Crack Deepens Between Ijaws, Itsekiris Over Maritime Varsity’s Site

The crack between Ijaws and Itsekiris over the site of Maritime University in Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government area of Delta State deepened with Omadino community insisting that the land is Okerenghigo and not Okerenkoko as claimed by the Ijaws.

Consequently, they have vowed not to allow the Ijaws take over their land under the guise of the establishment of the University by the Federal Government.

According to a statement issued on Monday by the people of Omadino, an Itsekiri community, they lauded the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami over his memo to the National Assembly dated October 17, 2017 advising the legislators to comply with a Supreme Court judgement that recognised the site of the university as Okerenghigo.

In the statement signed onbehalf of the community by Prince Metsese Diden and Quincy Onuwaje, President and Public Relations Officer of Omadino Employment and Development Association (OEDA), the community reminded the National Assembly that it is part of the corporate existence of Nigeria which must be protected by law.

“The Omadino community lauds the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubarkar Malami over his memo to the National Assembly dated 17th October 2017, wherein he exercised what they described as an exceptional courage to identify and speak the truth at a time when many high officials of the Federal Government would rather play to the gallery and mix politics with issues of Justice in such a way as to ridicule the entire edifice of government in a supposedly civilized society.

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“Omadino Employment and Development Association (OEDA), which is the Youth Wing of Omadino Community, thereby admonish the National Assembly not to forget that it is a part of the corporate existence of the Nigerian people, with statutory responsibility which extends beyond merely crafting the laws of our land, to applying same in all circunstances, as such, should not be seen to turn democracy on its head in an attempt to jettison the valid judgments of the Supreme court of our land as regards the ownership and nomenclature of the location of the proposed Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenghigho, we are emphasizing that there is no place in Nigeria called Okerenkoko.

“To do otherwise is to strip the entire architecture of the judiciary bare naked in the public; and this will not only inflict grave injury in the psyche of the common Nigerian whose last hope has always been the Judiciary, but also rubbish the wigs of the entire legal icons of our great country”, they added.

OEDA noted that at a time when the nation is grappling with criminality ranging from killer herdsmen to communal crises, all due to land grabbing syndrome, the National Assembly, especially the Nigerian Senate has a duty to stick to the law and apply same, in order not to give the impression that the Nigeria State is one of double standards, a lawless society where might is equated for right and where politics supersedes issues of justice.

It stressed further “The beauty of any democracy is her judicial system, and the National Assembly, particularly the Nigerian Senate must contribute her own quota to beautifying Nigeria’s nascent Democracy and ensure that it does not proceed in error on this matter as did the House of Assembly recently.

“The Itsekiri people of Omadino re-emphasize that the entire land space called Okerenghigho is an integral part of, and an extension of Omadino community, as traditionally and legally established, and that we are ready to use the last saliva in our throat to re-echo it, the last sweat in our pores and the last strength in our muscles to defend it.

They urged the entire architecture of government not to fall for cheap blackmail of their Ijaw customary tenants, while at same time calling on the National Assembly to avoid the temptation of acting ultra vires, reminding it that it is not only statute barred, but also duty bound to honour and apply the laws of the nation, including the pronouncements of courts of competent jurisdiction in the exercise of its statutory functions.

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“The laws of our land, particularly the pronouncements of the Supreme court on the name and ownership of the site of the proposed Maritime University, are relevant to everything you do concerning the Bill before you, quoting a statement credited to Lord Aitken, the erudite British common law jurist which states that “Amidst the clash of arms, the laws are not silent, they speak same language in war as in peace”, it added.

OEDA also warned all detractors, particularly the splinter group of Ugborodo community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, which have expended much resources to write baseless open letters, both to the President and the governor of Delta State, to desist from making provocative statements concerning the Warri Kingdom, and Omadino lands.

“We know our boundaries, and this is traditionally and legally established. Therefore, it goes to no effect the baseless ranting of such detractors who are obviously sponsored agents of land grabbers and trouble makers in our creeks”, it added.

Story contributed by Sylvester Idowu

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