{"id":3577,"date":"2025-06-24T07:39:15","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T07:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/06\/24\/the-earth-knows-its-true-children-the-ijaw-people-will-not-be-strangers-in-their-own-land___says-concern-ijaw-stakeholders-of-warri-federal-constituency\/"},"modified":"2025-06-24T07:39:15","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T07:39:15","slug":"the-earth-knows-its-true-children-the-ijaw-people-will-not-be-strangers-in-their-own-land___says-concern-ijaw-stakeholders-of-warri-federal-constituency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/06\/24\/the-earth-knows-its-true-children-the-ijaw-people-will-not-be-strangers-in-their-own-land___says-concern-ijaw-stakeholders-of-warri-federal-constituency\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Earth Knows Its True Children, The Ijaw People Will Not Be Strangers In Their Own Land\u201d___Says Concern Ijaw Stakeholders Of Warri Federal Constituency"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>By Uche Alvin<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With heavy hearts but unwavering spirit, we rise to speak, not just with words but with the truth of generations. Our silence has been mistaken for weakness, our peace interpreted as surrender and our history buried beneath the weight of manufactured lies and state-sponsored manipulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We, the Ijaw people of Warri, can no longer afford to sit in the shadows while others twist our heritage, trample upon our dignity and reduce us to tenants on ancestral soil where our umbilical cords were buried and where our ancestors lived, toiled and died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let it be known across Nigeria and to the ends of the earth.<br \/>The Itsekiris are not the owners of Warri. They are not the aboriginal people. They came as migrants, as settlers, as guests. And it is to our eternal shame as a people that we welcomed them in peace only for that peace to be weaponized against us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They came at a time when our canoes had mapped the rivers, our shrines stood unshaken, our ancestors traded with foreign merchants and our culture thrived with dignity. They came with nothing and now claim everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was we, the Ijaws who gave them shelter. We allowed their feet to touch our soil. But today, they use courts, compromised officials and state agencies to claim what was never theirs. They wear the cloak of history but beneath it lies a garment of lies. They manipulate court judgments and parade documents crafted in deceit to silence the true owners of Warri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We say enough is enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let every Nigerian know that Ijaw land cannot and will never be stolen by deception, nor erased by propaganda. The soil bears witness. The rivers remember our names. The gods of our fathers will not be mocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To those who claim that the Ijaws are tenants, we ask, which tenant buries their ancestors on the land? Which tenant owns the mangroves, the creeks, the sacred groves? Which tenant builds homes that are older than your kingdoms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You cannot fabricate identity through threat. You cannot inherit land by force. You cannot rewrite truth with lies, not when our bones are in the land, not when our spirits walk these waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stop dragging its feet. The Supreme Court has spoken. The Warri Federal Constituency delineation must be completed in full compliance with constitutional and legal mandates. Justice delayed is injustice empowered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We call on the National Security Adviser, the Presidency, and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to take note of the dangerous politics being played with land, identity and people\u2019s lives in Warri. We will not be pushed to the wall forever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If peace must reign, justice must lead. If there is to be true unity, truth must be allowed to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We, the Ijaw people, do not seek war. But neither will we accept slavery. The time has come to tell the world:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe are the land. The land is us. You may lie to the world but you cannot lie to the soil.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Signed:<br>Council of Ijaw Elders and Stakeholders<br>Warri Federal Constituency<br>Delta State. Nigeria<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Uche Alvin With heavy hearts but unwavering spirit, we rise to speak, not just&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13],"tags":[1002,1003],"class_list":["post-3577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-the-earth-knows-its-true-children","tag-the-ijaw-people-will-not-be-strangers-in-their-own-land___says-concern-ijaw-stakeholders-of-warri-federal-constituency"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0172-1.jpg?fit=920%2C819&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4361,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/09\/the-crown-you-wear-is-made-of-propaganda-and-colonial-favor___says-ijaw-urhobo-coalition-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":0},"title":"\u201cThe Crown You Wear Is Made Of Propaganda And Colonial Favor\u201d___Says Ijaw, Urhobo Coalition Group To Olu Of Itsekiri","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"July 9, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin PRESS RELEASE From: Ijaw and Urhobo Stakeholders of Warri Federal ConstituencyTitle: \"ENOUGH OF PROPAGANDA, ENOUGH OF DELAY \u2014 TRUTH AND JUSTICE MUST PREVAIL IN WARRI! PROPAGANDA IS NOT OWNERSHIP \u2014 THE TRUTH CANNOT BE SILENCED! We, the indigenous Ijaw and Urhobo peoples of Warri