KANTU AN IJAW COMMUNITY FROM GBARAMATU KINGDOM : LEADERS DECLARED
Leaders of Kantu community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State have laid to rest the lingering issues of land ownership by declaring themselves natives of Gbaramatu kingdom, pledging their loyalty to the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Majesty Oboro Gbaruan II Aketekpe/Agadagba.
The position was made known at a press briefing by the community at the Oweiji-Biri Ancestral Hall, Kantu town.
Windfree Atemubaghan, Chairman of Kantu community read the signed statement, flanked by Pa. Edwin Atikan Atemubagha, Ama-Okosuwei of Ikantu Community and others.
“We, the undersigned acting for ourselves and on behalf of the people of Kantu (Ikantu) Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom,Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, wish to address the press in respect of an age-long misrepresentation of Kantu Community as an Itsekiri Community instead of an Ijaw Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State.
“The Kantu (Ikantu) Community as an Ijaw Community from origin when Gbaramatu Clan (kingdom) was founded by our ancestors in about the 11th century. The founder of Kantu Community was an Ijaw man named Oweizibiri, who is a full blooded Ijaw man from Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom.
“Our ancestor, Oweizibiri who had earlier lived in Amadino (Omadino), an Ijaw fishing settlement with his father (Tometebe) got married to Erebo, a petty trader from Ode in Old Western Region (South West).
“The marriage was blessed with seven children namely Igbon, Afughu, Korobo, and Obiti who are all females while Iyejo (Erejo) and Egbegha males. It is on record that Emiemie one of the grand children of Oweizibiri was buried as an old man in Amadino (Omadino).
“Male children of Oweizibiri married Itsekiri women who also gave birth to other children. In the course of growing up, the children were more attached to their mothers, who spoke their Itsekiri dialect with their children. And some of the children also inter-married with other Itsekiri indigenes.
“As such, Itsekiri language became dominantly spoken by majority of Ikantu people. This is how the Ikantu community which is one of the major Communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom became affiliated to Itsekiri people.
“From the above, we wish to categorically inform the general public, Local, State, and Federal Government and the International Community that Ikantu is an Ijaw Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom and is never, was never and will never be part of Itsekiri ethnic nationality.
“Some of the descendants of our ancestor, Oweizibiri are still bent on alienating their father (Ijaw) land to their maternal Itsekiri nationality. We strongly condemn this attitude of these persons because it has created antagonism for the people of Ikantu Community, among their kiths and kin in Gbaramatu Kingdom and the larger Ijaw nation.
“In conclusion, we wish to state and inform the general public, Local Government, State, Federal Government and the International Community that Ikantu is an Ijaw Community having an ancestral affinity with Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State and will continue to remain in the Traditional Institution of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
“Finally, we hereby pledge our loyalty and allegiance to His Royal Majesty Oboro Gbaraun Ii, Ακετεκρε, Agadagba, the Pere of Ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, ” the statement said.
