OPEN LETTER TO THE DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT

RE: FALSEHOOD ABOUT WARRI NORTH AND THE HISTORICAL TRUTH OF EGBEMA IJAW MAJORITY

From: Ijaw Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency

Date: [16/8/2025]

Dear Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, Governor of Delta State,

We read with outrage the recent misrepresentation by your administration claiming that Warri North Local Government Area is “predominantly inhabited by the Itsekiri.” This is false, misleading, and a reckless distortion of history.

The 1999 Constitution binds every arm of government to truth and equity:

S.14(2)(b): “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

S.42(1): forbids ethnic discrimination in state action.

S.17(2)(a),(d): demands equality and forbids exploitation of human and natural resources against communities.

Your government’s post violates these provisions by attempting to erase the majority status of the Ijaw people of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North.

2. Historical Truth: Warri North is Dual, Not Exclusive

Warri North is made up of two traditional kingdoms:

1. Egbema Kingdom (Ijaw)

2. Itsekiri Kingdom

It is therefore a constitutional and historical fraud to present the LGA as if it belongs exclusively to the Itsekiri.

British Intelligence Reports (1936, 1951) confirm that Egbema Ijaws constitute the majority population in Warri North.

Early European accounts such as Pacheco Pereira (1505) describe Egbema and other Ijaw groups as dominant along the Benin and Escravos Rivers.

Even colonial census records (1921, 1931, 1952, 1963) confirm Ijaw numerical dominance across Warri territories.

3. Geography and Settlement Facts

The physical landmass of Warri North betrays this false narrative:

Egbema Ijaw communities (e.g., Opuama, Polobubo, Tsekelewu and others) occupy vast swamp and riverine territories of the LGA.

The Itsekiri communities, though significant, do not outnumber the Egbema Ijaws.

Court records and colonial leases show Ijaw communities consistently recognized as landowners, while others were settlers or tenants.

4. The Fraud of Manufactured Itsekiri Majority

For decades, colonial distortions and post-independence manipulation inflated Itsekiri status. The fraudulent “6–4” ward allocation (six wards to Itsekiri, four to Ijaw) exemplifies this injustice.

The Supreme Court in Timinimi v. INEC (SC/CV/1033/2023) has already pronounced this structure unconstitutional, unjust, and illegal. INEC has verified through fieldwork in the creeks and communities. The only step left is publication.

5. Our Warning to the State Government

Governor Oborevwori, government cannot function on falsehood. To continue to project Itsekiri exclusivity in Warri North is to deliberately incite tension between communities and to disregard constitutional order.

As Justice Nnamani once ruled: “Equity will not allow the law to be used as an instrument of fraud.” By pushing a false narrative, your administration risks being complicit in the very fraud equity forbids.

6. Our Demand: Tell the Truth and Obey the Law

1. Delta State Government: Retract and correct your false claim. Acknowledge the dual reality of Warri North, Egbema Ijaw and Itsekiri.

2. Federal Government: Direct INEC to publish the Supreme Court–ordered delineation result without further delay.

3. Public and International Community: Reject state-sponsored propaganda that erases the Ijaw majority and sustains political fraud.

7. Conclusion: Truth vs Falsehood

Ijaw (Egbema): Majority, ancestral landowners of Warri North.

Itsekiri: Minority, co-inhabitants but not exclusive claimants.

The Supreme Court has spoken. INEC has verified. Only publication remains.

As Thomas Paine warned: “A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.” INEC’s silence and your government’s propaganda will not bury the truth.

Signed

Chief Tiemopere Joshua

(President)

Chief Ebikeke T. Goodstime

(Secretary)

Ijaw Stakeholders of Warri Federal Constituency

CC:

The Presidency

The National Assembly

The National Security Adviser

United Nations, AU, EU

By: Favour Bibaikefie

The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Western Zone has demanded the immediate sack of Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe from his current role as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), alleging inefficiency, ethnic bias, and negligence towards critical youth engagement in the Niger Delta, while calling on President order an immediate probe into his activities.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by

Comrade Nicholas Igarama – Chairman, Ebi Joshua Olowolayemo – Secretary, and Comrade Tare Magbei – Information Officer, and dated August 14, 2025, which reads in full:

“NCDMB: IYC Demands Sack of Unproductive Ogbe as Executive Secretary

“Leadership in its most rudimentary form defines the essence of absolute responsibility on assigned tasks as bestowed by higher authorities.

