₦airaland Forum

New passport ‘ll redeem Nigeria’s image.
By Alex Emeje, Senior Correspondent, Abuja .

Speaker of the House of Representative, Mrs Patricia Etteh, has described the new electronic passport initiated by the Nigerian Immigration service as a good innovation that would redeem the image of Nigeria.

She made the observation when the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. C J Udeh, presented to her the Harmonised ECOWAS Electronic passport.

While commending the Comptroller-General and his team for the initiative, the speaker noted that the gesture would bring about transparency, and accountability as well as reduce the tendency of fraud.

She stressed the need for the Immigration Service to be proactive and resolute in its dealings, saying "it is only through commitment and vigilance that you will be able to eliminate all forms of fraud that characterises the issuance of passports in Nigeria. She, however, observed that "the fraud is a two-way traffic, as such you must ensure prudence on your own side".

Earlier, the Comptroller-General told the Speaker that the essence of introducing the e-passport was to streamline the procedure with a view to eliminating all sorts of touting associated with the passports issuance.

The issuance of the e-passport is expected to commence from 28th of July, 207.

Time-up for internet fraudster - After swindling foreigners of $40,000

By Adelowo Oladipo
Monday, July 2, 2007
Adelowo Oladipo reports the efforts being made by officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unravel the circumstances surrounding the plight of two Indians in the hands of an alleged internet fraudster who was alleged to have duped them of thousands of dollars.


The suspect, Azodo Ejiogu .

AN erstwhile transporter based in Imo State, allegedly involved in internet fraud practices had been picked up for questioning by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly swindling two Indian nationals of the sum of 40,000 US Dollars. Nigerian Tribune investigations revealed that the 32-year-old suspect was in the habit of offering fake jobs that have no basis to his victims.


Further checks revealed that in order to undertake his alleged nefarious businesses, the suspect, Azodo Ejiogu, opened a domiciliary Account with a major Bank in the country with account number 3166835827 in conjunction with his partner using Monday Chinyere as his business name.



Nigerian Tribune learnt that one of his victims, Dr. Sheikh Kalemudin, received an alleged scam mail from Ejiogu sometime in December 26, 2006, informing him of a job offer. The victim was said to have alleged further that in the e-mail sent to him by Ejiogu, he was offered a job as a Medical Officer in Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, on a salary scale of $22,860. Nigerian Tribune was further informed that the victim was allegedly asked to pay certain fees which were meant for processing his visa for 580.00 U.S. Dollars. Visa application fee at 180.00 U.S. Dollars and visa courier dispatchment fee at 340.00 U.S. Dollars respectively. “In addition to that, the victim was also asked to pay visa notarization fee of N420.00 Dollars, Consular fee of 350 U.S. Dollars which the victim was asked by the suspect to scan and e-mail to Ejiogu, the Western Union Money Transfer payment slip to the Director’s Office, Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ASUTH)” said a source at EFCC.



The very reliable source who craved anonymity during a chat with the Nigerian Tribune stated that besides that, the victim was allegedly asked by Ejiogu to send all the money via Western Union Money Transfer to the attention of the Nigerian Immigration Visa Procession Manager and that A.S.U.T.H. would get back to him after confirmation of the receipt of the visa fees payment, that the hospital never did! Nigerian Tribune was also informed that another Indian (names withheld) also fell victim of Ejiogu’s internet fraud when he was allegedly offered a job in Nigeria and was asked to pay some ridiculous amount of money for work permit into the same Bank and same account number and same name. The victim was however said to have fallen for it and paid the said money before he realised that he had been duped. Nigerian Tribune learnt that in the course of investigation, the operatives of the EFCC wrote a letter to the affected Bank, adding that from the Bank’s statement sent to them by its authorities, it was discovered that about 40,000 U.S. Dollars had been fraudulently transferred into this particular account belonging to the accused person from the two affected Indians.


The suspect was said to have withdrawn the sum of 35,000 U.S. Dollars from the account and left only $5,347, in the account, Nigerian Tribune was informed. But when Azodo Ejiogu was initially confronted by the operatives with these facts, he was said to have denied defrauding the Indians at any point in time. But his bank statement gave him away as he was confronted with details of his transactions with the bank. He could not explain what led him into the Bank premises where his arrest was effected, maintained an insider source at the Ikoyi, Lagos, office of the EFCC. Meanwhile, investigations on the matter still continue at EFCC while Ejiogu is at the moment being held by the Commission.

Gov. Chime, Nnamani’s rift blows open
TONY EDIKE Enugu
Saturday, June 30, 2007

*As ex-gov shuns reception for Ekweremadu


ALLEGED friction between former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani and his successor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, came to the fore yesterday when the former boycotted the civic reception organized for the deputy senate president, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and other National Assembly members from the state by the state government.


Although Nnamani congratulated Ekweremadu and other legislators on the successful reception held in their honour and wished the Chime government well, the Senate president, Senator David Mark, reacting to Nnamani’s shunning of the ceremony, berated the former governor over his conspicuous absence which he likened to his role during a similar reception organized for the immediate past Senate President Ken Nnamani at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in 2005.


Mark particularly referred to a radio announcement credited to Nnamani’s aide in which he tactically dissociated himself from the well-attended reception and instead directed his supporters to await his “triumphant return” on a date yet to be made known.


The Senate president viewed the development as another attempt to cause fresh friction between the former governor and his successor, warning that such face-off as witnessed in the last eight years in the state would not in any way be in the interest of the state and democracy.

Mark said: “The reception for Ekweremadu today is an indication of the overwhelming support that he has back home here.  I have attended the reception here before, Senator Ken Nnamani’s) it was nothing near this.  There were all sorts of insinuations and eventually when we even got to the ground it was a section of the community that we saw. I also listened to the radio announcements yesterday and I think it is totally unfortunate.


“We must begin to tell ourselves the truth.  There are three senators from Enugu State only one is here with Ike.  Ike ideally is no more a senator from Enugu State because he is the Deputy Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  The two senators from Enugu State ought to work together with Senator Ike Ekweremadu but that was not what came out from the radio yesterday.  Anybody who dissociates himself from the popular view of the people is on his own and he must be told in a very clear term.


