In Loving Memory of Chief Tony Amajuoritse Ede – The Uwa Olu Etan of Warri Kingdom

  

In Loving Memory of Chief Tony Amajuoritse Ede – The Uwa Olu Etan of Warri Kingdom With profound sadness, we announce the passing of our dear father, grandfather, husband, brother, uncle, friend, and pillar of our family. He was a phenomenal man who left us on June 4, 2024, at the age of 75. Chief Tony Ede was cherished by so many people for his kindness, humour, and unwavering support. His absence leaves a profound void in our hearts. His kind heart, warm smile, hearty laugh and generous spirit touched countless lives and made us proud; his legacy will continue to inspire us.

Nana Olomu in exile, Accra, Ghana, 1894.

 

Nana Olomu (1852–1916) was an Itsekiri chief, palm oil merchant, freedom fighter and Governor of the Benin River from 1886 to 1894.

 Born in Jakpa to Chief Olomu (1810-1884), who had 59 wives and 106 children (53 male and 53 female), Nana Olomu successfully prevented European penetration of the hinterland of the Benin and the nearby rivers until he was captured and sent to exile in Accra in 1894.

 Nana Olomu's monopolistic control of trade in the Benin River stifled Urhobo traders and Europeans who now have their share of the trade significantly reduced. He signed a treaty on behalf of his people in 1884 that gave the British rights over Itsekiri. By this treaty, Itsekiri became the first protectorate in the Western Niger Delta, few years before the successive fall of Oba Nogbaisi Ovonramwen of the Benin Kingdom. Olomu was oblivious of a section of the treaty which ended the sovereignty of Itsekiri.

INAUGURATION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNIWARRI, OBITUGBO

Congratulation to the people of Warri and the entire Nigeria as the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta Inaugurated the Board of Directors of the University of Warri (UniWarri) at the Palace of the Warri Kingdom, with a kick start campus in Obitugbo Warri North of Delta State.

The board of directors is to be chaired by Professors Omatseye and amongst others present at the Inauguration include the likes of Engr. Victor Oritsetimeyin Wood: A better days ahead and a better Iwere nation is possible, but as the people must not stop demanding for the actualisation of it. Kudos to Prof Omatseye and all the ground troupe working tirelessly to make this dream a reality. Thanks to Ogiame Ikenwoli for the royal support.

Itsekiri Group Petitions EFCC Over DESOPADEC Pipeline Surveillance Contract …Accuses former Commissioner Ejele Of Misappropriating Project Funds

Itsekiri Group Petitions EFCC Over DESOPADEC Pipeline Surveillance Contract

    
…Accuses former  Commissioner Ejele Of Misappropriating Project Funds

– An Itsekiri group, Iwere Development Association, (IDA), has accused the Commissioner representing Itsekiri nation in the board of DESOPADEC, Mr. Michael Diden (aka Ejele), of embezzling pipeline surveillance contract funds meant to employ over 1,500 youths from Itsekiri land.

Addressing newsmen in Warri, Delta State, on Sunday, the President of the group, Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, who doubles as Commissioner for Youth Development in the state, alleged that funds for the first phase of the project meant to employ over 1,500 youths from Itsekiri land were misappropriated.

His allegations came amid moves to re-award the controversial contract to the former council chairman of Warri North, Ejele, who according to the group, had allegedly enriched himself with the project funds.

IDA alleged that Ejele had not represented Itsekiri interest in the execution of the project, saying not even a single Itsekiri was employed while the contract lasted.

The group therefore urged the Federal Government to discontinue the re-award of multi-billion naira Nigerian Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) pipeline surveillance contract to the Itsekiri youth leader.

The group also called on the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission(EFCC), to investigate the allegation against Diden who is  a member representing Warri North in the Delta state House of Assembly.

The group also alleged that the contract recipient who was the Commissioner representing Itsekiri nation on the board of DESOPADEC, was responsible for the under development of Itsekiri communities and its people both politically and economically.

In an open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, a copy of which was made available to THEWILL, the group said while other beneficiaries of the contract from other ethnic groups in the Niger Delta region were busy impacting positively on their land and people, Ejele who is an Itsekiri representative in the pipeline surveillance contract was busy acquiring fleets of cars and multi-million naira landed properties in major cities across the country.

“I’m writing this letter based on my conviction on what the Itsekiri nation has suffered, and I’m saying ‘Enough is enough’ for few individuals to continue enriching themselves with our collective wealth which God has given us.”

“This open letter has become necessary based on recent attempt to re-award the NNPC pipeline surveillance contract in Delta State to a surveillance company where Mr. Michael Diden represents the Itsekiri interest again.”

“The first phase of the contract which was also awarded to him was meant to employ and engage more than 1,500 Itsekiris, but to our dismay, the gesture of the government for the people never materialised because of the greed of one single person.”

“He did not only misappropriated the money meant for the contract, he failed also to employ one single youth from Itsekiri Nation.”

“In DESOPADEC, Mr Diden misappropriated money meant for the development of Itsekiri communities and empowerment of its people, especially the youths just like the surveillance contract given to him by the Federal Government.”

“He was also given a similar job by the Delta state government through DESOPADEC before his appointment as part of government’s attempt to reduce youth restiveness, but was thwarted by greed to enrich himself,” the statement. Mr Omolubi stated.

Moses Fregene, the Robert Mugabe of Bateren Royal Community: A leader that left his people and land poorer that they met them

Bateren cannot be the private property of Moses Fregene, the Robert Mugabe of Bateren Royal Community: A leader that left his people and land poorer that they met them is a failure because true leaders suffer the most but get the least credit. Moses Fregene has only led himself without followers but prisoners.

