The Itsekiri are the ancient Egyptians {pre ginuwa history of itsekiri}

ITSEKIRI EXISTENCE 
BEFORE 1480 

The oral tradition Some people have wondered that if Isekiri existed in times pre-Ginuwa, ˜why are there no oral traditions to buttress the point?" The simple truth is that Isekiri tradition, like those of some of their neighbours, particularly the Ilaje, have some of these stories. Before Ginuwa, the Urejus, the Omadinos, the Irigbos, the Ugborodos, the Jegbos of Efurokpe, the Okposos of Gbolokposo, among others, started occupying Isekiri land, which then was much more extensive than it is now – stretching to the river Ramos area, now in Bayelsa state of Nigeria, they constituted the aboriginal inhabitants. (See Ifa and Honsbira: The Warri Crisis In Diagrams1997). 

These people were the aborigines, and are known as the Oma ale (the sons of the soil). According to most Yoruba, their people migrated through many places when they were coming from the south of Egypt. They stopped at different areas before they reached the present Yoruba land. Although the Yoruba know the Isekiri came in the series or waves of migrations, they tend to see the Isekiri as part and parcel of them and do not want to list Isekiri as a separate migrant in the same migration trend. Abiola says, concerning this Egyptian migration: 

Princess Emenugo The Heroine

A King of Warri once had a very pretty daughter who was called Emenugo. She was a beautiful princess who was in her day called the Queen of Beauty.

In those days cohabitation between the royals or children belonging to the same family tree was punishable by death. Sadly Princess Emenugo had become a victim of this law and having been found guilty of the offence was to be killed.

The Olu who was reluctant to surrender her princess daughter sort to gain the nation consent to the alteration of this law. For the nation not to suffer from the change of such law, the King ordered consultation of Oracle to inquire for the best way of amending the law.

The Oracle decide that Princess Emenugo was to be made a living sacrifice in order to atone for the soul of future generations who might become guilty of same crime.

My battles with ex-President Jonathan, Tompolo – Ayiri Emami

* I don’t want another Ijaw/Itsekiri war

* They‘ve threatened to bomb my Tank farm, but I’m unmoved

*We want to build Refinery, Gas Plant to create jobs for 3000 Deltans

WARRI—THE Ajuwaoyiboyami of Warri Kingdom, Delta State and business tycoon, Chief Ayiri Emami, aka Akulagba, has opened up on the reason for his disagreement with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and former General Officer Commanding, GOC, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, MEND, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo. Chief Ayiri, past chair of the Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, Warri and stalwart of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state, alleged that ex-President Jonathan declined to create the much-needed opportunity for Niger-Deltans to acquire Oil Mining Licenses, OMLs to develop the area, whereas outsiders were empowered, while Tompolo’s idea of activism was purportedly violence-inclined.

The Itsekiri leader, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice in Warri, asserted that he does not believe in using pipeline vandalization and kidnapping to draw attention to the problem of the region, but it is unquestionable that government has wickedly neglected the region.

He, however, observed that few misguided Gbaramatu-Ijaw persons and his Itsekiri tribesmen were blackmailing him because he was against their bunkering and kidnapping activities and prepared at all times to expose their criminal acts. Excerpt.

AS chair of the erstwhile Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, Warri, Delta State, you battled kidnappers, sea pirates and oil thieves to submission, but some people still count you as one of them, why?

Learn More About Olu AKENGBUWA and Why Itsekiri Must Keep Protecting Her Territories

 

15-5-1807 Governor of São Tomé to King of Warri [(Olu AKENGBUWA I
(EYEOLUSAN)] Dom Joaõ

To the most excellent, most noble and most honored Prince, Lord Dom Joaõ, by the grace of God King of Warri, great friend of the very high, very powerful, very august and invincible Prince Lord Dom Joaõ, by the grace of God Prince Regent of Portugal and of the Algarves at home and abroad, in Africa and of Guinea, the sea conquests and the commerce with Ethiopia, Arabia, Persia, Judaea etc.

I, Luis Joaquim Lisboa, Governor of the islands of Principe and São Tomé, belonging to the most high, most powerful, most august Lord Dom Joaõ, Prince Regent of Portugal and the Algarves, wish your Highness much honour and increase.

From Jozê Francisco Camacho, vassal of the Crown of Portugal who came from the dominions of your Highness to this government, having finished his trading, I received a notice from your Highness in which you ask me to have Antonio Dias, of the island of Principe, pay your Highness the value of nine slaves and one clock which he had delivered to one Ambrozio, a seaman, all of which together is of the value of eleven slaves. In pursuing this debt, your Highness has commanded to retain as prisoners the six Portuguese seamen who were shipwrecked from the Escuna Voluntaria [name of ship] on the coasts of the dominions of your Highness, whom your Highness does not want to deliver up without being first paid the eleven slaves which you demand. And once this payment is made your Highness will free the said seamen, to whichever Portuguese ship comes to your kingdom, since your Highness does not desire to have any quarrel with the Portuguese nation, but on the contrary he wishes to carry on much commerce with it.