ROOTS OF THE URHOBO/ITSEKIRI LANDS CONFLICT: THE THREE TRIGGER EVENTS

 

Introduction

The perennial land disputes between Urhobo and Itsekiri communities in the Warri region are not primordial ethnic conflicts. Instead, they can be traced to three decisive historical events, each of which planted the seeds of discord by forcibly altering the political and territorial landscape in favor of British administrative convenience and Itsekiri elite ambition.

1.      The 1848 Succession Crisis and the Itsekiri Diaspora

Following the death of Olu Akengbuwa and his heirs around 1848, a power vacuum and violent succession crisis erupted at Ode Itsekiri (Big Warri), leading to the town’s near-abandonment. The surviving royal princes fled and founded new settlements closer to what is now Warri Township:

- Prince Agbamu founded Ubeji

- Prince Yonwuren founded Ugbuwangue

- Prince Ewolofun founded Ugbori

These communities, now considered core Itsekiri settlements, literally owe their existence to this internal crisis. Significantly, in later land cases, the descendants of Prince Ewolofun (Ugbori) and Prince Yonwuren (Ugbuwangue) testified in court that their lands were not held under the overlordship of the Olu, and that upon arrival they met only Agbassa fishermen in the area (as testified in court by Ugbori litigants). 

The Critical Question: If settlements founded by Itsekiri princes do not recognise the Olu’s overlordship over their land, how can Urhobo settlements that predate these Itsekiri arrivals be considered the Olu’s tenants?

2.      The 1894 Ebrohimi Expedition and the Refugee Reversal

In 1894, British forces bombarded the Nana Olomu’s stronghold of Ebrohimi, captured him, and caused a mass exodus of Ebrohimi’s inhabitants. These refugees, including Nana’s own household, were granted shelter and land in Urhobo villages such as Sapele, Amuokpe, Elume, Ugbukurusu, Oghara, and others. In fact, Nana’s son, Celeone Nana, formally applied to Agbassa elders for land to build a home in 1925 after a long sojourn in Ovwian (Asagba).

The historical irony is stark: decades later, the descendants of these same refugees—the Itsekiri—turned on their Urhobo hosts, claiming legal ownership of the very lands that had offered them sanctuary. This pattern of receiving refuge then claiming ownership became a recurring source of bitterness and litigation. 

3.      The Death of George Eyube and the Rise of Dore Numa (The “Mistake of 1901”)

Dore Numa was appointed a Political Agent in 1894 on Nana Olomu’s fall, initially overseeing Benin River District while George Eyube, an Urhobo man, was appointed as their Political Agent for Warri District. Tragedy struck in 1901 when George Eyube died in a firearm accident. For mere administrative convenience, the British merged the two districts into a single Warri Province under Dore Numa, instead of appointing another Urhobo or Ijaw successor.

Professor Peter Ekeh rightly termed this the “Mistake of 1901.” Had Eyube lived, the British would have approached him—not Dore Numa—to acquire land for the new Warri Township. Instead, Dore used his new, expanded authority to:

- Fraudulently lease Urhobo and Ijaw lands as “Olu land”

- Pose as the Olu in court to validate these seizures

- Enjoy unwavering British protection in all legal challenges

Upon Dore’s death in 1932, the Itsekiri elite swiftly appropriated his colonial-era “legacy”—including the stolen Agbassa lands—institutionalizing the dispute for generations to come even though they opposed him in his lifetime.

Conclusion: A Conflict of Colonial Manufacture

These three events reveal a clear pattern: the Warri land crisis is not an ancient ethnic feud but a direct product of historical accidents, colonial manipulation, and the weaponisation of administrative power. The conflict was ignited not by traditional enmity, but by British policy decisions and the opportunistic adoption of a fabricated overlordship by Itsekiri elites. Understanding these roots is essential for any genuine resolution.

© Michael O. Dedon (2026)