Those who go round and tell people that they are doing very well when they are obviously going against the people, must learn not to do it because they will all be on their own. “I assure you that all the senators from the South East will work with Ike Ekweremadu.  So if one senator is going on his own he is better told that he is absolutely on his own and he is not going to receive the support of the people.”


Speaking in the same vein, former Senate president, Chief Ken Nnamani, recalled rather sadly that when a similar reception was organized in his honour by the people of the state on his assumption of office, attempts were allegedly made by the then government to stop people from attending but the event later turned out to be a success.  But he added that some of the traditional rulers who attended the occasion had their crowns removed on the orders of the then government.


“I hope those of you traditional rulers in attendance today will not have your crowns removed,” he said, stressing that there was no need for a repeat of such friction in the present dispensation.


The former Senate president said: “We should give the new administration in Enugu State every support to succeed. I am very hopeful with the caliber of senators we have and members of House of Representatives that our state can do better than during my time.  I hope and I pray very hard for that.  There is no virtue in suffering.


There is no virtue in pretending and claiming that Enugu is working when it is not working.  So, I recommend that we identify our problem and stop deceiving ourselves. This is no time for advertisement, unnecessary wasting of state funds in publicity cannot help us.”


But, in a swift reaction, former Governor Nnamani said he was surprised that the well-intended reception for members of the National Assembly in the state could be used for what he described as “muckraking”.


“Memories are short. These speakers fail to appreciate that not one person of the dignitaries, including ex-Senator Ken Nnamani, Ike Ekweremadu and the rest emerged from outside the structure I created and built. Senator Ken Nnamani came from our political structure. Ike Ekweremadu was my SSG and became senator on the platform provided by our political structure. It is not possible that I hold any view against a reception held in honour of persons I helped in bringing up politically”, he stated.


Sounding unperturbed by the unwarranted vitriolic of some of the speakers, Nnamani reminded the speakers that what should be everybody’s preoccupation at the moment was to raise a high level of support for the government of Enugu State to continue the good works of the immediate past administration.


He said that Enugu State would be more inclined to a hospitable political and economic environment which would assure the growth and development of the people and their place if all hands were brought on deck.


Nnamani further urged the people to give their support to government and proffer such views which would bring about further development of the State.


The former governor added that it was a mark of strength of abilities of the Governor that such reception was pulled off with astounding success within the short time it was planned. He thanked the Governor for considering such gesture and goodwill for his colleagues in the National Assembly.


Nnamani, in extending his goodwill message to other members of the National Assembly who were equally received, stated that he was not surprised by the success of the exercise, which reminded him of the capabilities of the Ebeano political structure he put in place. The reception held at the Okpara Square, Enugu was attended by several members of both Chambers of the National Assembly particularly from the East as well as the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Celestine Omehia and speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly among other dignitaries,

Heaps of charms dug out of church altar in Ilesa

Tunde Oyekola, Osogbo
Sunday, July 1, 2007

And Jesus answered and said unto them, take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many… and many false prophets shall rise and deceive many, for there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”


The church Altar with white ceramic bowl and the charms


The above quotation taken from the Book of Saint Matthew chapter 24, verses 5, 11 and 24 were the words of Jesus Christ when he was answering questions from his disciples on the signs of the end time shortly before his arrest and crucifixition on the cross.


This issue manifested last Tuesday in Iretiayo area of Ilesa in Osun State where a heap of charms and amulets where dug out from the altar and entrance of a 22 year old church, CAC Temidire.


The medium sized hall, located in the premises of a house built by late Professor Olajuwon Olaide, a former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan in the early 1980s and was named as CAC Temidire in Iretiayo Area became a tourist center as people from far and near, comprising of former worshippers of the church came to see for themselves, what was buried inside the altar of a holy of holies where they worship their God.


Sunday Tribune gathered that CAC Temidire was for the past twenty years being pastored by a woman simple identified as “Iya Adimula” (Real names withheld).


Among the various charms and amulets exhumed inside the altar and the two main entrance of the church were some concoctions which were preserved in a white ceramic bowl with cover, some objects wrapped with black local leather which were removed from the roof of the altar and a local clay pot that housed a live snake.


The discoveries were made by a pastor of a new Pentecostal Church, Covenant Church of Nations, Prophet Kehinde Babajide, who had just hired the building to be used as a place of worship for his members.


Prophet Babajide, a 40 year old Chemical Engineering graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife said that he had just secured the house and the church hall to be used as a place of worship about a week to the time of the discovery of the charms from a caretaker who was in charge of the building.


Babajide, a native of Esa-Odo in Obokun local government council of the state and a holder of a Master degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) said that he had been residing in Lagos since 1994 when he finished from OAU and had to come down to Ilesa in September 2005 following a message from God that He wanted to use him for His work.


Babajide, who said when he was into Chemical and Lubricant business in Lagos stated that he was attending CAC, Ile-Iyanu church, Ijoko road, Ijaiye, Lagos as a worker in the church, he received a revelation in 1997 that God said He would use him.


“By then, I was the head of the ushers and Deputy Secretary of the church and I was also a trainee Evangelist”.

He said that he later joined the Mountain of Fire and Miracle Church (MFM) in Lagos between 2002 and 2005 and “in July 2005, I had a revelation from God that I should proceed to Ilesa and by September 30, we came` to Ilesa and secured a building where we were holding our services and in May 2007, the rent we paid expired and the landlord said we should move out of the building.


“I secured this place last week and last Sunday was our first service. After the service, I was relaxing at the altar and I went into trance.


In the trance, I saw some insects such as flies and mosquitoes oozing out from the ground in the altar but while the trance was still going on, my wife came to wake me up and thus disturbed the message,” he said.


However, on Monday, God revealed to me and my co-evangelist at a conference in Abeokuta that we should go back to Ilesa and dig the altar that there were impure and unclean things buried inside the altar and the entrance of the church.



“This, we did in accordance to God’s instruction and we made these discoveries of heaps of charms and while we were digging the ground on the main entrance, there was a black pot from which a live snake came out when the digger broke the pot. It attempted to fight and attack us but some members of the community who were around helped us to kill it,” he said.



