Oba of Benin come and take your people, Gbaramatu Chief accuses Itsekiri of land grabbing

Chief Gospower Gbenekama, the Fiyewei (Spokesman) of Gbaramatu kingdom has called out Oba of Benin to come and take his people, accusing Itsekiri of land grabbing.

He made this statement at the Egbegha town hall of Ijaghala (Zou-Ala Uba) community following lingering issues of land ownership claims by Itsekiri.

Gbenekama criticized the Itsekiri people's claims, saying, "How do you come to somebody's land and say the person is your customary tenant and brandish foolish court's judgments?" 

He added, "Oba of Benin, come and take your people. The people you sent away are giving us trouble in our land.

Speaking further, he said, "Ijaghala is a Gbaramatu community and we will not relinquish this community for any stranger that want to use all calling means to take away our God-given land," declared Chief Gbenekama.

Gbenekama also asserted that Ijaghala community was founded by Egbegha, an Ijaw man, from Oporoza, the traditional headquarters Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Gbenekama emphasized the Ijaw people's rich history, stating, "Ijaws are one of the oldest tribes in Nigeria."