For some time now, there has been tension in Ijaw/Bini communities in Ovia North East Local Government Council of Edo state as a result of land dispute. The Ijaws in the area are claiming ownership of the land which had pitched them against the palace of the Benin monarch.

The Enogie (Duke) of Obazuwa, His Royal Highness, Prince Edun Akenzua who also is the younger brother to the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa oversees this disputed area. In this interview with Saturday Vanguard, he describes the Ijaws in the area as settlers asserting as unthinkable the claim being made by the Ijaws.

He also speaks on the curse placed on kidnappers by the Oba of Benin, Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration and other national issues. Excerpts:

The Ijaws and the Binis have been living harmoniously all these years. What went wrong?


Well, there is no problem between the Benins and Ijaws over land. What we have is that the Ijaws are claiming land which we know belongs to the Benins. And we are telling them that that part of the area is Benin land. We accept the Ijaws, we know they live here for a very long time but they are living on Benin land. They have lived here over a 100 years.

Nobody is going to ask them to leave because they are not Benin people but they cannot attempt to claim that the land on which they live here belongs to the Ijaw country. I describe them like the black Africans who are now referred to as African Americans, who were taken away to America.

They have lived there for hundreds of years. They cannot claim that where they live in America belongs to any African country. Or that the only laws they will listen to are the laws made in Africa. So it is here. The Ijaws who live here are entitled to whatever goodies are available in Benin but the land belongs to us.

How ijaws came to Benin soil

Oba Orogbua brought them from Benin River to Iko. Oba Orogbua was the Oba that founded Lagos, Dahomey and all that. He went on expedition and of course he needed canoes to carry him and his troops across, and the Benin people are not sea faring people.

So he decided to go and bring the Ijaws who were at that time at the Benin River where they were fishing. He brought a large number of them to Iko to paddle his boat for that expedition. After that they remained here. They have no business with land. They are not farmers. They stayed at the river banks where they built their houses.

They caused no problem to the Benin people. In fact, in the late 80s, the Ijaw people in Gelegele were coming to pay homage to Oba Akenzua 11, that’s my father, by bringing fish. In 1988, I was installed the Enogie of Obazuwa. They was an Ijaw man, he was the Amakushiwe at that time, of the Ijaws in Iko. He told me that he used to be one of those who would put basket of fish on their heads.

There were no cars then, and they would walk all the way from Iko to come and pay homage to my father. And he told me that when they got to Benin, there was a Chief called Legema who was at that time the Ogua who would now announce them. So we had very cordial relation.

In 1988-89, the Ijaws in Iko would bring fish to Igo market and barter the fish for plantain and yam. We have been living peacefully with them but only now that their sons are becoming educated and they began to dangle before them the possibility of having a local government, the possibility of having a state, that they suddenly realized that they needed land. If you want a state, you cannot build a state on water, so you must have land. So this is why they are now fighting everywhere claiming that the whole of the water front should be constituted into a state for them. I don’t see any nation that will make one state to have all the water front contained in five or more states.

Was it why they attacked your palace?

What happened was that there was a time the state government was going to establish a model school and we had offered land because the government was looking for a suitable place for it, and we said we have a place. Government now sent a delegation to go and inspect the area we said was available. And when they came, they saw the flat land and they said they required about 12 hectares.

So when they left, I called some boys in Obazuwa to physically measure the land to ensure that we had what was required. So the next morning which was a Friday, as the boys were doing that, almost opposite my palace there, the militants came and descended on them, cutting them with cutlasses and all that. In the process, they abducted three of the boys and took them to Iko. So I called the governor and the Commissioner of Police. We had to keep policemen on the land for over one month to protect the work the boys were doing.

The opposition PDP is saying that Governor Adams Oshiomhole is not doing enough to check the activities of kidnappers in the state. What is your assessment of the ACN led government in the state?

I will rather talk about Oshiomhole’s government because what he has done for Edo state, his work has turned him into a reference point. I personally appreciate more what he has done to the psyche of Edo people than building of roads.

What he has done, perhaps not as visible, is what he has done to the psyche of the people because before Oshiomhole, governors in Edo state said physical development could be done because there was no money. Because people will now ask where did Oshiomhole get the money? We discovered now that Oshiomhole has in fact done what in two years the PDP government did not do in eight years. I was reading criticism of Oshiomhole the other day by the chairman of the PDP in the state, saying that the contractors being used by Oshiomhole are not Edo people. I just thought it was very unnecessary to say that. I don’t care who the contractor is provided the road is well built. And I hardly see any difference between ACN, PDP or ANPP. Because there is no difference between them. That is why it is so easy for any member to cross to the other party and feel comfortable in that new one.

And those he is meeting feels happy to receive him because they are all the same.

