The people of Uduophori and Odorubu communities in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State have declared that they are bona fide children of Tarakiri, progenitor of Tarakiri kingdoms in Delta and Bayelsa states and had never been subjects to Ughelli kingdom or any other.
Leadership of the two communities made the declaration backed with documents, after an enlarged meeting at the palace of the Ebenana-Owei of Tarakiri Kingdom at Adobu, Dr. Danladi Foubiri Owoupele Angulu I, in Patani.
They said they were descendants of Taraki, their paternal progenitor.
The declarative statement were signed by leaders of both communities, including Chief Jacob Egbe (Amanana-owei), Pa Etakebo Eduotaroma (Amaokosuowei in-council), Chief Obanyedo Bobson (President-General) and six others for Uduophori, while Chief Abafako Godday (Amanana-owei), Pa Diequevwereho Roland (Amaokosuowei in-council), Hon. Samson Ogbo (President-General) and eight others signed for Odorubu.
The declarations read in part: “During the creation of states in 1976 under the Boundary Adjustment Commission (BAC), headed by Justice Nasir, Adobu, Uduophori and Odorubu remained in the defunct Bendel State and the larger group of Tarakiri communities was merged with Rivers State, now Bayelsa State.
“The prescribed authority then appointed the Ebe-bebeare-owei of Tarakiri Kingdom, Chief J.K. Ekpejuku, a native of Uduophori federated community, on the Bomadi/Burutu Council of Chiefs in the then Bendel State (see gazette no. 51 vol. 14th, 15th September, 1977).
“In 1983, when the government of the defunct Bendel State recognised royal stools for various clans, an autonomous stool was well-approved for the Tarakiri communities and other clans like Kabowei, Kumbowei, Gbaramatu and Ogbe-Ijoh to represent their clans on the Bomadi/Burutu Traditional Council of Chiefs (see Bendel State gazette no. 29 vol. 20, 23th June, 1983).
“In 1999, the government of Delta State recognised the Ebedaowei stool for the Tarakiri Council of Chiefs (see gazette no. 3 vol. 9, January 1999). We have the backing of history, we’re bona fide indigenes of Tarakiri Kingdom and we were at no time subjects to Ughelli Kingdom.
“Therefore, we enthusiastically declare that Tarakiri of Ijaw nation is our paternal progenitor and we have always been under the Tarakiri Kingdom from time immemorial. We did not dispute the fact that we are Urhobo-speaking Ijaw, we are maternally from Ogele of Ughelli Kingdom.
“Having put the records straight, we use this medium to draw attention of the general public to take note of these general declarations by the traditional leadership and good people of Uduophori and Odorubu communities and we will not allow any other kingdom to annex us.”