₦airaland Forum

The Uvwie General Improvement Union (UGIU), led by Chief Hope Erute, has warned some misguided Itsekiris attempting to sow seeds of discord that the peaceful disposition of the Uvwie people must never be mistaken for weakness.

Daily Independent learnt this from UGIU President-General, Chief Hope Erute, in a press statement made available to Journalists in Effurun, Uvwie LGA of Delta State, as the group stated that Uvwie kingdom is not afraid, and will never be afraid, to defend its territory, its heritage, and its people.

Speaking at a world press conference in Effurun, Uvwie LGC, Delta State, today, being on Friday, April 24, 2026, the UGIU President General, Chief Hope Erute, warns some misguided Itsekiris from peddling false narratives over the origin of some communities in Uvwie LGA of Delta State.

Addressing some Journalists at the UGIU press conference organized at Effurun, Uvwie LGA of Delta, the group stated: “Our attention has been drawn to the fallacious and provocative claims being peddled by a few Itsekiri persons, alleging that the Itsekiris founded the historic communities of Ugbenuohwuru (Ukpolokposo, as corrupted by the Itsekiris), Okwatata, Iteregbi, and Ugbomro communities in Uvwie Local Government Area”.

“It is reported that at a recent public cultural festival of the Itsekiri nation, a spokesperson presented a narrative regarding the founding by the Itsekiris of the communities in Ugbenuowhoru, Ugbomro, Okwatata, and Iteregbi, all being indigenous communities in Uvwie Kingdom”.

“It is not in the character of the Uvwie people to respond to delusional folktales from neighbours. Ordinarily, we would have ignored these claims as the mere delusions of a few misinformed individuals or those who persist in the folklores of yore, lacking in substance. “However, silence in the face of persistent falsehoods can sometimes be mistaken for consent”.

“Therefore, we state the facts for the record to properly educate discerning minds, sifting the wheat from the chaff. The legal history of the cases and how they were mostly inconclusive, and attempts by these misinformed Itsekiris to shop for judgements to support their false narratives”.

“History is replete with the sojourn of the Itsekiris as they migrated across the creeks and river streams seeking shelter in riverine communities. They were never hinterland Aboriginal people. Prince Ginuwa did return to Benin to reclaim the throne”.

” His co-travellers, the Itsekiris or Jekris as they are known in historical documents, have continued to be a bane on the various aboriginal communities that accommodated them during their sojourn. The Itsekiri have recently used the occasion of their “Ghigho Aghofen festival” to propagate a version of history that claims they founded Ugbenuowhoru and Ugbomro towns in the Uvwie Kingdom.

“We observe that the Aghofen account that Prince Udefi “left Odi Shekiri and settled in Ugbolokposo at his mother’s hometown” is itself an admission. According to the narrative, “His mother was of Omoro (Ugbomro), daughter of Odogu, son of Ofo, described as one of the founding fathers of Ugbenuowhoru”.

“Even in their own genealogy account, Udefi came to a place that already had Uvwie roots. He was received, not a founder. The narrative implicitly admitted that Prince Udefi’s mother was of Uvwie extraction at Ugbenuowhoru. “

“The Uvwie people do not seek conflict with any neighbour. We believe in what we have always called intellectual prowess — the use of truth, evidence, and historical record to defend our land and identity. The truth, as the foregoing demonstrates, is sacrosanct and no grandstanding can alter it.”

“The narrative presented at the festival of the Itsekiris is pure grandstanding, fictional and trouble-seeking, very characteristic of the Itsekiris”.

“Ugbenuowhoru, Iteregbi, and Ugbomro are integral parts of Uvwie land. Ugbenuowhoru was a family settlement which the Erovie people of Uvwie granted to their maternal relations who were paternally Itsekiris; who moved to Uvwie as a result of a crisis they had in Itsekiri land. Ugbomro, on the other hand, was founded by Uwherume of the Abadi family of Erovie Quarters in Uvwie.

“The three Ruling Houses in Ugbomro reflect this history till date. There is no single indigenous or aboriginal Itsekiri family or compound in Ugbomro”.

“The late King Nana of Itsekiri was maternally Uvwie of Ugbenuowhoru extraction. He reportedly hid in Uvwie, his maternal homestead, when he was being persecuted by the British”.

“A British expedition in search of King Nana invaded and burnt down Uvwie market and several homesteads in the town. The then spiritual leader, Ovie Erumagborie, was held captive by the British until Chief Arigbe, who was allegedly hosting King Nana, was produced by the Uvwie people.

