CHIEF BOBSON GBINIJE
Polymorphous systematization and the orchestration of strategic maneuvering remain cardinal adjuncts and imperative constructs in political engineering processes. The collectivity’s indices are multi-dimensionally structured to the economic, socio-political organic fibre of singularity giving the arrow-head its pungency.
Demographically, the Itsekiri people constitute a minute minority – a kind of microcosm in a macrocosm in the geo-political and heterogeneous nation called Nigeria. The history and origin of the Itsekiri people like other tribal groupings in the Old Western Region of Nigeria, remains unambiguously lucid. Phylogenic History has it that IGINUA (GINUWA I) the eldest son of Oba Olua left Benin in 1473 to found the Warri Kingdom in 1480. The Linguistic finesse and numerical superiority of the Yorubas which they met at ODE-ITSEKIRI (The today real traditional home of the Itsekiris) precipitated cultural osmosis on the Itsekiris and this led to language acculturation, and to the final adoption of the Yoruba dialect of (Itsekiri) as their Lingua franca (BENIN AND WARRI: MEETING POINTS IN HISTORY – THE ITSEKIRI PERSPECTIVE BY J.O.S AYOMIKE).
The Itsekiris, right from 1480 knew the nuts and bolts of “POLITICAL SURVIVALISM” and decided to take their political destiny in their own hands. They found favour in the sight of the colonial masters and this culminated in Chief DORE a shrewd Itsekiri businessman and vulpine litigant becoming a Pro-British political agent. The Itsekiris also acquired early education and this placed them at a vantage political position over their neighbours.
The death of Olu Akengbuwa in June 14th 1848 precipitated 88 years of interregnum. This afforded Chief Dore (1894-1932) the opportunity to entrench the Itsekiri political leadership over their neighbours, notably the Urhobo’s and the Ijaw’s. Chief Dore used his connection with the colonial overlords to get and authenticate legal verdicts in favour of Itsekiri ownership of lands-spreading far and wide.
This culminated in the profound principle of “ITSEKIRISM” – A pronuncimiento, an all-embracing ideological format that has as its fundamental fulcrum, the no-holds barred, recondite and total non-negotiable insulation of the political, socio-economic and cultural interest and rights of the Itsekiri people. This remains the political guiding light of the Itsekiris till today.
In the 1959 pre-independence election the Itsekiris teamed up most inexorably with the Action Group (AG) led by the inimitable Chief Obafemi Awolowo. They vied against the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameron’s (NCNC).
The aftermath of the elections ultimately gave rise to covet alliances, carpet-crossing and behind the scene manipulations, which saw the appointment of Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh (Omimi Ejoh) as Minister of Finance, Chief Alfred Rewane and Chief Etchie Ekwejunor as formidable members of the Action Group (AG). The political marriage between the Action Group (Yorubas) and the Itsekiris kicked off on a fine note and this continued into the second republic Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and even till date?
During the life time of Chief Awolowo his crown of political glory was diademed with his choicest emerald and carbuncle “THE ITSEKIRIS”. They remained his greatest ally “A Biblical Jonathan and David relationship”. Anything that touched the Itsekiri touched the pupil of Awo’s eye they were the apple of his heart. He truly really loved the Itsekiris. The Itsekiri knew this and they rode on that glory using it to establish themselves firmly.
After the death of Awo, the Itsekiris only betrayed a negligible feeling of Papa’s absence, as the immediate past Olu of Warri Ogiame Atuwatse II and his political machines swung into action reasserting the hold of the Itsekiris. He didn’t do too badly as a Progressive.
The Itsekiris in their memorandum, submitted to the 1957 Sir Henry Willinks special commission on States creation strongly declared their profound support for the creation of the Midwest State. They did this because the then Oba of Benin and Chief Awo were in their camp. They were comfortable in the midst of these ones. At another stage again they prevaricated calling for the creation of a Coast State. Their strategy was to ensure a fair representation and protect their interest as a minority group.
In the subsequent call for the creation of Bendel State, Itsekiris flew a political kite calling for the creation of Delta State. When it got to the time to call for the creation of Delta State they jumped to their original idea of a Coast State. I think this greatly influenced the location of the Delta State Capital in Asaba. This of course did not go down well with the Ijaws and the Urhobos who then initiated a call for the creation of the “Real Delta State” with Capital in Warri, the Itsekiris again called for the creation of a “Federal Territory”.
