The Aroke Oduduwa-led royal entourage comprised the Alaagba of Aagba, Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole, Kunosin I; the Oore of Otun-Ekiti, Oba Adekunle Adeagbo; the Onigbaye of Igbayeland, Oba Joseph Morohunfoye Oni; the Salu of Edunabon, Oba Adesoji Kehinde Oladepo; the Alasipa of Asipa, Oba Mufutau Oyekanmi and the Sooko of Ife, Chief Kemade Elugbaju.
They all cruised in a one-hour boat ride from Warri, arriving Oporoza jetty in Gbaramatu at about 7.30 pm, into the warm welcome of jubilant residents of the kingdom, who heralded them to the royal palace, where they were formally received in audience by their Chief Host, the paramount ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe Agadagba.
Welcoming the Yoruba traditional rulers into the the magnificent Oporoza royal palace, the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, bemoaned what he described as the “undeserved state of marginalisation of the Niger Delta region” by successive governments in Nigeria, calling for an urgent intervention.
The Gbaramatu monarch declared, “Ijaw is a great nation in Nigeria, the fourth largest ethnic nationality and the economic hub of the country. We are the lifewire of Nigeria’s economy. But despite our contributions to the national economy, we have continued to suffer oppression. We feed the nation, yet we are oppressed.
“We have been deprived, neglected, and abandoned as a people. Ditto in the area of infrastructure development. They are only interested in the proceeds from our land. They are not interested in empowering and supporting us as a people.
“But we are doing our best. The peace that we are enjoying in the country today, we worked for it. Even though we have the security agencies, we, the traditional rulers are ahead of them in peace keeping, yet we are neglected. We are not carried along.
“We are suffering from insecurity in the country and we, traditional rulers, are feeling the pain the more. Governments treat us with levity, they only recognize us when they are seeking for office. We are worried how the country is going. Nobody is interested in separation. But something needs to be done. If governments have respect for traditional rulers, the country will be better off. But they underestimate our values. We know our people, and we know how we can talk to them.
“With this visit, we believe the Ooni will take it up and ensure that some of the negative trends are put in proper perspectives. We believe the visit will further cement the relationship that bind us together more as a people.”
Speaking earlier, the Ooni of Ife acknowledged the ageless cordial and good relationship that existed between the Yoruba and Ijaw people, noting that the royal entourage had come “to further associate with Gbaramatu kingdom for sustained fraternal relationship between the Yoruba and Ijaw nations.”
The Arole Oduduwa, Ooni Ogunwusi, commended the Ijaws for being good hosts to people from all parts of the country; and for keeping in trust the assets of the nation through effective surveillance, urging them to keep up the good work.
He then prayed that the Almighty God shall continue to endow the Gbaramatu kingdom and its people with more prosperity.
Speaking on the sideline of the royal visit, a popular Niger Delta environmental crusader, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who also holds the traditional title of Ibe-Sorimowei of Gbaramatu kingdom, described the Yoruba monarchs’ visit, led by the Ooni of Ife, as “a welcome development.”
Also speaking in the same vein, the Ibe-Benem-Ere and National Women Leader of Gbaramatu kingdom, High Chief Vero Tangbowei Emmanuel, commended Ooni Ogunwusi “for reawakening the Yoruba-Ijaw relationship at this point in time.”
The women leader expressed the hope that the mission would bear fruits in the overall interest of the entire Yoruba and Ijaw nations in particular, and the entire country in general.