“The population at Ugbenuowhoru was swollen by the mass exodus of Itsekiris, some of whom also ran from Koko in Warri North. Migration from Koko naturally gravitated to Ugbenuowhoru, the material home of the Nana of Itsekiri, who was betrayed by an envious Itsekiri man, Dore Numa, which facilitated the downfall of the empire King Nana built and presided over”.

“History records that there was no king amongst the Itsekiris who contested the overlordship of King Nana. It was after his betrayal and fall that those who joined the British to pull down King Nana created a kingship that is today ruling the Itsekiri. It should also be noted that, whilst King Nana of Itsekiri was humiliated at the instance of the British, and his envious paternal Itsekiri kinsmen were celebrating, his chivalrous maternal people of Uvwie engaged the British officials in a fight of resistance for which Effurun, the city centre of the Uvwie people, was burnt in the 1890s.

“We also note for historical education that the contraption of kingship put together to replace the authority of King Nana was of two streams – one headed by Ogiebo, who ruled exclusively over his domain in Okere Warri, and the other by Ogiame, who held sway over Itsekiri domains in the Benin and Escravous rivers. Eventually, the Ogiebo authority waned, and that was the time Ogiame started extending his influence to the Okere part of the Warri metropolis. Even the Itsekiri Land Trust arrangement put together by Ogiame and his cohorts did not extend their authority to Ugbuwangue, which was a territory under the exclusive authority of Arthur Prest and validated by the courts.”

“Itsekiris should recall that in the aftermath of the change of name from Olu of Itsekiri to Olu of Warri in 1952 by the Awolowo Western Region Government, there was a pogrom to expel all Itsekiris (squatters) in all Urhobo watersides. The Uvwie people, rather than expelling the Itsekiris in Ugbenuowhoru, recognised them as their maternal relations and, in an episode of chivalry, built a wall of protection around the Itsekiris squatting in Ugbenuowhoru. If that pogrom had swept through Ugbenuowhoru, the Itsekiris would no longer be on the land. The viper stings by nature even he that feeds it”.

“It is an irony that today, it pleases the Itsekiris to prefer the anglicized/corrupted version of Ugbenuowhoru (Ugbulokposu) around which they are mischievously weaving their false narrative, yet they are running away from the anglicized/corrupted version of Itsekiri by the British – Jekri, which is the name they are referred to in all British historical books. That is mischievous cherry picking”.

“Uvwie kingdom and the Itsekiri nation have a long, documented history of peaceful coexistence, inter-marriage, and mutually beneficial social and economic relationships. Even though the Uvwie people are at peace with their maternal relations in Ugbenuowhoru, the vaunting narrative by the larger Itsekiri leadership falsely laying claim to Ugbenuowhoru and Ugbomro will not be tolerated by Uvwie, who are known for hospitality, and we demand a cease to such provocative narratives from the Itsekiri leadership”.

“We advise the few Itsekiri individuals trying to foment trouble and drive a wedge between our two great ethnic nationalities to face another direction”.

“The path of peace and mutual respect is large enough for all of us to walk on; do not create an artificial crisis where none exists. Focus your energy on the development of your communities rather than coveting the ancestral lands of your neighbors. The purpose of this resurgent claim is hard to decipher, other than mischief and chaos”.

Ugbomro, Okwatata, Iteregbi, and Ugbenuowhoru (Ukpolokposo) are, and will always remain, integral and indivisible parts of the Uvwie kingdom. Whilst their paternal ancestry may be Itsekiri, we consider them our maternal relations under the overlordship of the Ovie of Uvwie and in Uvwie Kingdom”.

” The Edo, Ibo, and Hausa communities in Uvwie have peacefully co-existed in Uvwie Kingdom, notwithstanding their ancestral origins. Our Itsekiri brothers and all peace-loving people should adopt this posture”.

“We urge the Delta State Government and relevant security agencies to take note of these inciting claims and call the perpetrators to order before they breach the existing peace in the region”.

mrvitalis:
Exactly... I have always known the guy had nothing

Anyone who thinks building infrastructure right now is a good thing is a fool

What do you know about governance?
No wonder them ask you, which University you attend..

Ofodirinwa:
now i know to never support this idioticc human being

Your head no just correct, no wonder we have more idiotic leaders and citizens like you fooling around.

5h

This is just a lazy approach to solving the problem...

