Strong condemnation of unfounded allegations – Freshangle News

CONCERNED ITSEKIRIS OF WARRI NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

Chairman,

Independent National Electoral Council

Commission (INEC),

Plot 436 Zambezi Crescent,

Maitama District,

PMB number 0184,

Abuja, Nigeria.

Dear sir,

Subject: Strong condemnation of unfounded allegations by the Ijaws of Egbema against INEC personnel in a ward demarcation exercise:

We, the Itsekiri people of Warri North Local Government Council of Delta State, particularly Abiugborodo community and Ureju community, rightful owners of areas falsely claimed to be communities, strongly condemn the false and baseless allegations levelled against your esteemed INEC staff by the Ijaws of Egbema.

The allegations accusing INEC officials of collusion with the Itsekiri to change village names to Itsekiri names are not only baseless but also malicious and unthinkable. It is imperative to state categorically that the areas visited and documented in the ongoing demarcation of the district are legitimate and historically Itsekiri territories.

This fact is irrefutably supported by age-old historical facts and valid ownership documents. We have long expected that a day would come when the rightful ownership of these areas, which were forcibly seized during and after the Warri crises, would come to light and be investigated. The specific areas mentioned by the Ijaws in their petition as having been assisted by INEC personnel to be converted into Itsekiri territories are unequivocally our ancestral lands.

The names of the villages in question were wrongly changed from Itsekiri names to Ijaw names during or after the Warri crises. The original and rightful names are as follows:

1. UBEMANGO, changed to Opia by Ijaws

2. ORUMAGADA, changed to Asisbotie by Ijaws

3. AYONGHOFAREN, changed to Ayonhogbene by Ijaws

4. AJA-IDE, changed to Idebagbene by Ijaws

5. ORIEOKE, changed by Ijaws to Erekon and so many others

It is important to emphasize that these Ijaw names and assets are recent fabrications that have no historical basis in the maps of Midwest, Bendel or Delta State. We, the Itsekiri, are resolute in our support for the demarcation and commend INEC for the meticulous and professional manner in which it was carried out.

The process has thus far demonstrated a high level of integrity and neutrality, qualities that are essential to the credibility of such an important exercise. We expect and trust that this process will continue to maintain neutrality and integrity, free from any undue influence or false claims.

The allegations being advanced by the Ijaws are not only a gross misrepresentation but also an attempt to discredit the diligent work being done by INEC. The Itsekiri community cannot and will not sit idly by while such baseless allegations are made.

It is essential to emphasize that the entire exercise is being carried out on the basis of concrete and verifiable evidence and as indicated by GPS to accurate mapping and age-old cartographic boundaries that were marked and outlined even before independence. We advise the Ijaws to begin seeking concrete evidence of land ownership, not through coercion or manipulation and lies.

While it is not our intention to single out any specific INEC staff, we must acknowledge the diligent efforts of all INEC staff involved in the demarcation. The entire exercise was carried out with utmost professionalism, relying on irrefutable evidence presented through well-established coordinates and statutory maps by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The historical links of the Itsekiri people to the said areas are well documented and cannot be denied by recent and unsubstantiated claims.

The changes in village names to Ijaw names were a direct result of the Warri crises of the mid-1990s, a period marked by conflict and territorial seizure. It is a matter of public record that these areas have always been intrinsic to the Itsekiri heritage and culture. The false allegations by the Ijaws about Egbema are not only an insult to the Itsekiri people but also an attack on the credibility and integrity of the INEC staff involved in the demarcation. It is disheartening to see such baseless allegations being used as a tool to undermine a process that is crucial to the democratic framework of our nation.

The Itsekiri people have always been advocates of peace, justice and fairness, and we will continue to uphold these principles despite unjust accusations. Furthermore, the attempt to rewrite history by changing the names of our ancestral villages is not only disrespectful but also a gross insult to our heritage. The Itsekiri names of these villages have existed for centuries, long before the Warri crises.

The recent attempts by the Ijaws to rename these villages are a blatant violation of our cultural and historical identity. The Itsekiri people have always been proud of our rich cultural heritage and we will not sit idly by while our history is distorted. We call on INEC to take a firm stand against these baseless allegations and ensure that the demarcation is carried out with utmost fairness and impartiality.

The integrity of this process is not only vital for the Itsekiri people, but also for maintaining the trust of all.

Signed;

Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin (ECO)

Coordinator