The Uvwie General Improvement Union (UGIU) has issued a strong warning to individuals of Itsekiri extraction allegedly promoting what it described as “false and provocative” historical claims, insisting that the peaceful nature of the Uvwie people should not be mistaken for weakness.
Speaking at a world press conference held on Friday, April 24, 20260 in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, the President General of UGIU, Chief Hope Erute, said the Uvwie Kingdom would not hesitate to defend its territory, heritage, and people against any form of distortion or encroachment.
“Our attention has been drawn to fallacious and provocative claims being peddled by a few Itsekiri persons, alleging that they founded key communities within Uvwie Kingdom,” Erute said, referring specifically to Ugbenuowhoru, Ugbomro, Okwatata, and Iteregbi.
He noted that the claims were reportedly made during a recent Itsekiri cultural festival, where a narrative was presented suggesting that the communities in question were established by Itsekiri ancestors.
Describing the assertions as “delusional folktales,” Erute said the union would ordinarily have ignored them but chose to respond to prevent the falsehoods from gaining legitimacy through silence.
“Silence in the face of persistent falsehoods can sometimes be mistaken for consent. We are therefore compelled to set the record straight with facts rooted in history and evidence,” he stated.
The UGIU president outlined what he described as historical and genealogical inconsistencies in the Itsekiri claims, arguing that even narratives presented by Itsekiri sources acknowledge pre-existing Uvwie roots in the disputed communities.
According to him, Ugbenuowhoru was originally an Uvwie settlement granted to maternal relations of partial Itsekiri descent, while Ugbomro was founded by Uwherume of the Abadi family in Uvwie. He maintained that there are no indigenous Itsekiri families in Ugbomro.
Erute also referenced historical events involving the late King Nana of Itsekiri, asserting that the monarch had maternal ties to Uvwie and sought refuge in the area during colonial persecution, further underscoring the longstanding ties between the two groups.
While acknowledging a history of peaceful coexistence, intermarriage, and mutual economic relations between the Uvwie and Itsekiri peoples, the union warned that attempts to rewrite history and lay claim to Uvwie territories would not be tolerated.
“The narrative being pushed is fictional, provocative, and capable of inciting unnecessary tension. Uvwie people believe in truth and documented history, not grandstanding,” Erute said.
He called on those promoting such claims to desist immediately, urging them to focus on the development of their communities rather than “coveting the ancestral lands of their neighbours.”
The union also appealed to the Delta State Government and security agencies to intervene and caution those responsible for what it described as inciting statements capable of disrupting the peace in the region.
Reaffirming Uvwie’s position, Erute declared that the disputed communities “are, and will always remain, integral and indivisible parts of Uvwie Kingdom,” stressing that while some residents may have Itsekiri paternal ancestry, they remain under the traditional authority of the Ovie of Uvwie.
“The path of peace and mutual respect is wide enough for all. No one should create artificial crises where none exist,” he added.
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