The memorandum submitted to the Boundary Settlement Commission on 8th June, 1974 reads in part “……. it will once and for all times put an end to the possible extinction of the Itsekiri race. Faced as we are by an aggressive populous neighbour, a line must be drawn in terms of ownership of our land lost by progressive population growth and the economic manpower deriving therefrom, there might be no end to what our neighbours might claim. In the result, we will only be left with memories of our past and without any land we could call our home”. (This memorandum was signed by Prince K.B Omatseye, the then Chairman of Warri).
Some political analyst say the Itsekiris political strategy defies classification, some say it is amoeboid, some say it is confrontational and some call it politics of blackmail. But a basic understanding of the simple fact that the Itsekiris are a minority, but a politically vibrant minority group, shows that their politics is that of “SELF PRESERVATION” – through the use of the cry-wolf syndrome to evoke support and sympathy from the powers that be. They also believe in myriad and aggressive lobbying (by any means) to ingratiate themselves and curry the favour of whosoever is listening. This is an uncontextualised political formula that has yielded great and all-embracing political dividend to the Itsekiris.
In the recent past when Warri was in a state of political topsy-turvydom and social schism the Itsekiris political strategy was rebranded to reflect a Fabian and Descartian format, as they were politically sandwiched between the Warri Urhobos and the Ijaws. The truth, facts and fiction about what was really on-ground remains a mystery till today. Then, the Itsekiris were trapped between a Local Scylla and a National Charybdis – they were trapped between the “IZON RENAISSANCE” a New National Reconciliation Drive and a New Transition Programme. But they were able to wriggle out of the serpentine political convolution.
In contemporary history the Jewish State of Israel has been prosecuting an internecine and interminable war with the Palestinians since 1938 after the Balfour Declaration, and the Jews in their “ZIONIST” stance have stopped at nothing and will stop at nothing towards protecting their political and socio-economic rights within the ambit of the Middle East.The Itsekiris have been doing same.
Their dogged commitment to their principles of Itsekirism and other protean strategies supported by former Governor James Onanefe Ibori saw the coming in of former Governor Emmanuel Ewenta Uduaghan (an Itsekiri) as Governor of Delta State. This is a gargantuan political plus for the Itsekiri people and their masterful hold of their political lebensraum. But what is now the next line of action now that Uduaghan has served? They survived the death of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh, Chief Alfred Rewane, Chief O.N Rewane, Chief Begho and other Itsekiri political giants too numerous to mention.
Whither goeth the Itsekiri Nation after the demise of Ogiame Atuwatse II? Recently, specifically on the 12th December, 2015 the 20th Olu of Warri Ogiame Ekenwoli I was crowned as the Olu of Warri. The Itsekiri people, Deltans, Nigerians, Africans and the Diasporic Itsekiris are pregnant with great expectations. We need not stand on the necromancer’s rhomboid or be deft in Egyptological Metempsychosis to know that the new Olu of Warri Ogiame Ekenwoli I will all-embracingly excel by the grace of Divine Afflatus. He is the 20th Olu of Warri and the spirituality of the number is cocooned in the auguries of sacrificial acceptance. This will make his reign a more peaceful and successful one. The number 12th which is the date he was crowned, in terms of numerical spirituality entails celestial authority. He therefore has the support of the elements, the Itsekiri people (vox populi vox dei) and positive spiritual vibrations. These blessings can only be pragmatically manifested if he dwells in the truth, love and fear of God.
The Ogiame Ekenwoli I is no doubt aware that some periods during the reign of Ogiame Atuwatse II Warri and its environs was befuddled by wars, tribal hatred, atrabilious and acrimonious social climate precipitating the siege mentality and superiority complex amongst Itsekiris and their neighbours. We beseech the new Ogiame to spread his hands of fellowship to all and sundry in Warri, Delta State and beyond. Itsekiris as well as their neighbours must realize and heed the admonitions of Alexander Pope “The old order changeth yielding place to the new”. The Itsekiris must realize that minorities all over the world only succeed when they have a functionally peaceful and effectively friendly relationship with the majority ethnic groups within their political compass. Politics is a game of numerical superiority and they cannot go it alone. They have to start by extending their hands of friendship, fellowship and the olive branch of total and genuine reconciliation to their neighbours who I believe will be willing to reciprocate their God-fearing and mutually beneficial gesture.
The execrably odious principle of systematic indoctrination of Itsekiris, Warri Urhobos, Ijaws etc to hate themselves must be discarded and in its place a regenerated doctrine of love and brotherhood implanted. The new dispensation calls for the shedding of old prejudices. Let Itsekiris go out and form political alliances with the Ijaws and the Urhobos and vice versa. The real Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw heroes will emerge from the perfect conducting of their political affairs in the new dispensation. No longer men and women who feathered their political and economic nest and thrived in belligerency and hatred, but men and women who came all out to lift the Itsekiri Nation from the great political labyrinthine valley of stand-offishness and hate.
