Udu people misled the public, we’re under over-lordship of Olu of Warri - Ikpisan leaders

Leaders of Ikpisan Community, say the video in circulation, regarding the historical affiliation Ikpisan Community, has with “the Ale-Aja people (Aladja) being one community within UDU Kingdom in UDU Local Government Area” is a wrong interpretation and a deliberate misrepresentation, stressing that Ikpisan, is an indigenous Itsekiri Community in Warri South Local Government Area, under the over-lordship of the Olu of Warri.

They asserted that the video in circulation, was “distorted version sent to the media by Udu people to mislead the public.

According to the Ikpisan leaders, the peaceful co-existence and inter-community relations Ikpisan community has with Ale-Aja people (Aladja) does not translate to ownership of Ikpisan land by Aladja, neither does it make Ikpisan indigenes part of Udu Kingdom and Udu Local Government Area.

The Itsekiri community leaders, made the clarification in a statement sent to Fresh Angle International, Monday August 17.

The statement, which was signed by the Olare-Aja, Ikpisan Community, Pa. Omajuwa Mero Metsese, Acting Chairman, Community Trust/CMC, Mr. David Omaretoruwa, Youth Chairman, Mr. Oludewa, PRO, Mr. Faith Mero Metsese and Woman Leader of the Community, Mrs. Queenet Mero, reads inter-alia: “Setting the Record Straight on the Historical Status of Ikpisan Community and Clarification on a Viral Video.

1. INTRODUCTION 

We, the people of Ikpisan Community, an indigenous Itsekiri Community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, under the over-lordship of His Imperial Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, do hereby issue this Press Release to set the records straight, concerning our historical identity, traditional affiliation and to clarify a video currently in circulation on social media. 

 2. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Ikpisan Community was founded by our progenitors, Osuhunbo, Oliha and a host of others. Our ancestral roots trace to the great migration from the Benin Kingdom at about 1470, led by the renowned warrior, Osuhunbo and the diviner Oliha, who embarked on a search for their kinsmen who they claimed were among the royal entourage that went to found Warri Kingdom with Prince Ginuwa, the son of Oba Olua of Benin.

The Community is strategically located along the Warri River towards Forcados, on Latitude 5°30’10.2”N and Longitude 5°43’21.7”E, surrounded by neighboring Itsekiri communities. Our fishing creeks, farmlands and ancestral shrines remain within the Warri Kingdom territorial enclave from time immemorial. 

 3. GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE 

As a bona fide Itsekiri community, Ikpisan is headed by the Olu of Warri, who is our overall traditional overlord. At the community level, we are led by our Olare-Aja, in Council with the Council of Elders, the Community Management Committee, the Youth Body and the Women Wing. This age-long administrative structure is in line with Itsekiri customs and traditions. 

 4. ON ALADJA/UDU AFFILIATION — HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP 

For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to clarify that Ikpisan Community, has a historical affiliation with the Ale-Aja people (Aladja), being one community within UDU Kingdom in UDU Local Government Area. This affiliation is based on peaceful co-existence and inter-community relations, and does NOT translate to ownership of Ikpisan land by Aladja, neither does it confer on us the status of being part of the entire Udu Kingdom.

Ikpisan remains, and will continue to remain, an Itsekiri land, under the Warri Kingdom. For the purpose of historical clarity, it is on record that the people of Ale-Aja (Aladja) were first based in Ikpisan for a long period of time, during which they had a peaceful co-existence with their host. The relationship between the Ale-Aja people and the Ikpisan people remained viable and cordial over many years.

It is historical that when the Aladja people eventually migrated from Ikpisan to where they are settled today, they carried along with them the shrine of their deity, which was originally domiciled in Ikpisan. Even after their migration, they maintained this sacred link and up till the 1980s, they customarily returned to Ode-Ikpisan to perform rituals and service the shrine of their deity.

This continued reverence led them to formally seek the authority and permission of Ikpisan to continue servicing and maintaining their deity in their new settlement in Aladja. This permission was graciously granted in the spirit of our age-long brotherhood. This historical fact establishes Ikpisan as the host and owner of the land. 

5. CLARIFICATION ON VIRAL VIDEO

Our attention has been drawn to a trending video in circulation purporting to show our Olare-Aja, Pa. Omajuwa Mero Metsese, stating that the Udu people are our fathers and brothers.

Following a meeting with the Council of Elders, the Olare-Aja has provided a firm clarification on the said video.

According to him, when the media asked him if the Udu people are the fathers of Ikpisan, he clearly told them that it is Ikpisan, who is the father to them, and that we are brothers and sisters because we are of the same immigrant stock from Benin Kingdom. Therefore, the video in circulation is a wrong interpretation and a deliberate misrepresentation. The distorted version was sent to the media by Udu people to mislead the public. At no time did our Olare-Aja say that Udu people are the fathers of Ikpisan people. The statement as captured in the viral video does not represent the historical position, ancestry, or collective will of Ikpisan Community. We call on the general public, our Itsekiri brothers and sisters, and the good people of Delta State, to disregard the misinterpreted video and take note of this authentic clarification. 

 6. PRAYERS / CONCLUSION 

Ikpisan Community is a peace-loving community. We remain committed to peaceful co-existence with our neighbours and to the unity and progress of Warri Kingdom. We reaffirm our unalloyed loyalty to His Imperial Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, and to the sanctity of Itsekiri history.

 LONG LIVE IKPISAN COMMUNITY 

• LONG LIVE WARRI KINGDOM 

• LONG LIVE DELTA STATE 

SIGNED FOR: IKPISAN COMMUNITY ?

Pa. Omajuwa Mero Metsese

Olare-Aja, Ikpisan Community

Mr. David Omaretoruwa

Acting Chairman, Community Trust/CMC

Mr. Oludewa

Youth Chairman

Mr. Faith Mero Metsese

PRO

Mrs. Queenet Mero

Woman Leader of the Community

×