THE Odion-Ogisi family of Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State has issued a 30-day ultimatum to  Urhobo  entities of Oghorogbo, Eyekpimi and Onoriobe to pay the one Pound yearly tax imposed on them by a- 1928 court judgment affirming them its tenant Warri.

 Making the demand yesterday at a press briefing in Lagos, the eldest member of the family, and rights activist, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, lamented that what began as a family matter at inception has turned violent through usurpation of powers and illegal acquisition of lands by the supposed tenants.

  She cited several Court rulings, saying  the Urhobo were ‘tenants placed in Odion land.

  Lori-Ogbebor further stated that the Ijaw  lack ownership status in the area.

 She said:“Odion-Ogisi family owns all the land from Odion to Okere in the present Warri South council area.

  “The owner of the land, Itsekiri has just one king in the person of Olu of Warri, while the Urhobo, as tenant, have two kings in Okere Urhobo and Agbasa.

 But if this peaceful demand is not met, “we will resort to our usual legal battle.”

  She further qouted one of the court rulings, where the Urhobo were ask to pay the Odion family one pound annually for the usage of their land.

Lori-Ogbebor said: “Case No. 388/28 of the Native Appeal Court of Warri between the first Defendant as plantiff and Iyara as the Defendant shows that the Ogisi family are the owners of Odion land and that Iyara and his people were ordered to pay annually £1 for the right to remain in possession and to farm thereon. Iyara is dead. He was the of the 1st plff and at the time of the case was head of the Oghorogbo family.

“The 1st pantilff said that her father never paid the £1. Because he did not pay does not render the judgment invalid. 1st Def said the case was about Odion land and I believe him. Now the judgment reads:

“Defendant and his people to pay £1 (one pound) annually as rent to Ogisi’s family, Def and his people can make farm free and they should not be deprived of the portions of lands his late father and his family have been using, but they are not to plant rubbers, cocoa and coffees, unless with special permission and agreement of the Ogisi’s children, Defendant and his people can collect palm nuts free and can build houses in the old building places but cannot build new sites that had never once been built, unless with permission of Ogisi’s children. Cocoa nuts already planted belong to the person who planted them until he or she goes away from the place if he or she is a stranger.”