THE TRUE HISTORY OF OKERE (OKERE URHOBO KINGDOM, WARRI)
Most people are usually confused of who are the indigieneous people of Okere ?
Wado Aproko (*a Social Media platform) have repeatedly trashed this topic but for those who are hell bent to mislead the public we will reemphasize some important points
The history of who founded Okere was debated at the supreme court in Idundun vs Okumagba in suit no SC/309/75 between the Itsekiri people represented by Idundun and the Urhobos represented by Okumagba.
(*In 2025, the Itshekiri's of Okere renounced the genealogy of Idundun and labelled him an Urhobo man who has no affiliation with the Itshekiri. In essence, the celebrated case is between Urhobos. One is standing for his adopted tribe and the for his people. This is wonderful. Though later information suggest Idundun is maternally from Itshekiri)
The Itsekiri people claimed that Okere was founded by Ekpenede a Benin prince and Okere was already part of the kingdom founded by Ginuwa the first Itsekiri king and that the Urhobos later came and obtained permission from them to settled.
The Urhobo people in stating how Okere was founded narrated that Okere was first founded by three sons of one OKPEKI of OKPARE OLOMU namely SOWHORUWE, OWHOTEMU & IDAMA & were later joined by other of their brothers ITIFO & MAKRO as they have well settled in their land before OGITSI (ITSEKIRI) came to settled at the river bank of Okere .
The popular OLODI, OKI & IGHOGBADU families the major landowners in OKERE are all paternal descendants of these Urhobo men who first settled in Okere. OLODI (SON OF IDAMA) OKI (SON OF EJINYERE SON OF SOWHORUWE) IGHOGBADU (SON OF OWHOTEMU)
The Urhobo ably represented by Chief Daniel Okumagba also proved in court that D.O IDUDUN that was used by the Itsekiris of Okere to sue the Urhobo people is not PATERNAL DESCENDANT OF EKPENEDE BUT A PATERNAL DESCENDANT OF IDAMA. As his grand father IDUDUN IS THE SON OF OLOGHO, THE SON OF IDAMA.
SO WHAT WAS THE JUDGEMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES?
After examining the evidence of both parties the supreme court agreed that it was SOWHORUWE, OWHOTEMU & IDAMA that first founded and settled in OKERE and not EKPENEDE (As the Ekpenede fantastic story was just a mere fabrication) check picture 2.
The supreme court also accept the evidence of the Urhobo of how the Itsekiri people came to settle in Okere (check picture 3)
The Court also agreed that the Itsekiri Kingdom founded by Ginuwa do not extend to Okere (check picture 4,)
THE URHOBO PEOPLE OF OKERE THEN DECIDED TO USE THE NAME "OKERE URHOBO" TO DIFFERENTIATE THEIR LANDS & COMMUNITY & TODAY THE GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNIZED OKERE URHOBO KINGDOM AS A DISTINCT KINGDOM FROM THE ITSEKIRI WARRI KINGDOM Picture 5 The king of Okere Urhobo Kingdom and the king of Warri (Itsekiri)Kingdom
SUMMARILY OKERE WAS FOUNDED BY SOWHORUWE, OWHOTEMU & IDAMA AS THE STORY OF ONE FANTASTIC EKPENEDE WAS ANOTHER HOAX THAT WAS DISCARDED AT THE SUPREME COURT.
Note: Insertions marked * are personal opinions of Barr. G.P. Afoegba (The Publisher)
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