Elder Bode Osunkeye, who claimed to have attended CAC Temidire in 1987 but left when he discovered that the head of the church was using black power, stated that though the church was bearing CAC, it was not duly registered with the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).

Elder Osunkeye, who said that he joined the church when he moved into his new house at Iretiayo Area, said that the woman who was the founder of the church used “Olorun Adimula” to pray for worshipers who came to the church and that was the reason why the woman was nicknamed “Iya Adimula”.



“When we moved to our new house in Iretiayo, we joined the church being CAC because the CAC church, Odundun Area in Ilesa was too far and we felt that since we are members of CAC, we should be worshipping in a nearby church,” he said.


Elder Osunkeye, who was rolling on the ground and praising God for victory, said that he faced a lot of problems and tribulations for some years after leaving the church because the woman threatened that he and his family should not leave the church.


Elder Osunkeye, who claimed to have known the history of the building, in which premise the church was located said that it was built by Late Professor Olaide around 1983 but the woman came to occupy the house in 1986 after the death of the former Vice Chancellor.



He said that some churches had attempted to use the building for worship when the woman left about four years ago but failed, citing as example, one Ebenezer CAC Gospel church which killed a big snake inside the church, and the church had to relocate to another place because people were no longer interested in worshipping at the place.


Another person who came to ascertain the news of the great discoveries, Mrs. Victoria Olopade, who said that she spent two months as a member of the church alleged that the founder used to enslave the members. She said “ My husband and I left the church because we did not like the mode of worship and secondly, we could not tolerate the idea of using church members as slaves.”


“Iya Adimula is a dragon to the people of the area” she alleged. Prophet Babajide said that he pitied those who were attending the church adding that such people were always in bondage.


He advised people to always go into serious prayers before they decide to join any church. He also advised pastors to always stick to the words of God as contained in the Holy Book adding “Pastors who know they are true servants of God should stick to the words of God as written in the Holy Bible.

The woman, who is founder of CAC Temidire could not be reached by Sunday Tribune for reaction as she was said to have relocated to Lagos few years ago after leaving the church and none of the people in the area knows her whereabouts.

don,t forget to add juju to their menu.

no comment on ibo women.@topic, Hausa women make the best housewife.

ibo babe and the love  of money.

yawn,next.

Nigeria: 17 Years After, Farewell to Oru Camp Refugees

This Day (Lagos)

28 June 2007
Posted to the web 29 June 2007

Oke Epia
Lagos

From July 1, refugees hitherto sheltered in the comfort zone of the Oru camp will have to face the challenges of a new lifestyle either in Nigeria or in their home countries where peace and nomalcy have returned after the civil war years that plagued Sierra Leone and Liberia. Oke Epia writes

An abrupt and rude rupture of life at home occasioned the first transition. Now, as peace and security return to their homestead in the earstwhile strife-ravaged states, a second transition inevitably beckons.


Before the 4,158 refugees who are mostly Liberians and Sierra Leoneans encamped at the Oru boarding facility, Ijebu North local government council of Ogun State, lays a choice of either a return home or a phased integration into the Nigerian society that has hosted them these past 17 years. According to the executive summary of the Joint Project (2007-2009) Document on the refugee situation in Nigeria, "Voluntary repatriation of refugees to their country of origin is the most desirable durable solution to refugee situation worldwide. But in cases where voluntary repatriation (and also resettlement to third country) is not a desirable solution, local integration may be implemented as durable solution in order to end prostrated refugee situation." The document estimates that after voluntary repatriation, some 3000 refugees (of this number, 2500 are Liberians) will need local integration outside the Oru camp.

This option is being supervised, managed, and actualized under the multipartite auspices of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the individual governments of the Republic of Liberia and Sierra Leone respectively, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

It behoves these entities to attenuate as much as possible, the pains, strains and stress of this otherwise welcome transition for these West African neighbours who had been transmuted by the whiz of gunpowder from being bona fide citizens of their countries to asylum seekers initially and then refugees subsequently. The imminent progression from refugee status to another realm of recognition as ECOWAS citizens is the burden this multipartite arrangement defined in an agreement, must discharge.

The agreement aims to midwife this transition through the concept of Local Integration (LI) which, in the provisions of UNHCR's Executive Committee Conclusion No. 104 (LVI-2005), is "a dynamic and multi-faceted two-way process which requires efforts by all parties, including a preparedness on the part of refugees to adapt to the host society without having to forgo their own cultural identity, and a corresponding readiness on the part of host communities and public institutions to welcome refugees and to meet the needs of a diverse population."

To achieve this goal, the document recognizes that the process "needs to be undertaken in a manner that sustains the viability of local communities affected by the presence of refugees and that a failure to do so may result in an unreasonable burden being placed on host countries." Under local integration, the refugees become entitled to a set of legal, economic and socio-cultural rights commensurate with those enjoyed by Nigerians and are shielded from any discrimination.

The process takes the following procedures: first of all, the governments of Liberia and Sierra Leone undertakes the issuance of passports to their respective citizens; and secondly, the Federal Government of Nigeria agrees to issue a five-year residence permit (including the right to work) which may be revoked if the holder becomes inadmissible under Nigeria immigration law but renewable after the initial period. By the agreement, ECOWAS facilitates the issuance of the permits; UNCHR picks the bills incurred in the process; and a UN Country Team (comprising the refugee commission itself) monitors the entire process to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement and other ancillary issues.

But given the June 30 deadline for the winding up of the Oru camp, it is envisaged that this transition process will require a stopgap legal framework that will take care of the status of the occupants of the camp, and indeed, other legally recognized refugees in Nigeria after the expiration of that date. This is where the concept of ECOWAS citizenship comes in, explained Mr. Alphonse Malanda, UNHCR Representative for Nigeria and ECOWAS, in an interaction with reporters.

According to him, to avert a situation where the refugees will just be floating around with doubtful legal status, they will be granted community citizenship for an initial 19 days (and renewable afterwards) while the legal process for local integration is being carried out. ECOWAS Protocol A/P.3/5/82 relating to the definition of community citizen defines clearly the concept of community citizenship. The emphasis is that community citizenship precludes the adoption of any other nationality by anyone seeking the status. Article 1 (1a) of the protocol for instance, states that an ECOWAS citizen is "any person who is a national by descent of a Member State and is not a national of any non-Member State of the Community. This protocol is somewhat hinged on the earlier one on free movement of persons, right of residence and establishment within the sub-region. This latter instrument guarantees the right to residence and involvement in economic activities of ECOWAS citizens as outlined.