Before the last election…am the convener of a group known as the Bini Leaders of Thought. At that time, our focus was to have a Bini man to succeed Lucky Igbinedion. The reason for that was because one–we wanted to use our population to produce a governor because our thinking was that if we have a Bini man succeeding Lucky Igbinedion, the things we did not do during the administration Lucky Igbinedion we would have opportunity of doing them. And that was to develop the state.

That was what we had in mind. Then Oshiomhole came, people reacted in the polls. And because the PDP government did nothing at that time, people supported Oshiomhole. He came and proved himself, he has proved he is capable of doing things. So this time around that they are going back to the polls, I will be surprised really if he does not get the support of the people.

What if the PDP decides to throw up a Bini son as their candidate to challenge Oshiomhole? Where do you think the Binis will go?

We the Benin people really believe in what people always say- that you don’t change a winning team. Oshiomhole has come to do what he is expected to do. Why must you change him? The Benins don’t just push for a position for the sake of it. Benin is one of the few places where we send non Benins to positions. Years back, we sent one Ekuyasi from Ogwasi Ukwu area to represent us in the Western House of Assembly. We look at competence not tribe really.

Hahaha Bini are now stylishly begging us the great Ijaws.


Asawana!!!!

SlayerForever:
Hahaha Bini are now stylishly begging us the great Ijaws.


Asawana!!!!

hahahahahaha. Binis will never beg slaves to be part of them. Continue dreaming settler.

When I tell Ijaw people aka Captain8 that anything I say on this forum receives action from the governor or president they think I’m lying. I made a comment regarding slow Justice, Osibanjo don begin carry the matter. Wike quoted me on a comment I made some few weeks back. Now this oba has quoted me on Ijaw wanting all the waterfront of South South. Probably because I joke a lot, all these Nairalanders don’t take me serious.

kmcutez:
When I tell Ijaw people aka Captain8 that anything I say on this forum receives action from the governor or president they think I’m lying. I made a comment regarding slow Justice, Osibanjo don begin carry the matter. Wike quoted me on a comment I made some few weeks back. Now this oba has quoted me on Ijaw wanting all the waterfront of South South. Probably because I joke a lot, all these Nairalanders don’t take me serious.

no portion of Edo land will be given to these settlers. They know & that’s why they’ve been ranting.

iamuyiekpen:
no portion of Edo land will be given to these settlers. They know & that’s why they’ve been ranting.

Yes o.

kmcutez:


Yes o. No portion of land in Rivers state and Delta state will be in their Ijaw Republic. When I told Captain8 that, he thought I was joking.

No be small thing o. Captain8 how far na

Lol ijaws and their wahala. I have turned an ijaw man. I heard that egbema people are now ijaws. Na so I take transform from Igbo to ijaw

All you guys frustration ends here.
It starts, and end on Nairaland, no where else e reach.
Ijaw Republic is our home.
All una frustrations end here, you will tell me wether before States creation Ijaw have not being together like that since.
And u will tell me why Bini don't have access to the ocean till today, unless they pass many hundreds of Ijaw villages first.
Ijaws are in Ondo Edo Delta Bayelsa Rivers and Akwa-Ibom state all Ijaws share perfect boundaries with each other
Without other tribes entering our centre.
Ijaw Republic we stand.
All una frustrations end here.
God bless our hero General Ditari
God bless the Ijaw Republic.

I don tell them before, no state in the south south, south east or south west will allow the ijaw to carry away any part of their land for their so called republic, they better pack to Bayelsa and make it a great ijaw state

ijaw always making noise online

very soon if care is not taken, ijaws will have no land and no place to go

kmcutez:
When I tell Ijaw people aka Captain8 that anything I say on this forum receives action from the governor or president they think I’m lying. I made a comment regarding slow Justice, Osibanjo don begin carry the matter. Wike quoted me on a comment I made some few weeks back. Now this oba has quoted me on Ijaw wanting all the waterfront of South South. Probably because I joke a lot, all these Nairalanders don’t take me serious.

what are you talking na? Stop typing rubbish..... God blessed Ijaw Republic

SlayerForever:
Hahaha Bini are now stylishly begging us the great Ijaws.


Asawana!!!!

Wannaa!!!

Let the benins just step their feet on Ikoro or Gelegelegbene first na....... They and their confused oba should stopped boasting on behind keyboard

Captain8 send me your phone number on the Gmail and I connect you with an admin that will add you to some of the Ijaw Republic WhatsApp groups.

The Ijaw leaders have called a gathering for all Ijaw leaders to attend and work on the Ijaw Republic.
The INC President same equal with Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidents, have invited the Bayelsa state Governor.
Good luck Jonathan
General Ditari and his group,
Ankio Briggs,
Etc
to the all Ijaw summit so that they all sign on the Ijaw Republic or nothing else.
All of them as Ijaw leaders.
Come on WhatsApp and I tell u the date of the summit.
All Ijaw leaders in Ondo Edo Delta Bayelsa Rivers and Akwa-Ibom are attending the summit.