“This very phenomenon has been found to be lacking in the leadership of Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) headed by Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe.

“As Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Ogbe has consistently failed to input his supposed industry track record in the advancement of the mandate upon which the agency was founded.

“He has continually had a sectional engagement with his fellow Itsekiri Kits and Kin, thereby shutting all other ethnic nationalites in the Niger Delta region out.

“Repeatedly has he avoided critical youth engagement in the region while sponsoring that of his Itsekiri ethnicity through different human capacity development initiatives, while other ethnic nationalites are left unattended.

“As Ijaws, mostly from the western flank where Engr. Ogbe also hails from, we will not sit and watch others benefit from the resources that we produce without our practical involvement to better the lives of our people as well.

“It is on record that the leadership of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Western Zone has tried to establish communication with Engr. Ogbe, for the last ten months, but every medium of communication to get his attention has fundamentally proven to be abortive.

“As youths, we can no longer have leaders in office who have now equated themes to demi-god and have refused to attend to most significantly youthful issues in the Niger Delta Region.

“To this end, we therefore call on President Bola Ahmed Tinibu to immediately sack Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, who has consistently displayed disregard for critical actors in the Niger Delta and has also exhibited the highest level of gross inefficiency by not keeping up to the fundamental mandate upon which NCDMB was founded.

“Hence, this call is made for the presidency to probe into Engr. Ogbe’s activities at the NCDMB relieve him of his duties as Executive Secretary of the Board.”

By Divine Perezide

His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chief Sheriff Oborevwori, the Executive Governor of Delta State, has condoled with the Agediga family over the passing away of the mother of Amb. Dr. Shedrack Agediga, Chairman, Delta State Bursary & Scholarship board. The Governor said Mama Agediga’s death has created a big vacuum and described her death as a huge loss, saying that mama lived an impactful life and her legacy would remain fresh in the memories of the living.

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori who was represented by Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme (Senior Policy Adviser) advised everybody to emulate the lifestyle of late Mama Binkayai Uyabrade Enerekpemi Agedigha as she had touched humanity as a virtuous and community woman leader by contributing meaningfully to the development of the society.

The governor disclosed during the burial ceremony of Mama Binkayai Uyabrade Enerekpemi Agedigha and charged everybody, especially mothers to emulate her lifestyle to make their little contributions to develop the society.

“Mama has gone after leading an impactful life and her legacies as a very strong woman and virtuous community leader must be sustained” The governor admonished.

Also, speaking, Barr. Dcn. Kingsley Otuaro, immediate past Deputy Governor of Delta State , Rt. Hon. Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency, House of Reps. Rt. Hon. Godknows Angele, Commissioner for Housing, Chief (Barr) Funyei Manager, Commissioner for Special Projects and Chief Favour Izoukumor, Executive Director – Social Services, DESOPADEC both extolled the late mama’s contribution to the society and expressed sadness for losing the Nonegerien.the

They acknowledged that she led a fulfilled life and urged society, especially women to emulate the lifestyle late of mama.

Mama Agediga died at the prime age of 104 and survived with 3 Children, 22 Grand Children, 24 Great Grand Children and 2 Great Great Grand Children.

The burial ceremony was attended by the creme de’ la creme of the society, including the Governor of Delta State Chief Sheriff Oborevwori who was represented by Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme (Senior Policy Adviser) Hon. Spencer Okpoye, Commissioner representing Ijaw Ethnic Nationality, DESOPADEC.

Rt. Hon. Solomon Funkekeme (Senior Policy Adviser), Barr. Dcn. Kingsley Otuaro, immediate past Deputy Governor of Delta State , Rt. Hon. Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency, House of Reps, Rt. Hon. Godknows Angele, Commissioner for Housing.

Others are Chief (Barr) Funyei Manager, Commissioner for Special Projects, Chief Favour Izoukumor, Executive Director – Social Services, DESOPADEC, Hon. Spencer Okpoye, Commissioner representing Ijaw Ethnic Nationality, DESOPADEC, Hon. Chief Dan Yingi former lawmaker Delta House of Assembly, Hon. Emma Amgbaduba former Commissioner Delta state, Chief Vero Tangbeowei, Delta state former PDP women leader, Hon. Godwin Edumogiren, Hon. Paul Kurugbe, Olorogun Vincent Oyibode JP, Chairman Udu Council and others.