Nigeria: FG Begins Campaign Against Slums.

This Day (Lagos)

29 June 2007
Posted to the web 29 June 2007

Onyebuchi Ezigbo
Abuja

The Federal Government has begun a nationwide environmental sanitation awareness campaign to rid major cities of slums and refuse heaps.

The campaign, tagged "Operation Keep Nigeria Clean," is aimed at building positive attitudes and sensitising state and local governments, as well as other relevant stakeholders to be alive to their responsibilities of maintaining clean, safe and healthy environment.


Speaking at an event to mark this year's National Environ-mental Sanitation Day in Abuja, Director-General, National Orientation Agency, Alhaji Idi Faruk, said as part of the second phase of the project which began a forthnight ago, government has concluded arrangements to implement the project at zonal levels in Kano (North West), Aba (South East), Port Harcourt (South -South), Lagos (South West) and Maiduguri (North East).

"The target is to instill in Nigerians a new form of orientation that would ensure higher standards of cleanliness both at individual, household and community levels," he said.

adding that the idea behind the new initiative is to raise national consciousness on the importance of a clean, safe, beautiful and healthy environment, to enhance attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Relevant Links

West Africa
Nigeria
Urban Issues and Habitation
Water and Sanitation.
Faruk lamented dearth of sanitary inspection, adding that Nigeria requires 17,500 Environmental Health Officers for effective coverage, as against 3,821 that are available.

In addition to ensuring immediate evacuation of refuse dumps, resuscitation and enforcement of relevant local government bye laws on sanitation, Faruk said the Agency will seek a coordinated synergy between all stakeholders in tackling the problem.

Director-General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, who witnessed the flag-off in Kubwa, a satelite town of Abuja, said the filthy environment associated with most cities, is as a result of gross inaction on the part of local council authorities.

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;d ;d ;d

N30m campaign fund scam rocks Anambra AC
By John Ameh, Onitsha.

A factional Acting Chairman of the party, Mr. Ngozi Agudosi, claimed on Friday that he had come under attack from some members lately because of his stance that the money must be accounted for. Agudosi, who spoke in Awka, alleged that another faction of the AC under the chairmanship of Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu was in custody of the money.

He claimed that there was no evidence that the N30m was used for the purposes intended, adding that his request that the funds be accounted for earned him vilification.

He said, “The unfounded lies against me, I must assure, came as a result of my request for the suspended state Chairman, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwobu; the state Secretary, Mr. Mike Ugwa; the state Treasurer, Mr. Emma Okpalaonu et all to retire or account for the N30m meant for the April elections. Our candidates have continued to complain of not getting any financial assistance from the party during the said elections.”

Agudosi noted that rather than prove him wrong, his opponents resorted to accusing him of fraternising with the Peoples Democratic Party, with the aim of betraying the AC. He added that, as “a loyal party man,” he had consistently criticised the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission during the poll.

However, reacting to the alleged diversion of the N30m, Nwobu dismissed Agudosi as a “suspended” AC member, who was serving punishment for “anti-party activities.” He said, “Money? What money? I did not receive money from anybody, neither am I aware of any money. Let me stress that Ngozi Agudosi, who was suspended from the AC due to anti-party activities, is working with some detractors sponsored by certain elements outside the party to destablise the party. I urge our party faithful and members of the public to disregard these allegations coming form enemies of democracy.”

With the latest development, it is not clear who between Nwobu and Agudosi is in charge of the AC as each has suspended the other. Former governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, who was prevented by INEC from running as the AC’s governorship candidate, recently denied that there was a factional crisis in his party.

N30m campaign fund scam rocks Anambra AC
By John Ameh, Onitsha.

A factional Acting Chairman of the party, Mr. Ngozi Agudosi, claimed on Friday that he had come under attack from some members lately because of his stance that the money must be accounted for. Agudosi, who spoke in Awka, alleged that another faction of the AC under the chairmanship of Chief Ndubuisi Nwobu was in custody of the money.

He claimed that there was no evidence that the N30m was used for the purposes intended, adding that his request that the funds be accounted for earned him vilification.

He said, “The unfounded lies against me, I must assure, came as a result of my request for the suspended state Chairman, Mr. Ndubuisi Nwobu; the state Secretary, Mr. Mike Ugwa; the state Treasurer, Mr. Emma Okpalaonu et all to retire or account for the N30m meant for the April elections. Our candidates have continued to complain of not getting any financial assistance from the party during the said elections.”

Agudosi noted that rather than prove him wrong, his opponents resorted to accusing him of fraternising with the Peoples Democratic Party, with the aim of betraying the AC. He added that, as “a loyal party man,” he had consistently criticised the conduct of the Independent National Electoral Commission during the poll.

However, reacting to the alleged diversion of the N30m, Nwobu dismissed Agudosi as a “suspended” AC member, who was serving punishment for “anti-party activities.” He said, “Money? What money? I did not receive money from anybody, neither am I aware of any money. Let me stress that Ngozi Agudosi, who was suspended from the AC due to anti-party activities, is working with some detractors sponsored by certain elements outside the party to destablise the party. I urge our party faithful and members of the public to disregard these allegations coming form enemies of democracy.”

With the latest development, it is not clear who between Nwobu and Agudosi is in charge of the AC as each has suspended the other. Former governor of the state, Dr. Chris Ngige, who was prevented by INEC from running as the AC’s governorship candidate, recently denied that there was a factional crisis in his party.

