Tensions are rising between the Itsekiri and Okpe kingdoms in Delta State after the Okpe kingdom began constructing a sub-palace in Sapele, an area whose ownership is hotly contested. The move has stirred deep concerns among the Itsekiri people, who view Sapele as part of their ancestral homeland and see the project as a provocation.
The Alema of Warri Kingdom, Chief Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, has openly cautioned the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom that proceeding with the palace could trigger a serious communal conflict. Despite this warning, the Okpe leadership has gone ahead with the project, even laying the foundation, a step that has further inflamed tensions on the ground.
Chief Uduaghan has strongly disputed claims that Sapele belongs exclusively to the Okpe people, pointing to historical records and traditions that, according to him, clearly establish Itsekiri ties to the land. He argues that the continued construction not only disregards these historical realities but also threatens the fragile peace between the two communities. If left unresolved, he warns, the situation could deepen mistrust and potentially lead to unrest in the region.
