President General of the Urhobo Progress Union, Chief Engr Joe Orode Omene has declared that the declaration of war on Aladja villages by Ijaws of Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh is war against the entire Urhobo nation, assuring that Urhobo will not fold their arms while the Ijaw neighbours continue to ravage Urhobo villages in their expansionist campaigns.
Chief Omene spoke when he led a high powered UPU delegation on solidarity visit to the war ravaged Aladja communities to get first hand information on the on-going declaration of war on Aladja, Ayama and Epame with the Ijaw people sacking and burning houses in the two Urhobo villages of Ayama and Epame.
Speaking at a town-hall meeting with the people of Aladja on Thursday November 17, 2016, the apex Urhobo leader condemned the attack on Urhobo by their Ijaw neighbor calling on Ijaw leaders to call their wards to order before the matter gets out of hand. He also called on the Ijaw people to release all those held hostage during the attack on Aladja warning that any further hostilities against Urhobo could attract dire consequences that would be disastrous to both sides. He promised to hold strategic meetings with the Aladja leaders to find the best way to tackle the challenge thrown at Urhobo by the Ijaw people calling for calm and tact in addressing the current challenge facing the people.
Chief Joe Omene also commended the Aladja people for standing to the challenge these many years, urging for support from well meaning Urhobo people in and outside government to help stop the rampaging Ijaw warriors. He decried the information that the Ijaws have planted their Egbesu flags in two Urhobo villages of Ayama and Epame warning that if not stopped now, the Ijaws could extend their war to other Urhobo villages.
‘’It is most disheartening to note that strange Egbesu flags have been planted in two Urhobo villages. This is a challenge to all Urhobo people. We call on Ijaw leaders to call these boys to order because Urhobo will not fold their arms to watch Ijaw take over their lands. I therefore appeal to the Delta State Government and Security officials to live up to the responsibilities by curbing the army of occupation that has resorted to violence to kill, main, burn down houses and forcefully take over Urhobo villages’’, Omene said.
Earlier in their presentation, President General of Aladja Community Council, Chief Christian C. I. Whiliki expressed joy at the intervention of the Urhobo Progress Union, thanking the President General for his prompt action as soon as the matter was brought to his notice.
Narrating the ordeals of the Aladja people, Senior Apostle Kpeku, who spoke on behalf of the community, took the guests on memory lane explaining how Aladja accommodated the Ogbe-Ijoh and Isaba people many years ago out of the benevolence of the Aladja people of those days. He added that the expansionist tendencies of the Ijaw people was reason for the periodic altercation between Aaldja and those who came to settle in their land and that the present crisis was a result of Isaba’s inordinate desire to acquire lands from Aladja villages and take them as their own. He noted that it was most unfortunate to have been so attacked and ravaged by ungrateful settlers which the Ijaws of Isaba and Ogbe-Ijoh are to Aladja.
The UPU Udu Kingdom Youth President, Comrade Sunday Subi, in a presentation during the meeting, informed the President General that the youths have resolved to issue a quit notice to all Ijaw people in Udu, warning that after announcements round Udu villages warning Ijaws to relocate, the youths may take action capable of breaching the peace in the area.
The meeting was attended by prominent UPU leaders including the First Deputy President General, Chief Mike Ederhewhevwe; the President, UPU Udu Branch, Chief Joseph Odjeni JP; Chief Simon Asite and many other Urhobo leaders from far and near.
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