It is said that “men who move mountains must start by removing small stones first”. Let all well meaning Itsekiri sons and daughters rally round the Olu of Warri Ogiame Ekenwoli I to actualize this clarion call. John L. Motlay the great essayist said “deeds, not stones are the monuments of the great”. Ogiame has started building blocks of peace and friendship in Delta State. He recently graced the 99th birthday celebration of the Owhorode of Olomu Kingdom with his brilliant presence were he interacted with traditional rulers of other parts of Delta State and beyond. This is a step in the right direction and we hope all other traditional rulers will continue to extend their hands of brotherhood to him thereby consolidating the relationship between their various peoples.
During the 45th coronation anniversary of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi the newly crowned Ooni of Ife Arole Oadua Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II visited the Alaafin at the Methodist Church, Apaara where he held his coronation anniversary thanksgiving. It was the first time since 1937 that an Ife monarch will visit an Alaafin.
In his speech, the Ooni said “I am ready to dawn any consequences or insinuations from anywhere, my mission here is to preach peace among the Yorubas both home and abroad and I am ready to work with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Olayiwola Adeyemi to project the unity and love which we believe is existing in the days of our forefathers”
This new song of reconciliation to enable us move forward must be the melodic refrain of all Itsekiris and I know their neighbours will not sing a different lyric. Let the Itsekiri nation be subsumed, drenched and bedraggled in this mellifluous rhythms. Let these great Itsekiri groups join in entrenching the new order – the OTONLOYES, the EREGUAS, DUCHESS, CAUCUS, ALPHA MA, ITSEKIRI VANGUARD, IWERE, ITSEKIRI YOUTHS, ITSEKIRI YOUTHS ABROAD etc. This is the only honorable option.
The Olu of Warri Ogiame Ekenwoli I and his present council of Chiefs must resolve any internal fued and should extend this no-holds barred reconciliation to all those respected chiefs which the late Ogiame, Atuwatse II crowned and also respected, for “charity they say must begin at home”. This new “Itsekiri revolution will make heroes of those who heed the prophetic words of Martin Luther King (Jnr) that “if you are cut down in the middle of a movement designed to save the soul of a Nation, there is no death move redemptive”
Some defenders of the status quo and dialectical logicians will slander this whole idea, calling it “coalition of contradictory political and socio-economic forces”, but I take solace in the fact that as a pragmatist and logistical positivist, I believe they have no better alternative of moving the Itsekiri Nation forward in the light of the new dispensation. Our preoccupation with monocauselity merely hardens our positions, fossilizes debate and limits the boundaries of intellectual discourse. The Itsekiri Nation can no more be cocooned. It must float and move with the new dispensation. The Roman poet Horace said “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori (it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country)”.
The vociferous call and cry against the marginalization of the minorities will go unheeded and sound like the dialogue of the deaf if these minority areas do not put the horse of reconciliation before the cart of marginalization. The marginalization issue can only be seriously addressed by the ‘Itsekiri Nation’ if the reconciliatory call is made the mantra of the Itsekiri people. Marginalisation will sound its own nunc demitis if unity is hallmarked through reconciliation. If we truly reconcile oil multinationals that relocated from Delta State might be compelled to come back and create employment for millions of unemployed youths and might be compelled to relocate their headquarters Abuja/Lagos to Warri and the Niger Delta. We can also put an end to extra judicial killings, kidnappings, pipeline vandalism, marginalization and poverty etc. We must be part of the political socio-economic lebensraum by asking, when do we have an Itsekiri as Governor of Delta State again?
Finally, I pray this suggestion goes down well with the Itsekiris. I wrote out of “LOVE” for them and their situation. I pray they do not delineate the parameters of these admonitions by giving an illusion of momentum but that they should give it a good place in their strategic pedestal. The words of Dr. John Schaur becomes apt he said “the future is not a place we going to, but one we are creating. The path to it are not found but made and the activity of making them changes the maker and the destination. Therefore do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail”. The Itsekiris, Urhobos and Ijaws must leave a trail on the path of reconciliation in the light of Ogiame Olu of Warri’s political socio-economic lebensraum. God Bless Delta State
CHIEF BOBSON GBINIJE
MANDATE AGAINST POVERTY (MAP)
WARRI – 08023250378
