By Jimitota Onoyume

Obitugbo, an Itsekiri community in Warri North LGA has been enmeshed in leadership crisis for over three years.

The community is naturally  blessed with a navigable waterway that has continued to attract tank farms to the area. At the last count, the place is host to four thriving companies in the oil and gas sector.

Sadly,  with the huge presence of tank farms and allied investments in the area, there are no private and public primary and secondary schools. Those of primary and secondary school ages cover kilometers to Koko and Oghara, the nearest cities, to go to school. There is no hospital whether government or privately owned. Residents still travel to either Koko or Oghara for medicare.

Some residents blamed corruption for the sad tales of underdevelopment in the area. A native, Nelson Eruwa, wondered what the community leadership demanded as corporate social responsibilities, CSR, from companies doing business in the area when they don’t  have basic things such as cottage hospital, centrally-treated water systems, schools.

“Our community is rich in terms of investment by private firms but no amenities,“ he said.

“How do we explain that there exist community management structures in place but basic amenities such as hospitals and schools are not here? What are the things the management team demands as CSR from the companies?” he queried.

NDV also gathered that the leadership crisis has made several indigenes of the community to temporarily stop work on their housing projects. A member of the community who does not want his name in print said his prayer has been that the ugly situation should not spiral out of control as it happened in some  other communities where parties recruited thugs to fight for their interest.

Leaders in the heart of the stormy battle are two sons of the area – Professor Jim Omatseye and Mr Justice Akuyoma who was former Chairman of Obitugbo community Development Committee. He recently handed over to his half brother, a move Omatseye and others rejected, insisting that his actions allegedly  violated provisions in the constitution that the headship of the community rotates among  six families that make up the community.

The crisis took a new dimension  recently when Mr Akuyoma who completed his two terms of four years each before handing over to his successor, alleged at a press briefing  in Obitugbo , that Prof  Omatseye and his loyalists planned to assassinate him, saying also  that a lawyer, Chief Robinson Ariyo had conducted himself in a manner not befitting of the legal profession and should be sanctioned by the Nigerian Bar Association.

“I must say that there are plots to assassinate me by Professor Jim Omatseye and followers with concrete evidence. The matter has been reported to security agencies. We have asked our legal team to immediately write to the Nigerian Bar Association against Barrister Robinson Ariyo for a disciplinary action and possibly suspension of his licence from practising because his deeds and actions do not befit the conduct of the law profession,” he said.

Chief Ariyo who is a prominent chief in Warri kingdom immediately approached a Delta State High Court to award N10 billion cost in his favour over the allegation by Mr Akuyoma which he described in his suit as defamatory .

In Suit No: W/339/2025 Between Chief Robinson Ariyo V Mr Justice Akuyoma and 2Ors, at the Delta State  High Court in Warri , Ariyo among others sought the court to compel the defendant, Mr Akuyoma, to retract the  allegations made at the press briefing, insisting that they were also malicious and lies intended to tarnish his hard earned  reputation.

He further enjoined the court to also restrain the defendant from  making further defamatory allegations against him. 

Ariyo in the suit noted that he is the lawyer to Professor Omatseye and others of the Obitugbo community in several suits with Akuyoma as the defendant, on issues around the leadership  crisis in Obitugbo community.

His suit reads: “An order of this Honourable court for the 1st Defendant to retract the said publication by no fewer than 10 each of the agencies of Radios, Televisions and Newspapers respectively, of national coverage.

“An order of injunction restraining the 1st Defendant whether by himself his agents or servants or otherwise from further speaking and/or publishing the said or similar words defamatory of the Claimant in connection with the facts giving rise to this case.

“Cost in favour of the Claimant against the 1st Defendant assessed at N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira)”. 

On his part, Professor Omatseye who is the  head of the Dandan family in the community accused Akuyoma of  allegedly abusing  his powers while he was chairman of the community,  adding that he was not aware of any plot to assassinate him ( Akuyoma)  “What do I have to gain from killing a nonentity ?”, he queried 

Effort by the palace of the Olu of Warri to resolve the problem through a committee of two Chiefs failed. The Iyasere of Warri kingdom,  Chief Johnson Amatseunleghe also could not resolve the crisis. Professor Omatseye said Chief Johnson  tactically withdrew when they took the matter to him. 

When Vanguard spoke with Prof  Omatseye on the way forward he said justice should be seen to be done on all the issues.

His words : “ We want the account of the community audited. For over eight years it has not been done. The person who emerged as the  new Olaraja recently doesn’t meet the basic criterion set by the king,  Olu of Warri , that the person must have a house in the village. 

“We carried ourselves to the Iyasere Chief Johnson . The Chief tactfully withdrew himself. We couldn’t get justice from the palace chiefs this excluded the Olu who doesn’t know what is happening. The young man ( the former Chairman, Akuyoma )  installed his younger brother as his successor . What we have is a continuation of the trouble.We will not relent until justice is done .”

Nelson Eruwa  also demanded justice ..” We want justice. The issues Prof is asking to be resolved are what will bring enduring peace “, he said.

Other community folks pleaded for an end to the crisis. 

“ We want justice, peace and development in our community”, they said.

Peace is one major thing the community needs. Interestingly ,the  proposed University of Warri is to be located in Obitugbo community. The community has  earmarked a vast portion of land  for the project.

How the leadership handles the crisis in Obitugbo community will determine the growth and  development of the area.