Delta residents appeal for assistance as territorial disputes escalate, stressing their desire for calm.

For centuries, the people of Obitugbo, a tranquil Itsekiri community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, have cultivated the land, built homes, and raised families on the ancestral territory that has been theirs for generations. The community has long been known for its harmonious coexistence with its neighbours and its aspirations for a brighter future, including the establishment of a proposed university that could bring transformative change to the lives of local residents.

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The prospect of a brighter future, however, now seems precarious, as a barrage of inflammatory statements and online rhetoric from certain individuals in the neighbouring Oghara community threatens to disrupt the harmony that Obitugbo has carefully nurtured for decades.

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Leaders of the Obitugbo community, during a media chat, noted that what initially began as a dispute over land has now escalated into fears of unrest between Itsekiri and Urhobo residents, two groups that have long coexisted without any serious conflict.

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Mr. Joseph Taye Akuyoma, chairman of the Obitugbo Community Management Committee, expressed his deep concern, stating, “We are not looking for a fight, we are peace-loving people, but we cannot stand by while calls are made for outsiders to mobilise against us.

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Our children are afraid, our elders are troubled,” he added, highlighting the community's distress and urgency for a resolution.

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The community's plea to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori is simple and pressing: to intervene promptly, before the inflammatory rhetoric turns into violence.

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Obitugbo's leaders emphasized that they are not strangers to dialogue, having resolved differences with neighbouring settlements through official channels over the years, always opting for calm over confrontation.

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Dr. Chris Eburajolo, chairman of the Koko Community Management Authority, corroborated their claim, affirming that Obitugbo's boundaries are well established.

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Comrade Akra Utien Daniel of Ajagbodudu echoed the same plea, urging respect for history, borders, and coexistence.

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The community's concerns, however, extend beyond the present, as they have been identified as a site for development projects, including the proposed University of Warri, which represents a beacon of hope for many residents.

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The prospect of the university brings with it the promise of jobs, education for their children, and a future beyond subsistence, making stability a crucial factor in the community's aspirations.

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“Stability is everything,” Mr. Dandy Adagba, secretary of the committee, said, “if tension explodes into conflict, investors will flee, the school won’t come, and our young people will suffer, that cannot happen,” he added.

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Pa Broderick Utienyin, an elder who has witnessed decades of change along the creeks and farmland of Warri North, succinctly captured the community's sentiment: “This land is our identity, we will protect it, but we want to protect it in peace, all we ask is that the government sends security agencies to watch over us and call everyone to a table for dialogue.”

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As of now, no violence has been reported in Obitugbo, but the air is thick with anxiety, prompting leaders to urge all parties to put down rhetoric and pick up reason, remembering that neighbours are not enemies.