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Historical Society |
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this Account of the Launch of J. O. S. Ayomike's Warri: A Focus on the
Itsekiri |
Culled
from:
July
8,
2010
J.O.S
Ayomike�s Focus on Itsekiri at a Book Party�
By Janet Alakam
It was indeed an excursion into the history of one of the nation�s
ethnic
groups as the age long battle for the ownership of Warri by the two
arch
combatants , the Urhobos and the Itsekiri was put to rest last weekend
at the
main hall of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Victoria
Island as
renowned Itsekiri scholars and leaders of thought came out with a book
that has
all the historical, cultural, judicial, sociological evidences and
valid
treaties that point to the fact that Itsekiris
are
the owners of Warri.
The
event which brought together
eminent personalities, scholars, leaders of thought and prominent
Itsekiri sons
and daughters was the formal presentation of the book, WARRI: A Focus
on the
Itsekiri, edited by renowned Itsekiri historian and chairman Itsekiri
leaders
of thought, Mr J.O.S Ayomike.
Speaking
in his capacity as the
chairman of the occasion, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, urged Nigerians to imbibe the
spirit of
living together as one and to live in peace for the good of the people,
society
and the country. General Gowon who has been in the vanguard of oneness
specifically asked the Itsekiris and
Urhobos to put
their differences aside in the interest of the nation, just as he
lamented that
the present Nigeria is not the one he wished for. He however charged
Nigerians
to think about what they could do to correct what was wrong with the
country
rather than harp on it.
Gen
Gowon, while reacting to a
question posed by one of the book reviewers, Mr. Agbeigbe,
said,
�Certainly this is not the Nigeria I want. But the fellow, who asked
this
question should ask himself what he has contributed to make Nigeria
better, if
we are all committed we would have the Nigeria we want.� He said.
On
the focus on the Itsekiris, Gen, Gowon
said �History must not be left in the
hands of people who have no sense of history. If we make the mistake of
allowing just anyone to tell a story, all that we shall get in the end
would be
inaccuracies, deliberate distortions and outright falsehood that can
only help
spread ignorance. In this kind of situation, we shall have a case
of what
a leading Nigerian writer would correctly describe as �combative
ignorance
trumpeting its own values.� This, we must not allow this to happen.�
The
former General also argued that
, �I believe that the writing of this book arose out of the intuitive
need to
correct the history of a people for posterity, especially in the
light of
events of the past decade that have occasioned widespread
misinformation about
the Itsekiri following the spate of upheavals in Warri and its
environs. This
book should help a great deal to clarifying all areas of misinformation
and
help restore trust and confidence amongst all the people in the area
who have
lived and intermarried overtime.�
In
his comments, the Editor and
chairman Itsekiri leaders of thought Mr
J.O.S Ayomike in an emotionally laden
voice stated that �the book
is part of the crowning of our experience and we have written things
that we
saw and participated in, things that were accomplished here in Warri�.�
Continuing
he added that �today,
after two generations , I can proudly say as St Paul said to Timothy
that my
generation has fought a good fight, they have finished the race and
kept the
faith and like Simeon who at the sight of baby Jesus, just 8 days old
in the
temple realized that he had actually seen the long awaited Messiah�.
The
book launch became a land mark
event having produced the highest number of reviewers as six scholars
in the
persons of Professor Tony Afejuku of
University of
Benin, Professor Itse Sagay,
Barr.
Bright Omorogie, Barr. Sam S. Obaro, Prof. J.N. Omatseye
and
Barr. Fred Agbeyegbe reviewed the book.
Professor
Afejuku
in his review described the book as an excellent work of history and
culture
about the Itsekiri who have gone into diverse history books written by
European
and non-European scholars, historians and travelers alike as a highly civilised people.
According
to Afejuku
�generally, the forthrightness of the writers of this book is
courageous,
unsentimental and unsubjective, even
though they are
Itsekiri men who might be expected to write history from the biased
stand-point
of Itsekiri, they wrote the book without romanticizing, without
exaggerating,
without fanaticizing, simply put, they profoundly objectify and objectivize.�
He
further stated that, �the
Prologue of the book contains an account of how Warri came into being
and the
breakaway from Benin, it focuses on the Itsekiri and their early
settlements,
ownership of Itsekiri homeland, their Ijaw
neighbours, the establishment of the Itsekiri kingdom of Warri;
Itsekiri links
with European and their Yoruba neighbours adding that it contains a
graphic
description of Itsekiri homeland and focuses on the interregnum in
Itsekiri
land�.
Reviewing
the book from legal angle,
Professor Itse Sagay
stated
that, �Warri: A focus on the Itsekiri� is about some political,
business and
intellectual elites obsession with Warri and the Itsekiri response to
this
obsession is not borne out of love for Warri but out of pathological
pleasure
in denying the Itsekiri their entitlement to the city founded by them
and named
after them.
In
addition he added that, �If
we look at the Warri land cases, all conclusively confirm Itsekiri�s
ownership of Warri and some of these cases have been reproduced at the
back of
the book as Appendices A, B, C, and D. They are in order: Ogegede
v Dore Numa (High Court), Ometa
v Chief Dore Numa at the Divisional Court
(High
Court), and the Privy Council, The Chief Commissioner, Western
Provinces v Ginuwa 11, the Olu of Itsekiri
and two others.�
In
his contribution, Prof. Agbeyegbe lamented
that the Nigerian constitution did
not protect the interest of minority groups adding that the Itsekiri
people
have not faired well under successive
administrations
in Delta state. He also added that the military incursion in the
nation�s
politics also contributed to the woes of the minority group in the
country.
Earlier
in his address of welcome,
Chief Willy Edema Ofoni, chairman Itsekiri
National
Heritage unearthed the untold story of Itsekiri nation�s pioneering
role in
Nigeria�s civilisation and concluded by
saying that
Itsekiri has come of age and should be recognized as a component part
of
Nigeria.
The
event which also displayed the
rich cultural dress sense of Itsekiri became another forum to reaffirm
Itsekiri
�s ownership of Warri as amplified by the six reviewers of the book in
their
respective presentations.
Those
at the event include Gen Gowon,Rear
Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu(Rtd) Mrs
Oluremi Tinubu,
Uncle Sam Amuka, Mr. Allison Ayida, Chief
Hope Harriman, Chief Mrs Rita Lori-Ogbebor, Mr. Kayode
Fayemi, represntatives
of The Wakilin Adamawa, Oba of Benin, Oba
of Lagos, Olu of Warri and Minister of
Niger Delta.
Others
are, Mr J.O.S Ayomike,
Prof Itse Sagay,
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Ambassador Segun Olusola, Prof
Tony Afejuku,
Barrister Fred Agbeigbe, Chief Adolor
Okotie Eboh, Mrs Doris Rewane,
Tony Ede among
others.