SAPELE, DELTA STATE — A group identifying with the Urhobo people of Okpe Kingdom has called for peaceful coexistence among the various ethnic communities residing in Sapele, while making historical and land-ownership claims concerning the presence of Itsekiri residents in the area.
In a statement circulating online, the group argued that Itsekiri residents in Sapele should respect what it described as their host community, the Okpe people, and avoid what it characterised as arrogant behaviour towards members of the Okpe community.
The group based part of its argument on historical accounts which, according to the statement, indicate that some Itsekiri people settled in Sapele following conflicts involving Nana Olomu’s stronghold in the late 19th century.
It alleged that some of the early arrivals were accommodated by Okpe residents in different parts of what is now Sapele.
The statement cited the example of Mele, who it claimed was accommodated by Ogodo in an area now known as Ajimele.
It also claimed that other Itsekiri arrivals were accommodated at Etamua, which the statement said was later rendered in Itsekiri as Ogun-Aja.
The group further cited historical land transactions involving individuals associated with the Itsekiri community.
According to the statement, Rev. Aghoghin Omatsola leased land for First Baptist Church in 1917 from Chief Ayomanor and Chief Omarin.
It also alleged that Amatosero Ikomi, Udo-Aghan Ikomi and Edema Ikomi leased land from several Okpe chiefs, including Chief Ofotokun, Chief Ayomanor, Chief Omarin and Chief Kokoyo.
The group said these accounts formed part of its argument regarding the historical relationship between the Okpe and Itsekiri communities in Sapele.
It subsequently referred to a recent letter dated July 9, 2026, which it said was written by Deacon David Smart Gbenebetse, identified in the statement as the Olaraja of the Itsekiri community in Sapele.
According to the group, the letter was addressed to the leadership of the Sapele Okpe community and sought permission for the burial of Dorothy Theresa Wilkinson at 34H Ofotokun Extension, off Yoruba Road, Sapele.
The group argued that the request demonstrated that the Itsekiri community recognised the authority of the Okpe community over the location.
It therefore questioned claims that Itsekiri people should be regarded as indigenous to Sapele, saying the Olaraja’s alleged request was inconsistent with such a position.
The statement also compared the Itsekiri community with other ethnic groups living in Sapele, including Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo communities, describing them as residents rather than indigenous people of the area.
However, the historical and indigeneity claims contained in the statement are contested matters and have not been independently established by IBN News.
Questions surrounding indigenous status, historical settlement, land ownership and traditional authority in parts of Delta State have historically been sensitive and can involve competing accounts from different communities.
IBN News has not independently verified the cited 1917 land transactions, the circumstances surrounding the alleged settlement of particular individuals in Sapele, or the contents and authenticity of the July 9, 2026 letter referenced in the statement.
The group concluded by calling on Itsekiri residents in Sapele to maintain peaceful relations with the Okpe community and other ethnic groups in the city.
It urged residents to avoid provocative conduct and respect the principle of peaceful coexistence.
IBN News notes that the views expressed in the statement represent those of the group that issued it and do not constitute an independent determination by the publication regarding the historical or legal status of any community in Sapele.
