Itsekiri Youths Reject Oghara’s Claims, Uphold Obitugbo as Itsekiri Land

The Ugbarajo Itsekiri Youths have condemned recent attempts to reassign Obitugbo to the Oghara Kingdom. They argue these claims contradict centuries-old evidence, including 17th and 18th-century European accounts that place Obitugbo firmly under the Warri Kingdom. They highlight that Oghara only emerged as a recognized kingdom in 1999, while Obitugbo’s ancestry traces back to Iyatsere Egharegbemi and successive generations who managed the land. Court rulings from 2001, 2007 and a 2022 boundary decision are cited as reinforcing Obitugbo’s status as traditional Itsekiri territory. The youths also defend the Olu of Warri’s authority over the area and warn that using modern administrative boundaries to override historical rights risks unsettling the Niger Delta. They urge respect for documented history and judicial verdicts to preserve regional peace.

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