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Protesters call on federal government, Oborevwori to halt planned visit for sake of peace
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Palpable tension enveloped a section of the twin cities of Warri and Effurun, Delta State, as indigenes of Uvwie in Uvwie Local Government Area staged a peaceful protest against the planned visit of the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to his subjects in Ugbonuohworu, popularly known as the Ugbolokposo community in Uvwie Kingdom.
The protest stemmed from an alleged claim that the Olu of Warri was planning the visit without the consent of the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRM Emmanuel Sideso Abe I.
The development came amidst growing tension between Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities over the Warri Federal Constituency ward delineation exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The peaceful protesters, who were mainly the Egweya r’Uvwie (Women Group) comprising elderly women and young girls, said that they could not afford to have two kings in Uvwie Kingdom, insisting that they could not harbour an Itsekiri settlement in Uvwie Kingdom.
The protesters, who marched along the Erovwie community in Effurun chanting solidarity songs, bore various placards with inscriptions such as “Uvwie says No to Olu visit”, “Uvwie is not Itsekiri land”, “Olu visit to Uvwie is not allowed” and “We need peace in Uvwie Kingdom”.
Other inscriptions read: “Ugbonuohworu is a Uvwie community in Uvwie Kingdom”, “There is only one King in Uvwie Kingdom” and “This is Uvwie Kingdom”.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Chairman of Erovwie Community in Uvwie Kingdom, Chief Thomas Eyejewefe JP, said that the protest was designed to direct the attention of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Federal Government to claims by the Itsekiris that Ugbonuohworu was part of their settlement.
The protesters claimed that Ugbonuohworu was in Etche Erovie in Uvwie Kingdom.
Eyejewefe said, “We’ve been trying to make peace all these while but the information reaching us is that they’ve decided that the Olu is coming to Ugbonuohworu to come and pay a visit.
“We the Uvwie people, we will not accept that. We are peace loving people. We don’t have issues with Ugbonuohworu for decades but they’ve been pushing us to the wall and today, we want to send this as a warning.
“We are calling on the State Government and Federal Government to take notice of the excesses of the Itsekiri people in Uvwie land. Uvwie land belongs to Uvwie. We have only one King. We have the Ovie of Uvwie. We don’t have two monarchs in Uvwie land.
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“So, please, we use this as a medium to beg the Government to intervene to stop the Olu from coming to Uvwie land. As courtesy demands, he (Olu) is supposed to have gone to the palace to visit the Ovie of Uvwie from there, he can go and see his children in Uvwie Community and not for him to go to Ugbonuohworu.”
Eyejewefe pointed out that Ugbonuohworu was surrounded by Erovie, Okoribi, Ebrumede, Okuatata, Ugbomoro and Iteregbi communities in Uvwie Kingdom.
“So, We want to sound this as a warning. The quiet man is not a lazy man. Some years ago, if we had listened to strangers or outsiders, we don’t think this place should be existing by now.
“He should not take our simplicity for being stupid or for being lazy. We need peace. Let them tow the line of peace. We’ve been following peace with them. Our women, our mothers are out for a peaceful demonstration.”
The Chairman of Ugbomoro Community, Hon (Chief) Ese Winfrey Ohwojaraye, in a chat with newsmen said, “We want to say No to the proposed visit of the Olu to Uvwie Kingdom. This is a clear indication and a ploy to want to ferment trouble in peaceful Uvwie Kingdom.
“Uvwie Kingdom does not have two kings. We only have one King. Going by what is on ground now, the plan of the Olu to want to visit his people in Uvwie Kingdom without the consent of the Kingdom is a slight on the Uvwie people.
“So, we are using this medium to call on the State Government to intervene and call the Olu to order to stop his proposed visit to Uvwie land so as not to cause mayhem in the Uvwie Kingdom.”
Ohwojaraye also appealed to the Uvwie indigenes to remain calm and law-abiding in the face of any provocations, saying: “We are here to send a signal to the Itsekiris to stop the proposed visit of the Olu to Uvwie Kingdom.
“Uvwie people cannot sit down and fold their hands to have another king and a settlement in Uvwie Kingdom,” just as he insisted that Ugbonuohworu was in Uvwie land.
“We want to say No to any form of intrusion by any other king or Kingdom.”
Ejedegba Abrahama Mamekpe and Elizabeth Egamurumu also aligned themselves with the positions postulated by Chief Eyejewefe and Ohwojaraye as they kicked against the proposed visit of the Olu of Warri Kingdom.