Ijaw will be joining both the NINAS and the Suit at the FHC seeking to leave Nigeria, after the first week of December.

The Ijaw leaders have called a gathering for all Ijaw leaders to attend and work on the Ijaw Republic.
The INC President same equal with Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndigbo Presidents, have invited the Bayelsa state Governor.
Good luck Jonathan
General Ditari and his group,
Ankio Briggs,
to the all Ijaw summit so that they all sign on the Ijaw Republic or nothing else.
All of them as Ijaw leaders.
Come on WhatsApp and I tell u the date of the summit.
All Ijaw leaders in Ondo Edo Delta Bayelsa Rivers and Akwa-Ibom are attending the summit.

Ijaw will be joining both the NINAS and the Suit at the FHC seeking to leave Nigeria, after the first week of December.

Captain8:
Wannaa!!!

Let the benins just step their feet on Ikoro or Gelegelegbene first na....... They and their confused oba should stopped boasting on behind keyboard

All this bayelsa people boasting upndan.

iamuyiekpen:
no portion of Edo land will be given to these settlers. They know & that’s why they’ve been ranting.

yet you are the one having sleepless night and typing long note on it na..........

We are even drinking ogogoro and jolly jollying on the land...lol........

All we asked of you people is please come step your feet on Ikoro or Gelegelegbene first..................if you people can't come to the land you claiming then shut up and stop constituiting nuisance on this platform.....

Captain8:
yet you are the one having sleepless night and typing long note on it na..........

We are even drinking ogogoro and jolly jollying on the land...lol........

All we asked of you people is please come step your feet on Ikoro or Gelegelegbene first..................if you people can't come to the land you claiming then shut up and stop constituiting nuisance on this platform.....

All their frustrations end here bro.

SlayerForever:



No be small thing o. Captain8 how far na

and you believed what that microscopic ant is saying.....?

We asked him and his Small oba to come and have the land they claiming but they keep crying on online.....

JavaScript90:
Lol ijaws and their wahala. I have turned an ijaw man. I heard that egbema people are now ijaws. Na so I take transform from Igbo to ijaw

Yes. The Egbemas of rivers state originated from the the Egbema Kingdom in delta and edo state

All their lies and frustrations end here.

Pass11:

All this bayelsa people boasting upndan.

Your mumu no tell you say anybody can create just anything shey
It's the physical one we believe, not online nonesense by frustration filled up haters of Ijaw.

tnerro1:
I don tell them before, no state in the south south, south east or south west will allow the ijaw to carry away any part of their land for their so called republic, they better pack to Bayelsa and make it a great ijaw state

no body on this earth can stopped we Ijaws....... even if people like call the america to come fight us, we will still defeat you all........ Ahhhhh,,,Izon!!!!

Ijaw Republic forever

DitariDisciple2:


Your mumu no tell you say anybody can create just anything shey
It's the physical one we believe, not online nonesense by frustration filled up haters of Ijaw.

Your people are going to national newspapers to beg oba of bini to forgive them for their sins but you're here making nosie

obehi247:
ijaw always making noise online

very soon if care is not taken, ijaws will have no land and no place to go

are we the ones writing and making threads here or you people that are feeling our heat.....

We don't boast but matched our words with action...............we have told the benins and biafrans dragging our lands should come to the lands and have them yet they could not have the nerves to come near.................. Ahhhhh!!!! Izon!!!!!

Captain8:
no body on this earth can stopped we Ijaws....... even if people like call the america to come fight us, we will still defeat you all........ Ahhhhh,,,Izon!!!!

Ijaw Republic forever

Hahaha

Nobody takes you seriously, they just allow you to rant all you can, when you are tired things will still be as they where before

DitariDisciple2:


All their frustrations end here bro.

their pains only end here here online..... Coward people

Pass11:

Your people are going to national newspapers to beg oba of bini to forgive them for their sins but you're here making nosie

The date of the all Ijaw summit is 4th of December.
Your lies and frustrations end here.
The same way una say Itsekiri block Ijaws of Edo and Delta
Your lies end online.
All una frustrations end here Ijaw can never be in Niger Delta Republic talk worse of Biafra your lies frustrations remain with u.

Pass11:

All this bayelsa people boasting upndan.

am not bayelsan but delta state and part of edo.......

What you post never happened, it was just propaganda

Captain8:
am not bayelsan but delta state and part of edo.......

What you post never happened, it was just propaganda

You can claim anywhere you like bayelsa man

Pass11:


You can claim anywhere you like bayelsa man

mugu, I am from delta and edo