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Senator Ede Dafinone, Chairman of the Sapele Okpe Community Land Trust Association, has dismissed a public caveat issued by Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, the Alema of Warri Kingdom, concerning the foundation laying ceremony of a proposed Sub Palace of the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom in Sapele, Delta State.
The caveat, which circulated widely on social media and was published in Saturday Vanguard of January 24, 2026, warned against the ceremony scheduled for the same day, citing concerns over land ownership and possible communal tension.
In a formal response released on behalf of the Sapele Okpe Community Land Trust Association, Senator Dafinone described the caveat as lacking legal basis and misrepresenting established historical and judicial facts. He stated that ownership of all lands in Sapele is vested in the Sapele Okpe Community Land Trust Association, the legally recognised body responsible for holding and managing land on behalf of the indigenous Okpe people.
While acknowledging Sapele’s long standing cosmopolitan nature, Dafinone maintained that the Okpe people remain the only indigenous ethnic and linguistic group in Sapele Town and across Sapele Local Government Area, as provided under the Delta State Traditional Rulers, Council and Chiefs Law.
He referenced the law’s schedule, which recognises Sapele Local Government Area as belonging to the Okpe Clan, with Urhobo as the indigenous language, and identifies the Orodje of Okpe as the sole statutory traditional ruler of the area.
He contrasted this with Warri South Local Government Area, where Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw communities are officially recognised as indigenous due to their historical presence.
Senator Dafinone further noted that land ownership in Sapele has been conclusively determined by courts of competent jurisdiction. He cited the landmark case Chief Ayomano & Another v. Ginuwa II (9 WACA 85), in which the West African Court of Appeal upheld the Okpe people’s ownership of Sapele lands and rejected claims of Itsekiri over-lordship.
According to him, the judgment affirmed that the Okpe people were the original settlers of Sapele, while Itsekiri presence in the town emerged after the 1894 Nana War, when displaced Itsekiri groups were permitted by the Okpe to reside in Sapele under customary tenancy arrangements.
Addressing claims that the judgment restricted Okpe ownership to 510 acres, Dafinone described the interpretation as misleading, explaining that the figure referred to a specific colonial lease arrangement and did not limit the broader ownership rights of the Okpe people over Sapele lands.
On the issue of the proposed ‘Sub Palace,’ Dafinone stated that the Orodje of Okpe, as the statutorily recognised traditional ruler of Sapele Local Government Area, does not require approval from any external authority to construct a palace or sub palace within his domain. He added that a Sub Palace of the Orodje has existed in Sapele for several decades without prior objection.
He also rejected assertions of Itsekiri over-lordship over any part of Sapele, noting that such claims have not been upheld by law and have not been asserted by the Olu of Warri, who, he said, is bound by existing judicial decisions.
Expressing concern over references to possible unrest contained in the caveat, Senator Dafinone described such language as provocative and called on security agencies to remain alert to prevent any breach of peace.
He warned that responsibility for any disturbance would lie with those who incite tension through public statements.
Reaffirming the Okpe people’s commitment to peaceful coexistence with all residents of Sapele, Dafinone urged community leaders across ethnic lines to avoid inflammatory rhetoric and to uphold dialogue and respect for the rule of law in the interest of lasting peace in the town.
