Tejiri Ebikeme/Francis Sadhere
A leader in Kantu community of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief (Colonel) Satchie Etoromi (Rtd), has implored the Ogbe-Ijoh Traditional Council to count out the people of Odidi community from burial of the late Monarch of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingom.
Reacting to the burial programme of activities as released by Ogbe-Ijoh Traditional Council, Chief Etoromi, who is also the Seipakamo of Gbaramatu Kingdom, stressed that Odidi is part of Kantu land in Gbaramatu Kingdom and not part of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom.
Specifically, he picked holes in the programme of day four of the burial of the late monarch as published in a national daily of Monday March 31, 2014, featuring Ceremonial Dances by Sub-Communities in which Odidi zone was expected to participate.
But the Kantu leader, Chief Etoromi, while saying that Odidi is part of Kantu land in Gbaramatu Kingdom and not part of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, stressed that indigenes of Ogbe-Ijoh residing in Odidi were free to take part in the burial of their traditional ruler.
In his words; “The Ogbe-Ijoh Tradition Council excise Odidi from their areas of influence as it is not part of Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom. But it is an Ijaw community in Gbaramatu kingdom. They should not lay false claim to what do not belong to them and we are making this appeal to avoid breakdown of law and order with our neighbours.”
“Ogbe-Ijoh indigenes who are living in Kantu can take part in all the ceremonies in Ogbe-Ijoh. We do not object to that. But we want to make it a point of correction because according to this publication, it makes it look like Odidi is a part of Ogbe-Ijoh, which is wrong. They should correct that. We know that some people from Ogbe-Ijoh community are living in Odidi and when they have ceremonies at Ogbe-Ijoh, they are free to go,” he said.
Chief Etoromi added that; “According to the Programme Of Activities For The Final Burial Rites Of His Royal Majesty, Amaa-Pere: Amakosu Of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Oduwor 111 published in a national daily, we want to draw attention to the activity of Day Four, to observe that Odidi zone should not appear. That we know that Ogbe-Ijoh indigenes live in Odidi, but Odidi is Kantu land and kantu is part of Gbaramatu, not Ogbe-Ijoh. We want this to be corrected by the Ogbe-Ijoh Traditional Council.”