Itsekiri came from Benin City about the middle of the 15th Century, under the leadership of (Ginuwa) a son of the reigning Oba of Benin called Olua,  Oginuwa died at Ijalla and was buried there. The Itsekiri called the place "Eri-Olu Itsekiri," or "Itsekiri's Royal Grave." The 'Aramula' oracle was consulted as to the best land in which to settle. One Idibie, who was priest to the oracle,  hurled a harpoon into the river and Speared a large fish, which he followed by means of the float attached to the harpoon to Ode Itsekiri or Iwerri, which is now known as Big Warri" And of them an Asst. District Officer R.B. Kerr in his own report(2) in 1931 wrote:"The Itsekiris are a sub-tribe of the Yoruba tribe. It is said that their leader was one OGINUWA, a favourite son of the Oba who had him put into a magic box and conveyed in this fashion accompanied by seventy sons of Benin Chiefs to found a new and mystical Kingdom which is today the Warri Kingdom."The Itsekiri homeland with an estimated ltsekiri population of about 270,000 is traditionally known as Iwere, and the people themselves are called Itsekiri. How have they come about these names, and what are the myths about them? Ijijen, the first son of Ginuwa, and who became the Second Olu of the Kingdom, was given a royal welcome at Ode-ltsekiri: Egert Omoneukarin has given this account(3):"Before this stage however, Ijijen has already sighted a very large area of land with grown up leafs (sic leaves) which he identified as "EWERE-LEAFS"This leaf signifies "goodluck and peace" in Edo land. Knowing the importance of this leaf and its ceremonial significant in Benin Kingdom, he drew his host (sic host's) attention to his discovery……… Itsekiriene (the host) was compelled to Christian (sic christen) the land IWERE Another account(4)on the origin of Iwere says that"the purported blessing of Okhienwere by the Oba and his Chiefs (upon) the travelling royal team, when they were leaving the Kingdom, was continuously used by the group in wishing their leaders well as they journeyed On (through the Sea Kingdom)…… Iwere (is a) mispronunciation (of Okhienwere) a word of Edo language."Whichever is the source of the word, these myths are so strong in ltsekiri-land that one tends to believe one or the other.In several waves of migration before the 15th Century, and some a little later, groups from Igala in Nupe country came in through the creeks; Yoruba from ljebu-Ode, Akure and Owo found their way into parts of the Kingdom and a group from Aboh also came in. Some along the coast came in through Gulani/Amatu. No wonder the historian John Sagay(5) says "that the people who constitute. the tribe called ltsekiri have diverse origins". And Stride and ifeka(6) say that "the ltsekiri are probably a mixture of several people …… And in my book(7) published early this year; I have said."Before long this hotch-potch of several peoples from Ode, the coast via Arnatu or Gulani Aboh, Akure and Owo, Igala in Nupe country and Benin welded into a coherent ethnic group which is today called ltsekiri. They synthesized a Yoruba dialect whose vocabulary today has been widened by the infusion of a large number of Portuguese, English and Bini words."                                                                   Prof.P.C. Lloyd( has said of them; "The ltsekiri call themselves ltsekiri or Iwere, and the Yoruba and Edo use the same names; the Urhobo call them Irhobo, a term sometimes said to mean ‘those floating on water’, the Ijaw call them Selemo. In the English literature they are known as Warri or Jekri, though in the 19th century, they were often referred to as Benin, since contact with them was first made on the banks of the Benin River"And according to Prof. Obaro Ikime(9) " Warri, the name of the modern township is clearly a corruption of the name Iwere which the Itsekiri sometimes use to refer to themselves or their capital, Ode-Itsekiri," The African Encyclopaedia(10) says: "The Itsekiri people live on the Western edge of the Niger Delta in the Midwest State of Nigeria……… The largest town of their area is Warri which has become an important center of Nigerian’s petroleum industry. The Itsekiri language is closely related to Yoruba."So far, no doubt we have seen that the Itsekiri people, also known as Iwere, call their homeland Warri, a corruption of Iwere. P. C. Lloyd(11) has said:"Warri and Itsekiri have been spelt in many different though recognizable ways by European writers, e.g. Oere, Ouere, Awerri, Owerri, Jekri, Jakri".

A captain John Adam(12) probably early in the last century spelt it Warre; Consul John Beecroft in the 1850’s wrote Wari; Consul Richard Burton in 1862 spelt it Wari. It was Vice Consul Captain Gallwey who at the end of the 19th century introduced the variant Warri, which has stuck till today.

HOMELAND

I have always appreciated Prof. Lloyd’s description(13) of Itsekiri homeland which says:"The administrative unit known as Warri Division (now, Warri Local Government Area) of Delta Province whose area is 1520 Square miles, is approximately co-terminus with the territory of the Itsekiri ……"This homeland of theirs they romanticise as Warri Kingdom.The Itsekiri homeland is bounded approximately by lat.5deg 20min and 6deg N and long,  5deg 5min and 5deg 40min E.ITSEKIRI SOCIETYNow we have known the ltsekiri people and their homeland i.e. Warri Kingdom. It is now time to say something about the structure of their society over the centuries. Historically, the ltsekiri have a monarchy, over 500 years old, and which, as a rallying point in their society, remains its supreme government. From 1480 to now, there have reigned 19 Olus: five Olus of the pre-Christian era; 1480 - 1597: eight Roman Catholic Olus from 1597-1735, and six Olus of the post-Roman Catholic Christian era. Atuwatse I, baptised as Dom Domingo. reigned between 1625 and 1643, having studied in Coimbra University in Portugal for eleven years where he obtained a degree. It may interest you to learn that the first-ever church monastery built in what today is Nigeria was erected in Big Warri (Ode-ltsekiri) before 1700 and was christened Saint Anthony (Today, the site is known as Satone).Traditionally, the ltsekiri are fishermen and traders. In the 16th -19th Centuries they acted as middlemen to carry trade between Europeans at the coast and the peoples. further inland. Prof. lkime (14)says of this state of affairs:"The promotion of economic activity thus became a major pre-occupation of the ltsekiri monarch from the 16th Century,  The Europeans tended to go to areas which had a political system that could guarantee peaceful trade. Hence Benin, the States of the Eastern Delta and Itsekiriland in the Western Delta. In other words, the fact that there existed a kingdom was important in the decision of the Europeans to do business with the ltsekiri".And the African Encyclopaedia (15) states as follows:"In the 17th-19th centuries they (Itsekiri) acted as 'middlemen' to carry trade between Europeans at the coast and the peoples further inland"According to Sir Alan Burns(16), the distinguished administrator and historian the account is:The Itsekiris were formerly important as middlemen between the early European traders and the inhabitants of the hinterland".And in a booklet by Nigeria Magazine (l7) it is written:

