Tarakiri Kingdom Roars Back: INC, IYC Reject Alleged Ughelli Expansion Into Ijaw Communities
By Passman Akpos
PATANI, DELTA STATE — Tension is rising in Patani Local Government Area of Delta State as the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Western Zone, and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) have rejected claims linking Odorubu and Oduophori communities to Ughelli Kingdom.
The groups converged on the palace of the Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Kingdom in Adobu, Patani LGA, following a recent statement attributed to the Ovie of Ughelli, HRM Wilson Ojakovo Oharisi III, in which the two communities were reportedly claimed as part of Ughelli Kingdom.
The delegation was received at the invitation of His Royal Majesty, Dr. Danladi Foubiri Owoupele, MD, PhD (Urology), Angulu I, Ebenanaowei of Tarakiri Kingdom.
Addressing the gathering, the monarch maintained that Tarakiri Kingdom extends across present-day Bayelsa and Delta states and insisted that the three Ijaw kingdoms in Patani Local Government Area are Kabowei, Kumbowei and Tarakiri.
He further argued that Odorubu and Oduophori are bona fide Ijaw communities under Tarakiri Kingdom and should not be presented as territories of another kingdom.
According to the monarch, Tarakiri communities in Patani include Adobu, Odorubu and Oduophori, with Adobu serving as the seat of the kingdom.
He recounted his personal connection with the communities, including growing up in Adobu, while tracing the ancestral relationship between Tarakiri and the Ughelli area.
The monarch alleged that the people of Ughelli are descendants of a female child connected to Tarakiri ancestry and therefore maintained that claims over Odorubu and Oduophori should not be interpreted as an annexation of Tarakiri territory.
The latest confrontation is not the first time the issue has generated controversy.
In previous statements, Tarakiri traditional authorities have cited historical accounts and government records dating back to the former Bendel State to support their claim that Odorubu and Oduophori are Tarakiri communities. The authorities have also previously referenced 1977 and 1983 Bendel State gazettes as well as subsequent recognition of the Tarakiri traditional stool by Delta State.
Speaking during the latest visit, Barrister Preye Nowell, Chairman of the INC Western Zone, reaffirmed the position of the Ijaw body that Odorubu and Oduophori remain Ijaw communities associated with Tarakiri Kingdom.
He maintained that the communities should not be annexed or removed from their historical identity.
The delegation subsequently moved to Odorubu, where the INC National Flag was pinned in the community in a symbolic demonstration of the group’s position concerning the community’s identity and traditional affiliation.
Speaking with Mike Ekiye TV Ijaw Podcast, High Chief Obafako God-Day, Amananaowei of Odorubu, declared:
«“We are Ijaw, we are Tarakiri, not Ughelli.”»
The delegation later proceeded to Oduophori, where residents came out with placards reaffirming their claimed identity.
Some of the inscriptions read:
“Oduophori Is Ijaw And Tarakiri, Not Ughelli.”
“Odorubu Is Ijaw.”
The atmosphere was reportedly peaceful but firm, as traditional leaders and residents reiterated their opposition to any claim that the communities belong to Ughelli Kingdom.
The Amananaowei of Oduophori also reaffirmed the community’s Ijaw identity and its claimed connection to Tarakiri Kingdom.
The INC delegation subsequently handed over and pinned its flag in Oduophori, describing the act as a symbolic affirmation of its position that the community is Ijaw territory.
The controversy has historical roots. In 2022, leaders of Odorubu and Oduophori similarly declared that they were bona fide descendants of Tarakiri and had never been subjects of Ughelli Kingdom. They also described themselves as “Urhobo-speaking Ijaw,” while acknowledging a historical maternal connection with Ogele/Ughelli.
Historical accounts cited by Tarakiri authorities also state that Tarakiri’s settlements in Patani include Odorubu and Oduophori, while other sources document competing historical narratives concerning the ancestry and movements of communities in the area.
With the latest visit by the INC and IYC, the long-running dispute has once again moved into the public space, with traditional rulers, community leaders and Ijaw organisations firmly restating their respective positions.
For the people of Odorubu and Oduophori, however, the message from the latest gathering was unequivocal: they identify as Ijaw people of Tarakiri Kingdom and reject any claim that they are part of Ughelli Kingdom.
The development could further intensify calls for the historical claims and relevant government records concerning the two communities to be publicly examined and clarified by the appropriate traditional and governmental authorities.
