EXPLOSIVE HISTORY: Who Sold Nigeria To Britain For £865k in 1899?

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Today we will be discussing the first oil war, which was fought in the 19th century, in the area that became Nigeria.

All through the 19th century, palm oil was highly sought-after by the British, for use as an industrial lubricant for machinery. Remember that Britain was the world’s first industrialised nation, so they needed resources such as palm oil to maintain that.
Palm oil of course, is a tropical plant, which is native to the Niger Delta. Malaysia’s dominance came a century later.

By 1870, palm oil had replaced slaves as the main export of the Niger Delta, the area which was once known as the Slave Coast. At first, most of the trade in the oil palm was uncoordinated, with natives selling to those who gave them the best deals. Native chiefs such as former slave, Jaja of Opobo became immensely wealthy because of oil palm. With wealth comes influence.

N-DELTA: Itsekiri Group Sends Warning Signal to FG

Sapele—The Iwere Peoples’ Congress, aka, Agbukumasa, the self defence arm of the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, which came into existence during the Ijaw and Itsekiri communal crisis between 1997-2003, yesterday, warned that the fact that the Itsekiri people were not known for violence should not mean that they cannot carry out violence.

It subsequently called on the Federal Government and oil companies in Itsekiri land to stop divide and rule antics and modern day slavery of the people, or be prepared to face their wrath.

The group, through its National Coordinator, Prince Ekwejunor-Etchie Okorodudun, said:

“The Nigerian State and its administrative component called Delta State have abandoned their constitutional role towards an ethnic nationality that is part of their geographical and constitutional authority – the Itsekiri nation.”

“Successive governments have failed the Itsekiri nation as they could not provide the necessary security, protection of the Itsekiri people, land and property during the crisis. We are accusing the government of lack-lustre and lackadaisical behaviour.

Itsekiri Education Trust Awards Scholarships to 13 Undergraduates

WARRI—To bridge the gap in education in Warri Kingdom, the Itsekiri Education Trust, IET, has awarded scholarships to 13 Itsekiri undergraduate students studying in various universities across Nigeria.

Presenting cheques for the scholarships in Warri, the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, charged the awardees to key into the vision of IET by making judicious use of scholarships given to them and continue to be law abiding students in their various institutions across Nigeria.

The Olu of Warri, who was represented by the Ewolufun of Warri Kingdom, Chief Rowland Omagbemi, charged the awardees to maintain good grades in their academic work, and shun activities that will distract them from their academic pursuit especially cultism which is prevalent in our universities.

“The scholarship given to you is not meant for frivolous things, it is meant for the purchase of books, research and academic endearvous that will enhance and improve academic studies that will enable you excel in your various areas of study and stand out as good ambassadors of the high moral value of Warri Kingdom.

ITESEKIRI'S CRY FOR HELP

Submit before the national assembly a bill for ethnic minority right and protection in Nigeria. a case for Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

The blowing of oil facilities and economic means in Itsekiri areas by Ijaw militants groups is a continuation of Ijaw militant attack on the Itsekiri ethnic nationality in Nigeria, a continuation of Ijaw claim on the Niger Delta, a covet to wipe out peace loving and law abiding Itsekiri people.

The gospel have been preach to heart of the young in Ujons that they own Warri and that Itsekiri forefathers took all their lands, in their heart is a quiet but great will that Warri the center of Itsekiri should be Ujon, in that will they came for Warri in 1997, Itsekiris were burnt alive, bowel of Itsekiris were ripped out and burst then thrown into the river, finger and arms of Itsekiris torn from their sockets, bullets left on the lifeless bodies of Itsekiris, women and children were not spared, houses and properties burnt and our dead smell around town and in the creeks. It was repeated in 2003, they often came with the rain and under 2weeks the whole of Itsekiri landscape was touch with death, in our own lands given by our forefathers we count our dead by the hands of strangers on our lands. Warri and the 3 Warri LGAs is own by Itsekiris recorded history, treaties and establish by judgment of competent courts of law.

Kings of the Delta (The Itsekiri's)

The Itsekiri (also called the, Isekiri, Itsekri or Ishekiri or Itsekhiri) are a peculiar and unique riverine people who were traditionally fishermen and skillful traders living in the Nigerian Niger delta. They have inhabited their homeland, which now constitutes the three Warri Local Government Areas of Delta State, Nigeria, for centuries. The Itsekiri make up an appreciable proportion of the modern towns of Sapele, Warri, Burutu, and Forcados. The Itsekiris traditionally refer to their land as the Kingdom of Warri or 'Iwere' as its proper name.
Historically Itsekiri are said to have migrated from Egypt to their present day location in Nigeria. According to Jackson Omasanjuwa Ireyefoju and Florence Ejuogharanmakelesan Ireyefoju in their seminal work "Ife Oracle in Itsekiri Social System of Nigeria," Itsekiri people came from Egypt after the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. They arrived and settled in the present Warri Kingdom in about 28 B.C in Gborodo, Ureju and Ode Itsekiri. The leaders of the teams were Iset, Iweret and Ipi. Gborodo is very far from Ode-Itsekiri but they speak the same language without dialectal differences. The people of Gborodo have no quarter in Ode-Itsekiri like other ltsekiri settlements of the era of Olu Atogbuwa, Erejuwa I and Akengbuwu I. The people of Inorin, Omadino and Ureju are pre-Ginuwa, the first Olu in 1480 but the Olu and his people were quickly absorbed into Itsekiri language like the Romans who conquered the Greeks but were civilized by the Greeks.

Does Itsekiri still have a future?

Daniel Reyenieju and others.

We have won courts cases about Warri and Itsekiri, We have written good books about Itsekiri past but all that are not enough for the future of Itsekiri. we have not show much concern about the future of Itsekiri. We are so deep in concern about now that we forget tomorrow. where is Itsekiri going? Where is the road map to the future or our place and people. It seem there are few or no people to discuss criticaly with and to draw out a political road way for Itsekiri. The last 16yrs has seen Itsekiri loss.

Every event that is happening presently is shapening the kind of future for Itsekiri but it seem we are not in control of the events, everything is showing we are on the negative as an ethnic group. aside the fact that our people eat off development funds, we have sat down and allow ujon to tell Itsekiri what to do. Itsekiri is now follow follow to the point that Itsekiri that are no militants are begging for amnesty, our areas are bombed everyday and we sit and just look without any control. Companies are leaving our places and Warri have ultimately turn the city of pot holes, there is still no road to Ode Itsekiri etc