Federal Constituency, rise\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0265-1.jpg?fit=201%2C251&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4397,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/13\/how-colonial-favoritism-created-the-illusion-of-itsekiri-sovereignty-over-ijaw-lands____ijaw-stakeholders-of-warri-federal-constituency\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":1},"title":"How Colonial Favoritism Created The Illusion Of Itsekiri Sovereignty Over Ijaw Lands____Ijaw Stakeholders Of Warri Federal Constituency","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"July 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Esther David OPEN LETTER TO THE NIGERIAN STATE AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THE INVENTED KINGDOM: HOW COLONIAL FAVORITISM CREATED THE ILLUSION OF ITSEKIRI SOVEREIGNTY OVER IJAW LANDS Issued by: Ijaw Stakeholders of Warri Federal ConstituencyDate: [13\/7\/2025] There comes a time when silence becomes betrayal, not just to our ancestors\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0846-1-1.jpg?fit=747%2C944&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0846-1-1.jpg?fit=747%2C944&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0846-1-1.jpg?fit=747%2C944&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0846-1-1.jpg?fit=747%2C944&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4324,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/06\/if-inec-fails-to-implement-delineation-report-there-will-be-no-election-in-warri-federal-constituency___says-coalition-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":2},"title":"\u201cIf INEC Fails To Implement Delineation Report There Will Be No Election In Warri Federal Constituency\u201d___Says Coalition Group","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"July 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Esther David OPEN LETTER TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, INEC AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY RE: NO DELINEATION, NO ELECTION \u2014 WE ARE NOT STRANGERS ON OUR OWN LAND We, the Indigenous Ijaw People of Warri Federal Constituency, from Ogbe-Ijoh, Gbaramatu, Isaba and Diebiri, write with a heavy heart and a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0448-1-1.jpg?fit=686%2C386&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0448-1-1.jpg?fit=686%2C386&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0448-1-1.jpg?fit=686%2C386&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4927,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/10\/23\/a-memorandum-by-ijaw-stakeholders-exposing-the-fallacy-of-itsekiri-ownership-claims-and-inecs-refusal-to-publish-the-warri-federal-constituency-final-delineation-result\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":3},"title":"A MEMORANDUM BY IJAW STAKEHOLDERS: Exposing The Fallacy Of Itsekiri Ownership Claims And INEC\u2019s Refusal To Publish The Warri Federal Constituency Final Delineation Result","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"October 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Ebiowei Gabriel MEMORANDUM From: Concerned Ijaw Stakeholders of Warri Federal ConstituencyDate: [23\/9\/2025] Subject: Exposing the Fallacy of Itsekiri Ownership Claims and INEC\u2019s Refusal to Publish the Final Ward Delineation Result INTRODUCTION The persistent propaganda by certain Itsekiri elites and their intellectual collaborators that they alone are the \u201cindigenes of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_1017-3-1.jpg?fit=1007%2C856&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_1017-3-1.jpg?fit=1007%2C856&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_1017-3-1.jpg?fit=1007%2C856&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_1017-3-1.jpg?fit=1007%2C856&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5499,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2026\/03\/01\/why-we-will-boycott-the-2027-elections-if-inec-fail-to-implement-the-warri-federal-constituency-delineation-report___says-ijaw-urhobo-coalition-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":4},"title":"\u201cWhy We Will Boycott The 2027 Elections If INEC Fail To Implement The Warri Federal Constituency Delineation Report\u201d___Says Ijaw, Urhobo Coalition Group","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"March 1, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"By Ebiowei Gabriel Warri, Delta State______ A group under the auspices of Protectors Of Ijaw, Urhobo Heritage In Warri Federal Constituency, has made a strong worded press statement directed at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over what the it described as deliberate delay in the implementation of the Supreme\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_4694-1.jpg?fit=539%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_4694-1.jpg?fit=539%2C550&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/img_4694-1.jpg?fit=539%2C550&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4358,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/08\/warri-ward-delineation-delay-a-betrayal-of-justice-a-mockery-of-indigeneity___says-concerned-ijaw-group\/","url_meta":{"origin":3577,"position":5},"title":"\u201cWarri Ward Delineation Delay A Betrayal Of Justice, A Mockery Of Indigeneity\u201d___Says Concerned Ijaw Group","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"July 8, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin MEMORANDUM TO INEC, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND ALL CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS RE: WARRI WARD DELINEATION DELAY \u2014 A BETRAYAL OF JUSTICE, A MOCKERY OF INDIGENEITY We, the Indigenous Ijaw People of Warri Federal Constituency, sons and daughters of Ogbe-Ijoh, Gbaramatu, Diebiri, Isaba and other ancestral communities, submit this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pfDfBE-VH","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3577\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}