The Fiyewei of the ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief Dr. Godspower Gbenekama (JP), has expressed anger over claims of ownership on Gbaramatu lands by the Itsekiri people, with a call on the Oba of Benin to take back his people for disturbing the peace in the Niger Delta out of their proud disposition.

The Fiyewei's call is coming on the aftermath of a press conference called by the people of Ijaghala (Zou-Ala Uba) Community on Friday to address the misrepresentation that the community is part of Ugborodo community instead of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Gbenekama, who addressed the press, stated that the original name of the community is Zou-Ala Uba, but was overtime corrupted as Ijaghala.

On the claims by the Itsekiri people, he said that in the African tradition, it is the man that marries the woman to his home to procreate, just as Egbegha, the founder of Zou-Ala Uba did by marrying an Itsekiri woman, with the children speaking their mother's dialect.

"Inter marriage made some of them to speak other language, and then you think, because they speak the language you want to assimilate them. It's funny that every claim of land by the Itsekiri is always by court," he said.

The Fiyewei noted that those Itsekiri people laying claims to the community are not descendants of Egbegha but are settlers who accompanied the children of the founder, but warned that the kingdom will not cede any land of Gbaramatu to any group or persons.

"I want to ask, how do the Fulani got Emirs all over Hausa land? It is through Jihadist conquest. Assuming, without conceding, if they were staying along this place and the Ijaw people conquered them, then we have conquered them, the land belong to the Ijaw people. But this is not what it is.

"The fact is, Ijaws are one of the oldest tribes in Nigeria. Google it. So, how does somebody, who said he came from Benin in the 14th century, a splinter. Edo people, come and take your people. The people you sent away, because of evil deeds are causing problems in our land. So, Oba of Benin come and take your people!" he charged.

Gbenekama further stated that the ownership of Zou-Ala Uba has been earlier affirmed by a publication made by the elders of the community oin the Vanguard Newspaper in Page 20 of November 2, 2008, laying to rest any doubt about the Gbaramatu community.

He said that the Ijaw people of Gbaramatu Kingdom are ready to accommodate those who are ready to stay peacefully with them, but that nobody can change their history, while he also labeled those who claim that the Gbaramatu people are customary tenants as "customary slaves".

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