Senator Ede Dafinone, Chairman of the Sapele Okpe Community Land Trust Association, has firmly rejected a caveat emptor issued by Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, the Alema of Warri Kingdom, concerning the foundation laying ceremony for a new Sub-Palace of the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom in Sapele, Delta State. The warning was circulated on social media and published in the Saturday Vanguard of January 24, 2026, attempting to caution against the ceremony scheduled for that same day.

In a detailed response issued on behalf of the Association, Dafinone described the caveat as “legally baseless, historically inaccurate, and capable of inciting communal tension.” He asserted that title to all lands in Sapele is vested in the Sapele Okpe Community Land Trust Association, the statutory body responsible for managing and controlling land on behalf of the indigenous Okpe people.

Dafinone acknowledged Sapele’s cosmopolitan character but stressed that the Okpe people remain the only indigenous ethnic and linguistic group in Sapele Town and the entire Sapele Local Government Area. This status, he noted, is recognized under the Delta State Traditional Rulers, Council and Chiefs Law. He cited the Schedule to the law, which identifies Sapele Local Government Area as belonging exclusively to the Okpe Clan with Urhobo as the indigenous language, and recognises only the Orodje of Okpe as the statutory traditional ruler for the area. “By contrast,” he stated, “Warri South Local Government Area recognises Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw clans due to their indigenous presence there.”

On the historical and legal standing, Dafinone referenced the landmark case of Chief Ayomano & Another v. Ginuwa II (9 WACA 85), where the West African Court of Appeal upheld the Okpe people’s ownership of Sapele lands and dismissed claims of Itsekiri overlordship. “The judgment established that the Okpe people were the original settlers on Sapele land and that Itsekiri presence in the town began only after the Nana War of 1894, when displaced Itsekiri groups sought refuge in Sapele with the permission of the Okpe people under customary tenancy arrangements,” he explained.

Addressing claims that the judgment limited Okpe ownership to 510 acres, Dafinone described the assertion as a “misrepresentation of the court’s findings,” clarifying that the acreage related to a colonial lease and did not diminish Okpe ownership of Sapele lands.

Regarding the Sub-Palace project, Dafinone was unequivocal. “The Orodje of Okpe, as the sole statutorily recognised traditional ruler of Sapele Local Government Area, does not require permission from any external authority to construct a palace or sub-palace within his domain,” he maintained. He added that an existing Sub-Palace of the Orodje has functioned in Sapele for decades without objection.

Dafinone also rejected any notion of Itsekiri overlordship over Sapele, noting that even the Olu of Warri has never asserted such authority and is legally estopped from doing so by existing judgments.

Expressing concern over the tone of the caveat, Dafinone said references to potential communal unrest were “provocative,” and called on security agencies to remain vigilant to prevent any breakdown of law and order. He warned that responsibility for any unrest would rest with those who instigated it.

While reaffirming the Okpe people’s commitment to peaceful coexistence with all Sapele residents, Dafinone issued a caution. “Restraint should not be mistaken for weakness,” he said, urging community leaders across ethnic lines to reject inflammatory rhetoric capable of undermining peace in the town.

The Okpe Interest Group has issued a strong rejoinder to a publication by Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, who identifies himself as the Alema of Warri Kingdom, concerning the proposed foundation-laying ceremony of an Okpe Sub-Palace in Sapele, Delta State.

In a statement signed by Comrade Ejomafume Akpomevine, the group expressed deep concern over what it described as historical misrepresentation and provocative claims regarding land ownership and traditional authority in Sapele. The group firmly rejected the assertions made by Uduaghan.

The Okpe Interest Group reaffirmed that Sapele lies within Okpe ancestral territory. The statement insisted that the Okpe people are neither settlers nor tenants in the town. According to the group, Sapele developed as an urban centre on Okpe land, while other ethnic groups, including Itsekiri, Ijaw and Hausa, were accommodated over time under Okpe traditions of hospitality and peaceful coexistence.

Addressing boundary issues, the group stated there is a clear, natural and historically recognised boundary between Sapele and Abigborodo at Hole Creek along the Benin River, near the bridge linking the two communities. It warned that attempts to blur or reinterpret the boundary for political or ethnic reasons could be destabilising.

The group criticised the selective use of colonial intelligence reports to support territorial claims. It argued that such documents were administrative in nature and did not transfer land ownership. The group maintained that no colonial record ceded Sapele from the Okpe people to any other ethnic group.

On the long-standing legal dispute often referenced, the group rejected interpretations of the judgment in Chief Ayomano v. Ginuwa II that allegedly restrict Okpe authority in Sapele to 510 acres. The statement described such interpretations as misleading and maintained that the judgment neither declared Sapele as Itsekiri land nor extinguished Okpe territorial rights.

The group further asserted that the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom remains the constitutionally recognised and historically legitimate traditional ruler with authority over Okpe land, including Sapele. It described the planned Okpe Sub-Palace as an internal cultural and administrative matter of the Okpe Kingdom.

In a personal reference, the statement questioned the credibility of the Alema’s claims. It noted that his identification with his ancestral village became public only after the death of his father in 2015, following issues surrounding burial rites. The group described it as ironic that he would now seek to lecture the Okpe people on land ownership and history.

While emphasising their commitment to peace, the Okpe Interest Group warned against what it described as provocation and historical ingratitude. It cautioned that peaceful coexistence should not be mistaken for weakness or interpreted as surrender of ancestral rights.

The group also called on the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to caution his subjects against statements capable of provoking communal tension or undermining established territorial boundaries. It urged traditional institutions to act as custodians of peace and restraint.

The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of the Okpe people’s commitment to dialogue and lawful engagement, while insisting they would not remain silent in the face of what they described as falsehoods or territorial misrepresentation.

“Sapele is Okpe land,” the group stated definitively, adding that “hospitality should never be mistaken for forfeiture of ancestral rights.”

There was tension in Ijebu land in the early hours of Wednesday following a meeting between Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and members of the Council of Afobajes over the selection of a new Awujale of Ijebuland.

Sources said the Governor summoned the Afobajes to a meeting late Tuesday night, which reportedly extended into the early hours of Wednesday.

During the meeting, Governor Abiodun allegedly informed the traditional council that Hon. Ademorin Kuye was the preferred candidate endorsed by “HQ” and also his personal choice for the revered Awujale stool.

According to accounts from the meeting, the Governor directed the Afobajes to present Kuye as the Awujale of Ijebuland. However, the Council of Afobajes reportedly rejected the directive outright, insisting that the process for selecting an Awujale must strictly follow laid-down traditional procedures.

The Afobajes were said to have told the Governor that if there was any directive from “HQ,” it should be communicated directly to them and not through intermediaries.

Sources further disclosed that the Governor reacted angrily to the rejection, allegedly stating, “No Kuye, no Awujale.”

In a dramatic response, the Afobajes reportedly stood their ground, telling the Governor that they would rather have Ijebu without an Awujale than allow Hon. Kuye to be imposed on them under the guise of intimidation or external influence.“

They told him clearly that they would not accept any imposition, even if it means Ijebu remains without an Awujale,” a source familiar with the meeting said.

The development comes amid heightened tension, as it was also gathered that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) had invited members of the Afobajes for questioning on Tuesday.

One of the Afobajes, who spoke after the meeting, confirmed the firm stance of the council, reiterating their commitment to due process and the preservation of Ijebu traditional customs in the selection of the next Awujale.

As of the time of filing this report, the Ogun State Government had yet to issue an official statement on the matter.