Situs of NMU: We cannot be threatened to submit our heritage – INDI confronts Clark, Okerenkoko Federated Communities

Relentless pro Itsekiri group, Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, has come down heavily on Ijaw National leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark and Okerenkoko Federated Communities, over their claim on the Situs of the Nigerian Maritime University in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, saying they (members of INDI) cannot be threatened to submit their heritage and, “will do everything humanly possible to reclaim our land, even if it's with our blood.”

The INDI, which made the declaration in an electronic statement made available to Fresh Angle International, this morning, Thursday December 14, asserted: “Court orders, injunctions and judgements must be obeyed at all times in other not to put the society in Hobbesian state where life is Brutish, nasty and short.”

The statement, e-signed by the President of Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, Comrade Dennis Mene, averred in parts: “We berate the Ijaws of Gbaramatu Clan for laying claim to a land that has been settled judicially long time ago, even up to the Supreme Court by some of the best judges in both Britain and Commonwealth. It is pertinent to note that Every community, state that desires peace and stability and progress must embrace the Rule of law, which guarantees equality of persons before  the law and prescribes acceptable standard of behaviour for all citizens irrespective  of status in the society and the law also demands compliance and obedience.  The court system ensures the functionality of the Rule of law. Therefore, court orders, injunctions and judgements must be obeyed at all times in other not to put the society in Hobbesian state where life is Brutish, nasty and short.

Comrade Dennis Mene

“We would have wanted to ignore the said reply to our earlier publication on the Situs of the Nigerian Maritime University by Chief E.K. Clark on Vanguard 30th of November 2023 and "Okerenkoko" Federated Communities published on the 4th of December 2023. This is because one would have thought that Chief E.K. Clark, considering his age and being the foremost Ijaw leader would have been more factual with the truth on how Ijaws own Okerenghigho corrupted as Okerenkoko but rather he went on wild -goose chase and beating war drums  forgetting that nobody has the monopoly of violence.

“Chief E. K Clark and "Okerenkoko" Federated Communities claim  that the Supreme Court judgement on the ownership of the land called Okerenghigho corrupted as Okerekoko was fraudulently obtained. We may want to excuse members of the "Okerekoko" Federated Communities for their ignorance of the law, but we cannot excuse Chief E.K. Clark being a lawyer. Although, we are not  surprised at all, because a person who has no record of law practice would not understand the gravity of erroneous statement as  Justice F.O.M Atake of blessed memory said in response to Chief Clarke's Piece on the peace situation in Warri published on Vanguard, the 22nd June 2001 that '" The problem with Chief Clark is that he had no practice. I was Chief Magistrate in Warri for three years, in Benin for one year and was a judge from 1967 to 1977. I do not remember seeing Chief Clark in my court to conduct one, just one case, in all that time ". If not, he would not have made such careless publication that a law suit that spent its complete life cycle round the lower courts and terminated eventually in the Supreme Court as per James Uluba & Ors Vs Chief E.E. Sillo was fraudulently obtained.

“Chief E. K. Clark also stated in the second paragraph of his publication that he has both Ijaw and Itsekiri blood, quoting one Oshoron family of Egbokodo in Warri South LGA, we wish to state here with Justice F.O.M. Atake response to Chief Clarke's Piece on the peace situation in Warri (supra) that" Chief E.K. Clark should stop linking himself to Itsekiri. The Itsekiri do not recognize him as an Itsekiri.

“The stand of the "Okerenkoko" Federated Communities that Mr. President should disregard the said publication made through the law firm of Robinson Ariyo & Co. It should be noted that No society function when its laws are not complied with or disobeyed or disregarded. Therefore, we wish to call on Mr. President to look into the issue raised as per the Situs of the Nigerian Maritime University in Warri South West Local Government Area.

“The "Okerenkoko" Federated Communities further claim that the said judgement been flaunted by the Omadino/Itsekiri is a case between the Omadino against Omadino  in the sense that they are the Plaintiff and defendants, for themselves, an on behalf of Okerenkoko is laughable and hilarious. This is because a case that spent its complete life span in the lower courts to the Supreme and after judgment, they didn't approach the court with evidence of the fraud for the court to reverse its decision. 

“They also state in the said publication that any attempt to rename the institution to the legal name Okerenghigho will be resisted at all courses, even if it will cause them the last drop of their blood . We wish to state here that Nobody has the monopoly of violence as violence is in the nature of all men. We cannot be threatened to submit our heritage as we will do everything human possible to reclaim our land even if it's with our blood. Any attempt to jettison the Supreme Court Judgement due to threat of war, should be ready for the war if we no longer believe in the rule of law.

“Chief E. K. Clark have a penchant of calling things not to his favour fraud. In1956, cases filed with the suit W/148/56, the Ijaws laid claim to virtually all the land in Warri Division, including Warri township. The Itsekiri countered it by pleading their historical ownership of the land in Warri Division and the previous court judgements in their favour. When confronted with such a formidable plea, when the suit came up for hearing in July 1964, the Ijaws applied to court for leave to discontinue their action. The judge, Rhodes Vivour J. granted the leave, struck out the suit and made an order precluding the Ijaws  from ever bringing any action against the Itsekiri claiming land ownership in Warri Division. The Ijaws felt aggrieved by the order and appealed to the Supreme Court. On April 27 1967, the Supreme Court presided over by Sir. Lionel Brett, Ag. Chief Justice of Nigeria, dismissed the appeal summarily.

“Chief Clark, realizing that the litigation antics of the Ijaws are over, at a press conference in Benin on May 14, 1993 alleged that all the judgements in favour of the Itsekiri given over a period of 50 years beginning from 1923 by some of the most distinguished judges in Britain and the Commonwealth, were obtained by fraud. However, the most baffling thing is that from that time till date when he first made this allegation, he has not adduced shred of evidence in support of his obnoxious allegation, not even at the Idoko Commission, where strict rules of evidence were dispensed with, was he able to prove the allegation of fraud.

“It is important to state for emphasis that we are not against the establishment of the University, all we are asking is that the right thing should be done, which includes the proper acquisition/Compensation and the recognition of the historical and legal location of the University.”

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