"the Itsekiri tribe of the Delta area,  has always been a unique tribe………They were among the first to have contact with the Portuguese traders in the 16th Century

LIFE IN PRE-COLONIAL ERA

At this point, it may now be instructive to give you some perspectives into the typical pre-colonial ltsekiri community life. First, let us see the image of the Olu of Warri at the turn of the 18th Century, i.e. about 200 years ago. A British Captain John Adams who paid a courtesy call on an Olu of Warri then wrote in his report(18)."We arrived at Warre about Five O'clock the following day. After passing through five or six apartments of various forms and sizes we were ushered into the audience chamber where we found his stable majesty fully prepared for the occasion,  A boy was holding a pink umbrella over his head and another was brushing off flies with an elephant's tail. To our surprise, we found the King rigged in European style"Then let us see a typical Itsekiri town, i.e. Ebrohimi, before its destruction by the British during the Nanna War of 1894. Captain Alan Biosragon (19), one of the two survivors of the Benin Massacre, who had known Ebrohimi well wrote in his book:"………Brohoemi (Ebrohimi), made by (Nanna's) father Alluma (Olomu) was a most wonderful sight, the ground on which the greater part of it was built having been reclaimed from the mangrove swamp by millions of canoe - loads of sand poured on it. The whole place was kept extremely clean, and the houses built in streets running at right angles to the main road, broad as Piccadilly (in Westend London) which connected Nanna's own part of the town with his father's which lay some half-mile distant".But this beautiful city was burned down during the British expedition against Nanna in 1894. An insight may be gained into the enormous wealth of this typical Itsekiri town of Ebrohimi in the mid -19th Century from the little that was salvaged from Nanna's treasures which today form the collections of the National Antiquities housed in Nanna's Palace in Koko. Much still remains to be done to attract people to this place as a tourist centre. Not only was Ebrohimi was so beautiful. Jakpa, Bateren, Bobi, Deghele and Ode-Itsekiri. the Olu's seat, were all said to be beautiful. Captain Adams (20) about the close of the 18th Century wrote of Ode-ltsekiri in these words:

"This town is situated on a beautiful island, about five miles in circumference", "and (Ode-Itsekiri) might(2l) have fallen from the clouds in the midst of a desert - for it is a little elevated above the surrounding country,  is well cultivated and has much appearance of an extensive park. The substratum of the island is composed of a tenacious red clay, from which the inhabitants manufacture jars for holding water, and utensils of various forms for domestic purposes. The capital of Warri is divided into two towns, distant from each other half a mile. The most populous one is that in which the King resides, and the combined population amounts probably to 5,000 souls". However Landolphe(22) had earlier, about 1770-90, suggested a population of 12,O00-15,000.

WARRI TOWNSHIP:WARRI TOWNSHIP:

Now let us consider the development and growth of Warri City, the centre of today's oil industry in the Delta. In the centuries under review, the trade in Itsekiriland grew extensively and Big Warri (Ode ltsekiri) as capital, remained its focal point. As time went on the expanding trade in Itsekiriland ,spilled over to the mainland - "New Warri" (a British name). Then from 1900 on-wards most parts of "New Warn" were formally acquired by the British on a 99~year lease from Chiefs Dore and Ogbe as Olu's representative (there was an interregnum then). Thereafter the new town was laid out and developed, and became the headquarters of the Old Warri province. Following this development new patterns of trade, transportation, communication and public institutions emerged within and around "New Warri", and the need arose for the ltsekiri people to re-order their way of life to suit the new dispensation. For example, it became necessary for the Olu thereafter to maintain palaces both at Big Warri (Ode ltsekiri) and "New Warri " (Warri township).The Niger Coast Protectorate in its report(23) dated 19th August 1894 on the Consulates said of Warri as follows:"Warri, a trading settlement of considerable importance, is situated some 40 miles up the Forcado River……… Warri itself is the ancient chief town of the Jekri people (the middlemen and traders of this part of the Protectorate)……… The town of Warri itself is the usual collection of native huts, but is held in considerable veneration by the Jekri people, "No wonder, the first Warri Native Council set up by the British in 1896 had fifteen ltsekiri of its sixteen members. The sixteenth member was an ljaw. And it couldn't be a coincidence that all the eight Warri-based Warrant Chiefs in 1896 were ltsekiri. And when Sir Claude Macdonald, the Consul-General visited Warri on August 19, 1891 he reported (24) "that the chiefs of Warri were ltsekiri who were under Nana the great middlemen Chief of Benin (River)".

Up to this point, we have examined the origin of the ltsekiri people; we have considered their homeland; we have studied the outline of their system of monarchy and looked at their traditional life pattern. Then we briefly have to look at the cultural and economic life in Itsekiriland.

CULTURAL

Considering culture as the sum - total of a people's relationship with their environment, we would find the field too wide to discuss in this short address. In which case we would need to examine the language, the music, poetry and costume of the Itsekiri to their occupation,religion and what have you. However, it would suffice for our purpose here to say that the ltsekiri are a highly cultured people. Over the centuries they had impressive trade and cultural links with different peoples and these ties have broadened and enriched their own cultural life.Their early contacts with medieval Europe, especially Portugal, helped to foster a conservative Christian education and civilisation in Itsekiriland and the people remain proud of this historical circumstance. ltsekiri words such as oro, sangi, garafa, kidibe etc are derived from Portuguese as are torosi, tapita, woske etc from English. The ltsekiri royalty's affinity with Bini is another area of their cultural life: chieftaincy titles, funeral dirges, royal terms such as Ada, Omada, Daiken, Uselu etc carry' almost the same connotations among the Itsekiri. The famous Imaba dance of the Uwangue dynasty in Jakpa to all intents and purposes is a derivative of the Ugho royal dance in Benin.In the old ltsekiri perception the Ijaw possessed machismo and martial virility and were adventurous. Hence by and large ltsekiri noblemen of old delighted in deriving and adapting their sobriquets/appellations from Ijaw phrases or sentences e.g. Akaliparalogbe (never do you have two moons) Deideikumo (all. shut up). Amakimi (we have the land) Ojiguoguoseiname - (No one querries the damage done by waves or storms). And Ijaw songs are used in Itsekiriland; some Urhobo names for food items are used by the ltsekiri. Urhobo adopt ltsekiri names and some of their towns bear names of ltsekiri towns or villages. e.g. Deghele in Ukpe and Idimi Jakpa in Effurun.There is no denying the fact that the Nigerian women’s dress popularly known as George and blouse identified with the Delta in Bendel State had its origin in Itsekiriland.So too for the men's Kemije (Camisa in Portuguese) and the pleated wrapper. Until comparatively recently ltsekiri as a language was the lingua franca that was used by all Urhobo, ltsekiri and Ijaw - in the Warri area. In fact up to the 1940's, anybody in Warri area, stranger or not, learned to speak Itsekiri, dressed the Itsekiri way and even boreItsekiri names.