It's more like, saying "Oh because of the increase of food prices, I can't keep up with feeding my dependants, so I will stop cooking all together in my house "...

It's lame to say remove fuel subsidy because the rate of fuel consumption is too much or we are paying too much for it...

Let's assume, we really can't pay and Even if we must remove the subsidy, there should be things put in place, before removing it, so as to cusson the effect of the removal...

It's only people who lack empathy, and are far from the reality of the everyday Nigerians, that would say, let's remove the subsidy once and for all, let's endure the suffering once and for all...

There's nothing like once and for all, it's just heartless to want to put people into more pains and suffering at this time...

Our leaders just don't care about us, not until we have us representing ourselves in the tables of negotiations and governance, we will continue to be the ones who bear the grunt of lazy leadership...

Fuel Subsidy removal on my mind...

#FailedLeadership

Meaning, there will be no Subsidy payment from June 2023...
So we have more free money to utilize for development or more free money our leaders to Embezzle...

Following....

T

Precious Leopard is not an identity in Africa...
Make una dey proud of una African names, una say na Oyibo name una like...

Boomm8:
Well said

It's easy for small parties to employ technologies....
How did BBN collate votes?...
A small party like AAC with little or no money can build apps for people to elect their candidates...
The key to avoid manipulation or double voting lies with technology....
Make we stop to dey reason like stone age people....

nathyx:
The major problem with Nigeria is political sentiment and this has become the order of progress How can after all the above mentioned proposed rail routes I can't find anyone allocated to Benue state the food basket of the nation This is so because our leaders have neglected necessary functionalities and focused on their individual places of abode for centered development nonsense!

Have you checked the Eastern corridor route and confirmed its not passing through Benue?

mrvitalis:
I wonder how this government thinks really ...a poor nation like Nigeria spending 12 billion dollars on a phantom project that won't break even for 100 years ....there are far more important was that would use that money that would have far more impact on the economy

$1billion $300 million each can reactivate warri ,port Harcourt and Calabar ports ...$100 to by boats to secure the sea routes

$4 billion invested in our transmission line would increase transmission capability from 5000mw to over 12000mw ... electricity supply would double ...I mean double because we have installed capacity of about 15,000mw

$5 billion grants to 10 top importers of goods we can easily produce here to start producing them in Nigeria ...or if we have struggling producers top 10 ...pick like 10 to 20 products

Like ceramics , glass , cloths , chocolates ,drugs and the likes ...this would create over 300,000 jobs directly and provide revenue of over 300 billion a year in taxes


This project would have far more reaching impact on our GDP than this phantom rail system that's nothing but a feel good project

Abuja kaduna rail would break even at the current profit rate in over 101 years

I'm waiting to see the figures for Lagos ibadan rail but my estimate suggest 160 years to break even that's if repairs are not made even

You may probably be correct o.
But every administration has its priority.
Perhaps, if OBJ has focused on maybe power by now, it won't be on that your list.
And if GEJ focused on Ports, it won't also be on that list.
Remember, those years of PDP had the money to spend, but we're just looting the whole thing.
If an rail them want for the Country, so that trailer go reduce for road, e good.
Meanwhil,e whono be APC or Buhari fan o. I am a Soworist.
As a matter of fact, I am going for Buahri must go protest today....

Fela is not a Prophet!

Who even came up with such shallow, description?

I was listening to Baba Fela's Original Suffer Head track yesterday and was almost shedding tears....

How can we still be struggling with issues of over 30 years, Water, Power, Food and Housing( Basic necessities of Life), Resources which we have in abundance in this Country. Like a case of Soap entering your eyes, even when you are in a pool of fresh water....

Something Fela criticised the leaders of yesteryears about, yet in 2021 we have still not solved even one....

I repeat, Fela Anikulakpo Kuti is not a Prophet as we use to call him, if we call him that...

we will be down playing the issues he raised, we will be playing the Ostrich and we will be trying to dodge our Cowardice, which we all are...

if we call him that...
We will just be running away from our responsibilities, as a people....

Fela did not see today(2021) yesterday(1990s), he only saw, criticized and sang about his days(1990s)....

Unfortunately, the things that were happening back then, the problems and challenges we had in his days are still very much with us today....

That is why, we want to call him Prophet, actually, he is not...

He was only doing what people like Sowore and the likes are doing today, by singing about the leadership failures and problems of that time...

