Delta Community Declares Ijaw Heritage, Distances Self from Itsekiri Affiliation

The Ijaghala community, also known as Zou-Ala Uba, in Delta State’s Warri South-West Local Government Area, has reaffirmed its ancestral ties to the Ijaw Gbaramatu kingdom. In a statement signed by community leaders and presented to journalists, the community declared its Ijaw identity and rejected any affiliation with the Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

According to the statement, Ijaghala’s history dates back to the settlement of Oweizibiri, the father of Egbegha, who initially settled with other Ijaw indigenes in Amadino before relocating to Zou-Ala Uba. Egbegha’s permanent stay in the area earned him recognition as the community’s founder.

The community leaders explained that while some Ijaghala people speak the Itsekiri dialect due to intermarriage with the Itsek’s people, this does not define the community’s identity. Instead, they assert that their ancestral lineage with the Gbaramatu kingdom is what truly defines their heritage.

The community has pledged its loyalty and allegiance to the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oboro Gbaramatu II. In a call for peace, the Fiyeowei (Spokesman) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, High Chief Godspower Gbenekana, urged residents to live in harmony, warning against any attempts to foment crisis in the community.