Niger Delta: You can’t subdue Itsekiri, Edema warns

Concerted subterranean moves by some ethnic nationalities to subdue the Itsekiri nation in the Niger Delta will amount to efforts in futility, Sole Representative of the Olu of Warri/Liaison to NNPCL, Edema Collins Oritsetimeyin, has declared.

Edema made the declaration while reacting to false statistics and ownership of oil wells and flow stations in Delta State churned out by the National Chairman of Urhobo Oil and Gas Nationality (UROAGAN), Chief Obiuwevbi Ominimini.

Chief Ominimini had claimed that the Urhobo ethnic group has 350 Oil Wells, over 15 Flow Stations, and 2P Gas Flare Sites in Delta State.

Describing the claims as the “most bizarre assumptions of the century without specifically mentioning the location or fields,” Edema stated that no tribe in Nigeria can conquer the Itsekiris, even with the instrumentality of government.

He insisted, “only the Oil Wells in OML 150 Communities in Warri South, is more than 350 Oil wells claimed by UROAGAN.”

“Our attention has been drawn to a presentation purportedly by the National Chairman of the National Chairman of Urhobo Oil and Gas Nationality (UROAGAN)- Chief Dr Obiuwevbi Ominimini.

“Ordinarily, such presentation wouldn’t have concerned us as every Nigerian Citizen has a right to freedom of speech as enshrined in the Constitution, but for the fact that the Chairman of UROAGAN made bogus claims, reeled out fictitious figures, and attempted falsification of facts on major aspects of the presentation that concerns us, we have decided to set the records straight especially as the so-called presentation is being shared across various social media platforms.

“We have stated at several fora that the reason for the Warri crisis was to take over the Itsekiri homeland, because of her oil wealth, and day-by-day we are more convinced that this is the only agenda of the Urhobos and their Ijaw ally so they can get more political recognition and allocations from both state and federal governments.”

According to Olu’s representative, the Urhobo has 350 Oil Wells, over 15 flow stations, and over 20 gas flare sites, thereby making the Urhobo people the highest producers of Oil & Gas in Delta State, Agbarha Kingdom, Warri South (erroneously referred to as Agbarha Warri Kingdom), & Okere Urhobo Kingdom and unlawful transfer of Ukpokiti land to Omadino, among others were misrepresentations.

“This is one of the most bizarre assumptions of the century, and it is laughable aside from the fact that its figures are bogus without specifically mentioning the location or fields where these oil Wells are located.

“If we choose to accept this statement without conceding that UROAGAN is right, the figures do not even put the Urhobos as the highest producers of Oil and Gas in Delta State.

“It is based on the above premise that we want to restate our position as has been said in several fora that the Itsekiri people of Warri Kingdom with aboriginal communities in Delta South, Delta Central, and Edo are not just the highest producers of Oil and Gas in Delta, but also in Edo.

“We wish to inform the ignorant UROAGAN that oil and gas production from wells in Okan Field, Meji Field, Meta Field, and Meren Field alone, surpass the 350 Wells being falsely allocated to the Urhobos,” Edema noted.

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