We chose to call him Prophet because we want to take the easy way out of our docility and Irresponsibilities of our parents and grandparents....

He sang about the ills in the Country, criticised government officials,he got beaten, prosecuted, arrested and jailed for it....

Sadly, the people couldn't act, they didn't listen to his call for action, they called him "Igbo smoker" and painted him in bad light, leaving the real issues. And that is why, we have carried over issues of 30 years to today....

Same thing, we are doing today, we are calling Sowore names because of his Haircuts, the beads he wears around his neck, leaving the real issues he is advocating for....

We must be ashamed of ourselves, we keep waiting for God to do what we can do for ourselves and God will never do such a thing...

God didn't give us brains for fancy, he gave us brains to use it to think and solve problems....

He didn't create us just to go to come here and struggle to go back to heaven, he created us, so that we can live abundantly including solving problems....

I will conclude my sermon by officially declaring all those who have been in positions of authority in the last 30 years and those who have refused to act just to solve one single problem in this Country as "A FAILED GENERATION"

And if my Generation can't do anything about this Issues today, then we are the BIGGER FAILURES....

crazygod:
Why does this guy keep referring to himself as a celebrity?

A man who says, I am a king is no king....
Twin Lannister(GOT)

They are always talking about removing subsidy...
What about cutting the cost of governance, cutting politician allowances, reducing salaries, and building refineries...
What about bringing investors to build refineries, so that, we will sell at landing cost...

How do you guys even measure development and growth?

Akwa Ibom has power plant, International airport, International airline, International stadium, International library, very good road infrastructures across the state, clean and serene environment, building deep seaport, what do we have in Delta who has been collecting second to the highest allocation for the last 10 years, nothing to show, except smart-talking audio projects.
We are very backward in Delta. Talk true make Devil shame.
The only thing I know Okowa is good at, is politics, he is good at politicking and politicking without developmental result is irrelevant.
Na God go judge all of una.

Akachai2030:
Go to other social media Instagram and the likes, with what is happening there do you think a youth can lead Nigeria

It still depends on your circle...
Come real life, leave Social media and see real men and women working hard to make Nigeria good.
Stop using your Instagram people to generalise Nigerian youths...

Ferdinandu:
Age is just a number. A capable hand is a capable hand. An idiot is an idiot from 18yrs to 100yrs. Let age of our current President not deceive us in choosing our next Leader because if we capitalise on age we may end up choosing a young version of Buhari

In this context sir, age no be just number o.
I don't know how old you are, but for me, the energy and time I had in my teens is no longer the energy I have in my 30s, there are things I want to do, I can't do them anymore...
Yesterday men, may not have The knowledge and skills of today....
As one age, zeal, passion and energy depreciate, as you get old, you begin to take life easy and worry less...
But as a young person or a leader, you are ambitious to succeed to make a mark and a name...
Making name is not a thing for old men.

PissfulProtester:
Guy, you and I may be one of these youth you have talked about..but what is the ratio of the ones earning legitimate money to the evil ones? Currently it is 1:2. You have no idea how desperate an average Nigerian youth is

I still say, you are wrong, your statistics is fallacious and out of place.
It depends on your circle, I am a youth and 90% of my friends and acquaintances are responsible and hard working...
Is being desperate wrong?
No, I don't think so, desperation can be channeled into something positive...
Like, right now, I am desperately working to ensure we don't get it wrong in choosing our leaders come 2023.

ALISMILE:
The old men were terrible but the youths were worse
We lack qualified presidency material in Nigeria politics

Don't say, "We" na yourself you know...
Na who never go, another man farm go say him papa farm, naim big pass...
You just know the youths in your circle and maybe your community...
Not the whole Nigeria...
We have able, responsible and intelligent young and middle aged men and women of good will who can move this Country to world power status, you just need to open your mind to see....

ALISMILE:
The question now is where is the young presidency material amongst our youth?
Most are still busy smoking Indian helm and doing Yahoo Yahoo

I don't understand this your Statement oga, so you mean all the young men and women in Nigeria are doing yahoo yahoo and smoking indian helm?
Which school una even go sef?
I ask, because you are making a false statement that can never be true in 2000 years...
Again, so you mean of all the young presidential candidates in the last election, you didn't see any fit to be president?

ogbonti:
I will not say a youth per se but somone within the age bracket of 40 -55 with proven track record in the civil service or business world

We do not need a you just mark it as an accomplishment. Buhari was 42 years old in January 1, 1984 when he was misbehaving passing retroactive decrees, which executed the likes of Bartholomew Owoh, Bernard Ogedengbe and Lawal Ojuolape. He sent Nduka Irabor and Tunde Thompson to prison for having a contrary opinion to his. That was a young man doing that then.