All that is being put across here is that Itsekiri, as middlemen in the foreign trade between Europeans and the hinterland peoples between the 16th and 19th centuries, imbibed the cross-fertilisation of cultures of the peoples that participated in the trade. It enriched and broadened their own cultural base which they claim has made them not only a role model but also a decent, peace-loving and disciplined ethnic group in our polity.

Name Abbreviation Gender Meaning
Ajemigbitse Ogbitse Unisex Give me the blessing
Abidemi   Unisex A child born before either the father or grandparents arrive
Alero   Female First-born female child
Amajuoritse
Ama or Amaju Unisex We do not know more than God
Besida   Female As destiny decides/dictates
Omasan   Unisex Child is good
Oritsebemigho
Bemigho Unisex Lord watch over him/her for me
Oritsegbubemi
Gbubemi Unisex God answered my prayer
Onetoritsebawoete Bawo or Ete Unisex Whom the Lord is with cannot be put to shame
Oritsetimeyin
Oti or Timeyin Unisex The lord is behind me or the lord has my back
Oritseweyinmi Weyinmi Unisex The lord is with me
Oritsejolomi Jolomi Unisex The lord has fixed me
Oritsematosan Tosan Unisex God knows best
Eyituoyo
Tuoyo Unisex This is enough for joy
Mogbeyiteren
Mogbeyi Unisex I will take this (child) for now
Eyimofe
Mofe Unisex This is my desire
Orighomisan
Misan Female My head is good
Toritsefe
Tofe Female What the lord desires
Toritseju
Toju Unisex God's (will) is supreme

BRIEF HISTORY OF ISSELE-UKU

As chronicled by Prince Chris Afumata Akeh- Osu in The History of Great Isi-Ile-Uku (Issele-Uku) Kingdom

Isi-Ile-Uku, “Issele-Uku” Kingdom was founded by the Binis in about 1230 AD by Oba Eweka 1 of Benin Empire and first Ogie of the kingdom was Prince Uwadiaie who was the second son of Oba Eweka 1.

The original name of the new kingdom carved out of Benin Empire “Isi-Ile-Uku” signifies relationship with the Benis and Oba of Benin-City ‘Uku akpolokpolo Omonoba n’edo’.

When Oba Eweka 1 created the new Benin outpost of Isi-Ile-Uku now pronounced Issele-Uku, his main objectives was to check and stop the influx of the movement of people from East of the River Niger, and people from Igala land into the Edo land West of the River Niger, for farming and fishing operations. Also to use Isi-Ile-Uku, the new outpost and kingdom, as a defensive outpost to the Benin Empire and moreover for expansion purposes.

Prince Uwadiaie, the second son of Oba Eweka 1, was crowned Ogie ‘King’ by his father Oba Eweka1 of Benin Empire about 1230 A.D. and sent to rule the Bini new kingdom of ISI-ILE-UKU in company of a group of Binis, worriors, administrators, chiefs and other princes of the royal family of Benin from Ogbe, Ehaekpen, Idumu Inaleibiwe, idumu Igun, Idumu Iken, Idumu Isama and Idumu Ugboka. Members of the royal family of Benin were settled at Ehaekpen of Issele-Uku.

These Bini quarters – Ogbe and Idumu are now called Isheakpe, Ogbidibo, Idumu-Inele Ebigwe, Idumu Uzu, Idumu Ikem, Idumu Ozoma, Idumu Onishe, Idumu Ihama, Idumu Isama and Idumu Edemoka “Umu edomoka” at Ogboli. The present language of the people of Issele-Uku has changed slightly the original pronounciations.

The Oba of Benin in the days of old had real suzerainty over the kingdom of ISI-ILE-UKU. The new kingdom of ISI-ILE-UKU was gladly hailed in Benin then as an Eastern extension of Benin empire. In fact, the kings of ISI-ILE-UKU have paraphernalia and relics of kingly office as the Oba of Benin and performs the same yearly festival – Ugie ro ‘Oba – “Uje ine Aho Obi” at Issele-Uku.

The kings of ISI-ILE-UKU “ISSELE-UKU” are the true representatives of the Oba of Benin in the area lying to the West of the River Niger and as such the Obi “king” of Issele-Uku has a position of authority as the oba’s authentic representative in the Eastern extremeties of the great Benin Empire

The custom and tradition of Benin is the same at Issele-Uku and the influence of Bini language can be noticed or traced in the Ika-Ibo language of the people of ISI-ILE-UKU “ISSELE-UKU”.

The Oba of Benin continues to crown the Obis of Issele-Uku until presently when he sends Chiefs to officiate for him on the crowning of any new Obi “king” of  ISI-ILE-UKU “ISSELE-UKU”. Although the Ika-Ibo Language predominates at Issele-Uku nowadays and it was due mainly to the fact that there were more interactions with the later Ibo founded towns around Issele-Uku than Benin-City which is situated a long distance away.

Origin Of Ubulu-Uku

||King Ezemu ||| Obi Ofulue | St Anthony's & Anglican Colleges || Festival | |Origin Of Ubulu-Uku | The Colonial Era| || Ubulu Uku Development Union ||

Ezemu was a hunter of un-equalled marksmanship, a herbalist who was known just in ubulu-uku and its immediate environs but down to every corner of the one time Benin Empire. He was so famous as a herbalist that the Oba of Benin during his time invited him to Benin to prepare certain herbs for him. “Izo-Idayi”. This helped to prolong the life of the Oba and so he told his successor to invite Ezemu or his descendants to prepare the same medicine for him any time he came to the throne. Before arriving at Ubulu –UKU however, Ezemu and his brothers first settled at Ubulu-unor. It was from Ubulu-Unor that Ezemu left for Ubulu-Uku. “Ubulu” is the name of a huge tree which today stands at the centre of Ubulu-uku. “UKU” means big or huge. It was at the foot of this tree ( which still exists today but which has experienced severe burns) that Ezemu pitched tent. A deep gulley was adjacent to the tree, and the presence of water attracted the wandering normand.

