Osinbajo’s visit to Olu of Warri: INYC flays Gbagi, knocks Johnny

Apex Itsekiri youth body, Itsekiri National Youth Council, INYC has flayed Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, saying statement credited to the one-time Minister of State for Education on the visit of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli was “typical of a man driven by ethnic bigotry against Itsekiri and clear example of crass ignorance on the state of Nigeria’s economy”.

INYC in a statement issued Thursday January 19 by its President, Comrade Esimaje Awani described Olorogun Gbagi’s comment as “unfortunate, irritating, un-statemanly, cheap attention seeking and a confirmation of why Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi’s long time gubernatorial aspiration has continued to record premature serial failures”, adding that “Deltans will not allow a man who thinks that the State is solely owned by one ethnic group to govern them”.

The Itsekiri youth body declared that Gbagi’s statement that oil and gas will not dry up in Niger Delta, but will be available for the next 100 years “is either misleading to Niger Delta youths or a sign that Gbagi is ignorant of the fact that most of Nigeria’s current revenue are generated by FIRS, Customs and other agencies, with minimal percentage coming from the troubled oil as well as gas sector”.

While condemning Gbagi’s insinuation that “FG took the Urhobo people for granted for not visiting the area which is the hub of gas production”, despite the jaw-jaw at PTI Conference centre in Effurun, INYC wondered why the “former Junior Minister did not extend his ethnic bigotry on Vice President Osinbajo’s visit to Ijaws of Gbaramatu in Warri South-West, but chose to display his hate for the Itsekiri Nation in the most reckless manner”.

The INYC statement also described Chairman of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities’ Development Foundation, EGCDF, Chief Michael Johnny’s letter to the Olu of Warri as “unfortunate, open exhibition of ignorance of history and designed to deceive gullible minds”.

According to INYC, Chief Jonny’s statement  that “there is no history or verifiable record indicating that Okerenkoko Community land belongs to Itsekiri, no such record anywhere and if there is any being circulated, it is false”, is “a typical cheap propaganda characteristic of someone who either lacks adequate knowledge or deliberately wants to denigrate the Nigeria Judiciary”.

INYC cited suit 30 No. SC. 37/1973 in the Supreme Court presided over by Elias, C.J. Sowewimo and Ibekwe S.C. JJ where the Ijaws lost as one of several cases confirming Itsekiri ownership of the land where the Maritime University in Warri South-West is situated.

According to the press statement in the suit above, the whole of Gbaramatu area is peopled by Ijaws who are customary tenants on lands owned by Omadino people under the Over Lordship of the Olu of Warri”.

While noting that Chief Jonny attempted to curry favour by accusing “Itsekiri of claiming ownership of Ugbolokposo Community in the middle of Uvwie”, Comrade Esimaje Awani challenged Johnny to tell the world where those who recently migrated to the NPA area of Warri, behind the Olu of Warri Palace came from”.

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