𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: 𝗨𝗗𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗝𝗘: 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 510 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪.𝗔.𝗖.𝗔 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.......𝑹𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑶𝒌𝒑𝒆'𝒔 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝑶𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒆, 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑶𝒇 𝑶𝒌𝒑𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆

𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧:

𝗨𝗗𝗨𝗔𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗡 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗢𝗥𝗢𝗗𝗝𝗘: 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗬 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 510 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗦 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪.𝗔.𝗖.𝗔 𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧.

......𝑹𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝑶𝒌𝒑𝒆'𝒔 𝑪𝒍𝒂𝒊𝒎 𝑶𝒇 𝑺𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒆, 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒔 𝑺𝒂𝒑𝒆𝒍𝒆 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒍𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑻𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝑶𝒇 𝑶𝒌𝒑𝒆 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁,

1𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗲𝗯. 2026

The Alema of Warri Kingdom, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, has issued a stern and uncompromising warning to the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, cautioning him against any action capable of igniting a dangerous communal crisis in Sapele.

Uduaghan bluntly insisted that the Orodje must strictly confine his authority and activities to the 510 acres of land expressly granted to the Okpe people in the landmark judgement of Chief Ayomanor v. Ginuwa (11 JELR81222, W.A.C.A) — and nothing more.

Reacting to the planned foundation-laying ceremony of a sub-palace in Sapele, the Alema made it clear that any activity outside the legally defined 510 acres would be viewed as a provocation and would be challenged with every lawful means available.

“I sincerely hope that the proposed foundation-laying ceremony by the Orodje of Okpe is within the said 510 acres granted in the judgement. Anything outside this will be far-reaching and will amount to a deliberate invitation to communal crisis — and it will be resisted,” Uduaghan warned.

SAPELE NOT OKPE LAND — HISTORICAL RECORDS SPEAK

Uduaghan flatly dismissed claims by the Okpe Kingdom that Sapele belongs to them, describing such assertions as historically false and legally baseless.

He cited the 1930 Intelligence Report of the Colonial Administration on the Okpe Sobo Clan, compiled by L.E.A. Fellows, which clearly listed Okpe settlements — with no mention of Sapele.

According to the report, recognized Okpe villages include: 𝗔𝗺𝘂𝗸𝗽𝗲, 𝗘𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲, 𝗢𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗽𝗲, 𝗚𝗯𝘂𝗸𝘂𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘂.

Uduaghan, who administers Ugbekoko, Utonyatsere, Ajimele, Aji Dore, Irakpa, and other Itsekiri communities in Sapele under the overlordship of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, stressed that the oft-quoted W.A.C.A judgement never awarded Sapele to the Okpe people.

“The judgement in Chief Ayomanor v. Ginuwa did NOT grant ownership of Sapele to the Okpes. It only granted 510 acres of land — a clearly known and defined area,” he stated.

Uduaghan concluded with an unambiguous declaration:

“Sapele is not the exclusive town of the Okpe people. From time immemorial, Sapele belongs to the Itsekiri people.”

The warning sends a clear signal: any attempt to stretch authority beyond the bounds of the law will be firmly resisted, as tensions over land and traditional authority continue to simmer in Delta State.