From Afor To Ubulu-Unor

In fact Ubulu oral tradition states categorically that the grand-parents of Ezemu migrated from Israel and settled at Ife hence Ezemu was often referred to as the king with long hairs – “Ezi Isi Iyomiyo”. From Ife Ezemu and his relations migrated to Afor a village in present day Ndokwa Local Government Area of Delta State.

After a long stay in Afor, Ezemu’s parents assembled five of their namely Obodo, Ezemu, Alibo, Aniga and Ekelie and asked them to get ready to migrate and found other settlements.

Before they left Afor, their parents gave them a pot (Ududu) containing a mixture of some herbs and instructed them to settle anywhere the pot fell, each facing a different direction. While wandering from place to place they came to Ubulu-Unor, the pot fell and they settled there as their parents had instructed them. It was from Ubulu-Unor that Ezemu went to found Ubulu-Uku.

Ezemu Moves To Ubulu-Uku

When Ezemu made up his mind to settle in ubulu-uku he went and pleaded with his sister Obodo to come and join him. She refused told Ezemu that since he, Ezemu had founded a new and bigger Ubulu ( Ubulu-Uku) their first settlement should be called a home (Ubulu-Unor).

There was also the strong argument that Obodo was never the king of ubulu-unor because she was a woman neither were her descendants kings of ubulu-unor rather they have always been and are the Okpalas of Umuata (the descendants of obodo).

Ezemu had two children , one boy called Ijedinka-Jezie and one girl called Ozim. Since Ijedinka-Jezie was the only son, Ezemu hoped that he would succeed him on the throne and so he was grooming him with the role. He had the hope that Ozim would be given out in marriage.

Introduction

Ubulu-uku is situated some thirty kilometres (30kms) west of the River Niger in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. Eastwards it shares a boundary with Ogwashi-Uku, westwards with Obior; northwards with Issele-Uku and southwards with Ubulu-Unor.

Ubulu Uku is sited in an undulating environment with its Enugu-Iyi and Abuedo end at the top of a long stretch of hills, while its centre, fanning out from the Ubulu tree, to Isho, Akwu, Ogbeofu, Idumu-Osume etc are located in a valley.Rolling down these hills are rivers which run through the entire clan to the sea through other neighbouring clans. Iyi Agor ( River Agor) stands out prominently among these.

Ubulu-Uku is the largest and most populated town in Aniocha Local Government Area. Topograhically it is a hilly town that could be easily compared to Agbor in Delta State, Auchi in Edo State and Ibadan in Oyo State. This hilly nature of the town accounts for the serious problem of erosion which it faces. The Problem has made some of the streets impassable especially the street leading from the major road to Ogbeofu.

On the other hand when one looks at the town from any of the hilly spots especially at night, one sees a beautiful scenery that could be said to be one of the best that nature has bestowed on this part of the earth. The town has one major stream called Iyi-Agor which was the main source of water supply before the advent of pipe-borne water. A few other minor streams like Nkpitime-Isho, Iyi-Nta, Iyi-Eko and Iyi-Ozala also serve people in various parts of the town.

Three major roads run through the town . One runs from Asaba via Ibusa to ogwashi-uku then through Ubulu-uku to Obior and Umunede. The second road branches out from Ubulu-uku to umunede road at Idumu-Osume village via Akwu village and then to Issele-Uku. The third road branches out from Ubulu-Uku to Umunede road at the post office junction and runs through Akpama, Agbonta-Udogwu and Isho village to Ubulu-Unor.

Occupationally Ubulu-Uku men are farmers, weavers, hunters, and palm wine tappers. As for Ubulu-uku women they are expert weavers. With their hand looms they produce materials that are highly treasured by both foreign and Nigerian visitors to the town.

The Union that made up Ubulu-Uku

Ezemu meets Ekei One day while Ezemu was under the “Ubulu” tree he sighted smoke at a distance. He became curious and moved towards the direction from where the smoke was rising to find out its source. On getting to the spot called Ani-Ekei which now forms part of Udo Village, he met a man called Ekei, a black –smith. He was the leader of a few settlers there.

Ezemu meets Anugwe Just as Ezemu discovered Ekei and his people, he sighted some smoke rising from a spot in the bush around the present Abuedo village. Like the brave hunter that he was, he moved to find out the source of the smoke. On reaching the spot he saw a man called Anugwe working in his large farm. The exchanged greetings and introduced themselves.

Ezemu becomes the first king of Ubulu-uku

When Ezemu saw that he had surrounded himself with enough settlers he went up to Ekei and told him that it was necessary for the three groups of settlers to come together and that one of the three leaders should be made their king.

After listening to Ezemu, Ekei told him that he was already getting old and was not interested in being the king of Ubulu-Uku. Ezemu went up to Anugwe and told him of his proposals. Anugwe told Ezemu also that he was not interested in being a king. He asked Ezemu to become the king if he so wished. Thus Ezemu was accorded recognition by all the settlers in Ubulu-uku.
Then Ezemu went to Ubulu-unor and told Obodo that he was to be coronated formally. Obodo congratulated him and shaved his bushy hair in order to make him look neat on the coronation day. When Ezemu returned to Ubulu-uku he was crowned the king of ubulu-uku with a lot of pomp and pageantry.

source : C.E.A Ikemefunah and Obi Anene

Thank you for visiting Ubulu- Uku Website .

@ Dis guy ,This are the Ibo states of nigeria ,Abia,Anambra,Imo,Enugu and Ebonyi state.Delta state is more like the Urbhobos own state just like Rivers state with the( Ijaws}Ogonis, Kalabari,Okirika,etc. people from Cross river are not Ibo,they are the Efiks,Anang etc.