Moses should be ashamed of himself for leading the Bateren Royal Community into failure and a state of mockery and he should forget about any plan or agenda to manipulate any constitution with intent to reimpose himself on the people during the Dissolution of his over 13yrs leadership as the community trust chairman with nothing to show and yet has deprived others that can work. The Dissolution will be held tomorrow Sunday, the 18th day of March 2018, I enjoin all Itsekiri sons and daughters from the Royal Community of Bateren irrespective of whether or not they are of Maternal or Paternal to be on the ground and witness the negotiation of their future Bateren.

Moses Fregene should stop cajoling the people of Bateren and the Omateye Royal Family that he is the only one with the capacity to challenge the Ejo/Emiko’s Royal Family from imposing their family members on the community people using their incumbency as the ruling house, but for over 13yrs since the Community has been entrusted to the Moses that is claiming to protect the interest of the Bateren people and Omateye's Royal Family there’s no progress in the community.

 Isn't shameful that even the parents of the said Moses do not have a house in the community where he leads? And the irony is that he did not even build a house for himself in the community where he collected so much from and deprived of infrastructural development, all he does is visit the community collect money and then return back to Warri Township where he squandered all the money on fame purchase.

Photo Chief Lori and his mother

Chief Lori and his mother Igba (the founder of Ajigba and great grandmother to Rita Lori the Igba of Warri Kingdom), in Warri, Southern Nigeria early 1900's or earlier.

REYENIEJU TO EMAMI: YOU ARE A KNOWN MISCHIEF MACHINE

Me: ITSEKIRIMI, IT IS FINISHED!!!

Daniel Reyenieju wrote:

The Federal Lawmaker representing Warri Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Daniel Reyenieju, has advised the Itsekiri traditional leadership to caution members of the Warri Traditional Council and other Itsekiri leaders to desist from denigrating the Itsekiri nation by employing their positions as a tool for exploring personal political space and relevance through deliberate misinformation and malignant innuendoes.

Speaking to our correspondent yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport yesterday in reaction to an interview granted to the Saturday Vanguard by Chief Ayiri Emami, Reyenieju legislator specifically warned Chief Emami and others he described as his co-travellers to stop abusing the privileged positions they occupy within the Itsekiri traditional hierarchy for deliberate mischief, politicking and dirty blackmail.

He particularly lamented that by the development of this nature, the Itsekiri ethnic group is being portrayed in bad light with the possibility of generating such ripple and boomeranging effects of further polarizing the Itsekiris with the consequence of endlessly exacerbating the already entrenched division created by Emami’s installation as ‘Ologbotsere.

He said that since the nomination of Ayiri Emami as Ologbotsere late last year was greeted with widespread protests it should have been a development sufficient to inspire the Chief to at least attempted to prove his critics wrong by acting in ways and manners as to promote the unity of the people rather than inflaming the body polity by his current acrimonious conduct.      

Speaking further, the federal lawmaker noted, ‘While I am not oblivious of the fact that his aridness, cerebral limitations and impecunious level of exposure would have largely informed his making the allegations in issue against the Governor and Government of Delta State, it is preposterous and most malignant to indirectly accuse the present Government of the state as being responsible for the comatose state of the Warri town. It should be obvious to any right thinking person that such misfortunes predating the current administration can be attributed to  the unfortunate exit of Shell Development Corporation of Nigeria (SPDC) and other related oil companies from Warri, non functionality of the Warri ports to mention but a few of culprits that remain largely responsible for the present of extremely low commercial activities in the area.”

Continuing, he said, “Whatever can be attributed as the causal factor of the present state of Warri clearly predates the present government of Delta State. For example, part of the factor responsible for the present state of non-commercial utilization of the Warri Port squarely rest on the shallowness of the Escravos Bar and security concerns; all of which are being addressed and require the cooperation of all and sundry including traditional rulers who ought to be playing their roles as peace makers and partners in progress. 

“On my part, I have successfully secured a parliamentary resolution on the dredging of the Escravos Bar and have exchanged series of correspondences with the President on this with what is left being for the federal government to implement. Therefore, I am urging Chief Emami to exploit his position within the All Progressive Congress to get the federal government to expedite action.

“In the same vein, I urge Chief Emami to note that Warri Port is under the Federal Ministry of Transport and he should also use his said close relationship with the Minister of Transport to turn around the fortune of Warri port, which will immediately ipso facto turn around the present fortune of Warri and environs.

‘While any responsible and responsive government like the Delta State government would as usual welcome constructive criticisms, what is being flaunted by Chief Emami, is laced with bias, misinformation and crass ignorance, the Chief should be schooled on the economic situation of the state and by extention national economic growth. While we will continue constructively engage the state Government for meaningful development due us as Itsekiri people.

Concluding, Reyenieju, in an emotional message to his Itsekiri ethnic group, said  “The  preponderance of Itsekiri persons (including myself) expressed strong reservation about the Chief Emami being selected for the post of Ologbotsere of the traditional Warri Kingdom because of his very notorious attitude of cheap blackmail, promoting disaffection, telling lies and other mischiefs. A higher level of intellectual background for the Ologbotsere may have saved us from this mess which is unfortunately poised to continue for a long time. Regrettably, a few of those within the Itsekiri traditional gentry, who also hold the acme of traditional authority in Itsekiri thought otherwise. I am sure that with the extant disastrous outing by Chief Ayiri, they should be able to overcome the spell by now and begin to realize that the proverbial chicken has come home to roast”