcing the landlord (itsekiri's) to accept what he is doing by giving Itsekiri land to the Ijaw and we are determine to reject such oppression and victimisation as such an action will not bring the much needed peace the Niger Delta are clamouring for.’’ They added.

They appealed to the Federal Government and the Senate not to allow the Ijaws to take Itsekiri land of Okenghigho by might. They stated that Itsekiri have judgment against the Ijaws in Okenghigho land in the Suit No. W/29/51, W/30/62 and finally at the Supreme Court in Suit No. Sc/294/70 delivered January 31, 1973. While appeal by the Ijaws to the Supreme Court was dismissed by Elias C. J. Sowemimo & Ibekwe Sc. J J.

According to them, ‘‘Itsekiris make bold to say that the Ijaws have no judgement in their favour either on Okerenkoko land or Okenghigho land. For purposes of emphasis Okenghigho and Okerenkoko is one and the same land that Supreme Court gave judgment in favour of the Itsekiri people of Omadino. Itsekiri, the land now called Okenghigho while the Ijaws the customary tenants called it Okerenkoko. For the avoidance of doubt, the plaintiff (Itsekiri) case is on Okenghigho land.’’

They opined that ‘‘a nation where lies and deliberate oppression of minority are spread and forcefully and wrongly accepted as a virtue cannot breed peace and justice. Nigeria is a civilised nation with laid down laws which binds its citizenry and a country which allows its citizens to deliberately suppress judgment of the highest court in the land is playing with fire as its citizenry are likely to attempt self help and not justice.’’

They concluded ‘’that having established that the Itsekiri own the land, it is our collective resolve that the Senate committee on the establishment of a Maritime University should put the following into consideration. 
1. The institution should be addressed as Maritime University Okenghigho and not Okerenkoko 
2. All acquisition procedures on the said land should be channelled only through the rightful owners, the Itsekiri people of Omadino. It is only the Omadino people that has executed document on land acquisition in the entire areas to any oil servicing company including shell development and production company. 
3. Any acquisition processes without involving the Itsekiri the original owners would be resisted by all legal means known to us.’’

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