Ijo-Itsekiri Relations before the Colonial Period in Nigeria

Abstract

The Ijo and Itsekiri are two of the closest neighbours in the Warri area of the Western Niger Delta region of Nigeria. They have intermarried and had lived together for centuries. But towards the close of the last century, the two groups clashed, ostensibly over the relocation of the headquarters of the then newly created Warri South (later Warri South-West) Local Goverment Area in the present Delta State from Ogbe-Ijoh (an Ijo town) to Ogidigben (an Itsekiri town) by the late General Sani Abacha – led Federal Military Government of the time. During the crisis which claimed many lives and property, and destroyed many private and public businesses, the two groups fought each other with all kinds of dangerous and sophisticated weapons. This situation had made many well-meaning people to ask whether there were longstanding grievances between the two groups. The available records reveal that there were, indeed, deep-rooted grievances between the two groups. These problems however started from the colonial period in Nigeria. Before then, the two groups had lived peacefully together. This is the picture this article attempts to document.