PH Mundial – Port Harcourt Online Newspaper News Across The Region
Related Articles
By Young Erhiurhoro
In all our histories, either oral or documented, communities in Urhobo, Isoko and Ijaw ethnic nationalities in the Niger-Delta region are inter-related in one way or the other. Maybe, as a result of migration, marriage or friendship. These three sociological tools always brought these people together as brothers and sisters, members of the same big family in ancient times.
Interestingly today, there are many Urhobo people that have family members in Isoko and Ijaw communities and vice versa. These people are connected mostly through marriage. Many Urhobo men married from these two ethnic groups. The same way they married from Urhobo. Again, they are connected as friends in the same business, in the same place of work, or playing politics together in the same political parties. This system have tied us together like a broom.
But more importantly, from pre-colonial period through the colonial and post-colonial times in these three ethnic groups especially in this present Delta State, boundary disputes which is our major subject of discussion in this short article has done us more evil than good. As I have said in other fora that, the major cause of inter-communal crises in these three ethnic groups in Delta state is nothing but boundary disputes.
Other causes are mere secondary. Boundary disputes have cost us much, even from the time of our forebears and ancestors. Till today, we are still playing the same kind of game which never favoured our ancestors in any way. Boundary disputes only helped to create division, enmity, hatred, reprisals and crises at the end.
This same kind of game is what our traditional rulers, chiefs and community leaders are still embarking on these days. Today, two neighbouring communities are either at war in the police station, law court or crisis for one property or the other, all these calamities boil down to boundary disputes.
In another development, boundary from the layman understanding is a demarcation of land, river or other property between two or more individuals, families and communities. Therefore, when this demarcation is not well established to the satisfaction and agreement of the parties involved, then it usually result to boundary disputes.
These boundary disputes have happened between communities in Urhobo as one ethnic group before now. In fact, boundary disputes have taken Unenurhie and Uwheru communities to court many times. In the same way, Unenurhie and Evwreni communities have gone to court over issues of boundary locations. Even as I write now, these ugly issues of boundary locations are surfacing again amongst these three neighbouring communities. These areas are on keg of fire if government doesn’t come in as fast as possible.
These are communities that are strongly inter-connected through migratory lines and marriage. Today, sixty percent of Unenurhie people are either related paternally or maternally to the Evwreni people or the Uwheru people. There is virtually no Evwreni man or woman that won’t trace his/her history to Unenurhie. It’s the same with the Unenurhie people and Uwheru people.
These are communities that are founded on the same geographical region. In the first place, do we even know why these communities are founded by our forebears in the same location? These our ancestors lived peacefully and happily in those days. This is why they gave out their daughters to marry from each other. This was done to keep the peaceful co-existence flowing and in good bond.
In most times, from history as established by trained historians and other scholars from Urhobo like Prof. Onigu Otite, Prof. Michael Young Nabofa, Prof. Peter Ekeh, Prof. G. G. Darah etc that wrote much on Urhobo history, culture, myths and legends; they usually established that boundaries between two communities especially those in the riverine areas and those on the coastal planes are naturally demarcated by rivers or streams. Truly, we grew up to meet this historical fact.
For instance, we believe that Unenurhie as a community shares common boundary with the Evwreni people through a river which has a bridge along the East-West federal road, separating the two communities. In the same way, a river also demarcates Unenurhie community and Uwheru community. That river too, also has a bridge along the same federal road to separate the two communities.
However, from all these clear historical indications, some of our present leaders in these three communities want to push the innocent youths of these communities into crisis by presenting to them different versions of history about the common boundaries of these places. In most cases, our ancestors used rivers or streams as natural indicators which they believed can’t easily be manipulated by people of either sides to established these common boundaries.
What these our ancestors have done years ago, even when none of us now haven’t been born is what we want to manipulate through one way or the other to only cause the breakdown of law and order. And to also destroy the long existent peaceful relationship between these communities. At least, the Delta state government should wade into these boundary disputes amongst Evwreni, Unenurhie and Uwheru people to avoid possible chaos and calamity.
No doubt, the truth is that, our community leaders are greedy and selfish people. In these places I mentioned, their major reason leading to these boundary disputes is as a result of oil well locations and resources from the rivers since these three communities are oil producing communities located in OML 30.
For instance, what is causing Unenurhie and Uwheru communities at the moment is argument on the ownership of a particular oil well location. In the same way, Evwreni is dragging ownership of one or two oil well locations with the Unenurhie people. In fact, this discovery of oil and gas in the Niger-Delta region is not a blessing to the people.
Rather it’s an evil to so many communities. Though, it’s not so with the will and intention of God to have placed these golden natural resources in this region. However, our leaders who are selfish and self-centered turned this blessing against the people to make themselves wealthy and powerful.
Today, powerful leaders of some of these communities are fully bent and prepared to even influence the government to destroy powerless communities and take over the ownership of such natural properties. This is happening between the Itsekiri communities and Urhobo communities.
There are lingering court cases over the years between the Uvwie and some Itsekiri and Ijaw communities. It’s the same story between the Okpe and Itsekiri communities. As we speak, the issue of ownership of Sapele as either a community in Okpe or Itsekiri is hard for the Delta state government to resolve because both communities parade a handful of powerful leaders who are equally in the government. This is why, the issue of boundary establishment continue to escalate like wild fire on every little agitations from either side.
Unfortunately, almost all the inter-communal crises in the state at the moment would be definitely traced to boundary disputes. The one between Enwhe and Igbide in Isoko that claimed thousands of lives and properties was as a result of boundary disputes.
The one between Enwhe and Olomoro also in Isoko was caused by boundary disputes. Again, this recent one between Okuama and Okoloba communities was as a result of boundary disputes before the military now involved. This was done by power influence of our leaders to witch-hunt the Okuama community.
Till this very moment, the Okuama people haven’t regained their freedom and peace as a people. They are still perpetually placed in IDP camps at Ewu town. It was an ugly scenario. These are devastating effects of boundary disputes in our communities.
In fact, our people have paid dearly through the nose as a result of these boundary disputes. It has caused ripples and scars of enmity, division and reprisals amongst our people. Yet, we continue to build on these poor foundations laid down by bad leaders in our communities. Our youths are today at longer heads as enemies.
Every little argument, they easily turn it to war to kill innocent people and destroy important properties. This style of living won’t take us any where. It would rather produce acrimony amongst once peaceful and loving people. Our leaders will only cause these troubles on the land. When the real crisis will surface, they all have hiding places they run to. None of them or their children would be involved in any of these crises they cause for our poor youths. Let’s be wise.
On this note, I want to send a message of understanding to the youths of Evwreni, Unenurhie and Uwheru to always toll the part of peace whenever these argument of land ownership comes up amongst our leaders. We shouldn’t fall preys or tools in their hands anymore. Remember, they will only use you to achieve their personal gains and give you nothing but remnants at the end of the day, if only you are even lucky to survive the crisis.
This is why it’s quite expedient for us to urge our leaders to always sit at a round table to discuss sensitive issues as boundary locations and resolve them amicably without even involving a third party like the government. We should also know that, none of us, no matter how powerful or influential we are today, we won’t carry any of these properties or resources to the grave. We shall all die one day as happened to all our founding fathers and ancestors in these communities.
This is the more reason why we should continue to sing and preach peace at all times. Let peace be our watchword and motto as people in the same neighborhood and vicinity. I rest my case!
Young Erhiurhoro,Kjc is a reporter and member of Urhobo Historical Society.