Yakubu Gowon wasted Nigeria's oil boom on being Santa Claus all over Africa and even to the Caribbean and UAE - that was a youth then

Orji Uzor Kalu was a youth (Aged 36) - Lucky Igbinedion (41) James Ibori (40) when they became Governors in 1999 - and they looted their states dry

Obasanjo was a youth in 1976 (aged 38) when he ruled Nigeria after the death of General Murtala Muhammed - I hope you guys still remember the N2.8 Billion (which then was US$3.73 Billion - as US$1 = 75 kobo then) oil money missing missing Fela talked about, It was a 40 year old Obasanjo who was Head of State in 1978 and Col. Muhammadu Buhari who was 36 years old then and serving as Federal Minister of Petroleum and later Group Managing Director of NNPC that supervised the stealing of that money. Those were youth!!!!!!

Dimeji Bankole was 37 when he became the Number 4 man in Nigeria in 2007 - we all know how he corrupt he was

So - yes, we want a younger person with energy to rule Nigeria but someone with a proven track record in Business and / or public service not just any youth or young man for the sake of it

Those yesterday young men you mentioned could actually have their faults and downs, but I tell you,those yester year's we're when Nigeria built all the super structures we have till date, the 3rd mainland bridge, Onitsha bridge, airports, sea ports, refinerys, Dams, super highways, Ajeokuta , DSC steel plants, railways, they were built when these young men weree in power.
We can hardly see one super structure these old men have completed since 1999 till date.
Excuses and looting all these years...
A younger President is far better by far even with their flaws...

louqas:
For now we don't need a youth (18-45)as president ,but we need a person of age 50-60 bracket .....PYO, moghalus, fashola, duke,and not Sowore,
The present generation of youth will only make things worse ,the need the older political leaders to stabilize the polity before they can be able to make any meaningful impact if given the chance to rule. Besides these older men have their loyalists everywhere from civil service to military and para military and these loyalists can act as saboteurs

Why not youths?
As long as you have the capacity, character and competence.
All youths in Nigeria can't be bad, there must still be some good ones amongst them....
And why not Sowore?
Because he is a radical?
Yes, we need a radical leader in this country, a man who would not fear to implement policies that would change the Country for good....
I will choose a Sowore, Falz or Aisha above Moghalu, Duke or Fashola anyway, anytime...

PissfulProtester:
YOUTH dominated by cultists, thieves, yahooboys, rapists, ritualists, violent sessecionists, and what have you? Or the youth dominated by advocates of fraud, ethnic and religious bigotry and every other ill in the society?

It is surely going to be worse

Some people still liked your Fallacious statement, na wa o....
Let's assume all the youths in Nigeria are what you call them, so what then happens when the old men, you are advocating for pass away, you know death is inevitable and old die before young.
What do we do?
Critical Thinking is free...

Okowa of Delta State
Vocational Training and empowerment 4/10
Road Infrastructure 2/10
Security 3/10
Healthcare 2/10
Education 3/10
Covid handling 5/10
Funds Mgt 2/10
Igr 1/10
Politics 9/10

General rating 3/10

You think we have forgotten right?


www.tblinkstv.com.ng › 2020/09
"They stole N5000 from my hotel that was why I stripped them naked ...

Dangote is a lazy business man...

So when are we going to start same in Nigeria...
Nigeria's housing problem is far worse than that if the US....
I need to build a house before I start having Children, if not landlord go just dey take person shine, year in,year out....

Blackmann001:
Who are low income earners...?

Fg and state workers...?

State ke?
What about private School teachers?
Those ones no be human beings....
Abegi

Exmilitant:
Sowore is becoming annoying. The position of cos is the exclusive of the president. You appoint your confidante to that position not just anyone.. Gambari was only protecting Nigeria's image not defending abacha.

You are talking trash sir...
How can you justify the killing of innocent people in the name of defending Nigeria?
Abeg reason am well

bolaayenimo:
Stupid wailer who scored 2k votes in presidential election. Him too wan dey form don for Naija politics

History is repeating itself, your ancestors rejected a good man in Gani, rejected a good hearted Fela and Choose ITT and today you re rejecting Sowore because of you you refuse to learn from history....