By Ovasa Ogaga,
The First Deputy President General of the Urhobo Apex Social Cultural Organisation, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Chief Isaacs Oghenerhoro Itebu, has strongly condemned what it described as a clandestine and unlawful installation of an “Olare-Aja” in Sapele by alleged Itsekiri settler groups, warning that the move was deliberately calculated to embarrass Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, and provoke communal tension.
In a strongly worded press statement signed by Chief Itebu, a prominent chief in Okpe Kingdom, said it was “disturbing” that certain Itsekiri settlers allegedly installed an “Olare-Aja” to act as the oldest man of Sapele community, insisting that the act was “illegal, invalid, provocative, and contrary to the established native law and custom of the Okpe people.”
The statement declared that “Sapele remains historically, traditionally, and legally recognised as an Okpe territory, founded and owned by the Okpe people,” stressing that while non-indigenous groups have coexisted peacefully in the area, “their presence does not confer traditional rights over Okpe land, titles, or institutions.”
Faulting the legitimacy of the purported installation, he explained that under Okpe native law and custom, there cannot be more than one eldest male indigene in a community.
“By Okpe native law and custom, an eldest male indigene, Okpako-Amua (Olare-Aja), of a community in conjunction with the council of elders, traditionally administers a community on behalf of the Orodje-Okpe,” the statement said, adding: “We don’t have two Okpako-Amua in a community in Okpe kingdom. A stranger or settler, no matter his age, cannot also be an Okpako-Amua (Olare-Aja) in an Okpe community.”
The statement further accused the settlers of usurping Okpe traditional authority, noting that “under Okpe customary law—recognised by the Delta State Government and supported by long-standing judicial precedent—only the Okpe people can install holders of traditional or community titles within Okpe territory.”
According to Chief Itebu, “any attempt” by settlers to do otherwise amounts to “a usurpation of Okpe traditional institutions, a violation of our customary sovereignty, and a deliberate act capable of breaching the peace.”
Speaking on behalf of Okpe nation, he rejected the title itself, insisting that “the title of ‘Olare-Aja’ is not an Okpe title, has never been recognised in Sapele community, and cannot be imposed by any migrant population regardless of their years of residence.”
Warning against what it described as a parallel power structure, the statement said the Sapele community “will not accept, recognize, or tolerate any attempt to install a parallel leadership structure that undermines the authority of the Okpe traditional institutions,” stressing that such actions would be regarded as “null and void, a direct assault on Okpe heritage, and a threat to public order and communal harmony.”
In a politically charged allegation, Chief Itebu, who is also an APC chieftain, said the move was designed to drag the Delta State Governor into a needless crisis.
“The clandestine installation by Itsekiri settlers in Sapele community of an Olare-Aja is targeted at embarrassing Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori and pit him against his Okpe people and the Urhobo nation,” the statement alleged.
He therefore, called on the Delta State Government and security agencies to act swiftly, urging “the Executive Governor of Delta State, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Nigeria Police Force, Sapele Area Command, and the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately investigate, stop, and prevent this unlawful clandestine installation… before it escalates into avoidable communal tension.”
While reaffirming commitment to peaceful coexistence, he warned that the Okpe Nation's tolerance should not be mistaken for weakness.
“The Okpe people remain accommodating, peaceful, and respectful of all ethnic groups residing in Sapele. However, peaceful coexistence cannot and must not be mistaken for weakness, nor should hospitality be exploited to distort history or undermine our ancestral authority,” the statement said.
He added that “no settler group has the power or legitimacy to install an ‘Olare-Aja’ or any traditional authority on Okpe land,” while urging residents to remain calm as steps are taken “to protect our cultural integrity and preserve lasting peace.”
