REBUTTAL TO THE ITSEKIRI YOUTH ELITES: YOUR FRAUDULENT TREATY, FALSE HISTORY AND FAILED LAND GRAB EXPOSED -

By Uche Alvin

Issued by: Warri Historical Truth and Justice Forum
Date: August 6, 2025

YOU DARE TO CALL THE 1884 TREATY LEGITIMATE? THEN LET HISTORY CUT DEEP

Let us start by ripping apart your lies with the bare-knuckled force of truth.

The 1884 Treaty signed between Chief Nana Olomu, a colonial trader and the British Consul, was a treaty of protection not land ownership. Nowhere in the treaty is there mention of ceding territory, nor of acting on behalf of Ijaw communities who NEVER gave Nana any jurisdiction, consent or mandate to sign away their ancestral lands in the Forcados, Escravos and Ramos Rivers.

“The treaties of protection signed by African chiefs were often misunderstood. They were not cessions of land or sovereignty but designed to secure commerce and British influence.”
Sir Harry Johnston, British Commissioner, 1899, “The Niger and the West Coast of Africa”

FRAUD EXPOSED: NANA SIGNED FOR HIMSELF AND NO ONE ELSE

What gave Nana Olomu the right to represent Ijaw kingdoms like Gbaramatu, Isaba, Egbema, Diebiri or Ogbe-Ijoh? Nothing. These were autonomous Ijaw polities with their own rulers, systems and trading networks long before the British ever met Nana.

“Each creek is held by its own community under customary ownership, claims of overlordship by neighboring traders are alien to Ijaw custom.”
Government Anthropologist, Warri Province Intelligence Report, 1924

So we ask again: Where is the signature of Gbaramatu?
Where is the seal of Isaba?
Where is the Ijaw chief who authorized Nana to sell what he didn’t own? laughable.

You people scream “legitimacy,” but what you carry is a colonial relic, a forged weapon of occupation, not history.

HISTORICAL FACTS: IJAWS WERE HERE BEFORE YOUR FAKE CROWN LANDED

You lie that the Ijaw people were “not present” in these regions. But British records defecate on that lie with open contempt.

“The Ijos inhabit most of the swamp lands west of the Warri River, with large towns such as Gbaramatu, Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh showing signs of permanent settlement and indigenous governance.”
District Officer A.J. Harding, Benin River Report, 1901

The Itsekiris do not possess towns in the western creeks. The lands are owned and occupied by the Ijo (Ijaw) fishermen and traders.”
Major H.D. Moor, Consular Report, 1895

What does this mean? The land was never yours. You lived in Ode-Itsekiri own by Ijaws and adjoining marshes, while Ijaw communities flourished in Escravos, Forcados and Benin River long before you dreamt of your fraudulent Olu.

FAKE CROWN, FAKE KINGDOM: WHO MADE YOU RULERS OF WARRI?

You keep screaming “Olu of Warri” as if it’s a divine crown. Lie!

“Until 1952, the title of the Itsekiri monarch was ‘Olu of Itsekiri.’ The name was changed for political relevance not based on historical fact.”
Western Region Government Gazette, 1952, Cap. 11, Vol. II

Let this burn into your memory:

The Urhobo never recognized the Olu.

The Ijaws never recognized the Olu.

Even the British refused to impose the Olu over Ijaw lands.

So who gave you the right to claim lordship over a land that spits out your authority to this day?

LEGAL DEFEATS: YOUR COURTS HAVE ALREADY DESTROYED YOUR CLAIMS

Let us school you on your legal defeats.

Omejor v. Chief Dore Numa (1926)

“The court ruled that Dore Numa held lands under a lease arrangement not absolute ownership.”

Ijaw Communal Trustees v. Shell BP (1971)

The court declared Itsekiri attempts to collect rent for Ijaw lands as illegal.

Ogbobine v. Shell (1973)
Reaffirmed that oil-bearing lands in Gbaramatu are under Ijaw customary ownership.

If you truly owned the land, why did Shell, Chevron, Agip and others start paying rent to Ijaw landlords before and after court interventions?

Because your fraud could not hold up in court!

YOUR MIGRATION LIE: IT IS YOU WHO CAME TO OUR LAND

You say Ijaws migrated westward in the 20th century. That is a sick joke.

Let this quote slap your lie back to reality:

“Ijos of the Gbaramatu division have occupied the creeks west of the Escravos for over 400 years. Their origin is not traceable to any migration during the colonial period.”
S.N. Oki, Warri Intelligence Memo, 1930

Even Portuguese explorer Pacheco Pereira in his 1506 journal spoke of “the people of the Oporoza River who trade with palm oil” long before any Olu or Itsekiri emerged.

WHERE IS YOUR LAND TITLE? WHERE IS YOUR COLONIAL MAP?

If you are landlords, show the following:

Your land surveys from 1884 with Ijaw lands inside them

Colonial maps designating Forcados or Escravos as Itsekiri land

Deeds signed by Ijaw chiefs ceding land to Nana

You have none. You only have colonial bribes, forged treaties and a propaganda machine running on lies.

FINAL WARNING: YOU CANNOT REWRITE WHAT YOU NEVER WROTE

“When a lie is told long enough, it becomes dangerous, not true.”
Chief T.E. Douglas, Ijaw Nationalist, 1959

We have tolerated your arrogance long enough.

We have watched your kingdom build a throne out of colonial fraud.

We have seen your youth, like Comr. Lily-white, spew garbage with misplaced confidence.

But we say this today:
Warri is not yours. You remains our Tennants because the factual history say so.
Your 1884 treaty is invalid, your historical claim is a farce and your land ownership is a myth.

OUR POSITION:

NO FINAL DELINEATION, NO CVR IN WARRI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY

INEC MUST RECOGNIZE IJAW AND URHOBO INDIGENEITY

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST STOP ENABLING COLONIAL FRAUD

THE TITLE “OLU OF WARRI” MUST BE REVERTED TO “OLU OF ITSEKIRI”

We are not scared of your British fake treaty. We were here before the British came and we will be here when your lies fall.

Ijaws are not your squatters, you are our Tennants. We are the landlords of our rivers.

And no amount of renamed monarchs or frightened propaganda will change that.

Signed,

Freeborn Abraye
(Chairman)

Ebiotubo Wealth
(Secretary)

Warri Historical Truth and Justice Forum