That Africans speak English, the language of their foreign colonial masters from Britain, does not infer that they are from England. That could well be the situation of the people of Ikantu Community, who finally came clean by ending all speculations regarding their ancestral heritage to the Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

In a press statement issued and signed by its leadership on Friday (June 6, 2025), the Ikantu people traced their origin to the founder of the community, Oweizibiri, who is a native of Oporoza community, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Appending their signatures to the historical claims are Pa. Edwin Atikan Atemubagha, the Ama-Okosuwei of Ikantu Community; Mr. Winfred Atemubaghan, the Chairman, IKantu Community; Chief (Lt. Col.) S.A. Etoromi (Rtd), the Seipakumor of Gbaramatu Kingdom / Clan Chief representing Ikantu Community; Chief Arthur Eyiangho, the Ebiyemeyewei of Gbaramatu Kingdom / Community Chief representing Ikantu Community; Chief Shola Gbofeyin, the Amadiwei of Ikantu Community.

Others are Pa. Isaac Meneko, Elder, Ikantu Community; Mr. Joseph Adidi, Chief Priest of Ikantu Community; Stephen Efejukwu Esq., Legal Adviser, Ikantu Community; Mr. Godwin Gbesimi Mone, Elder, Ikantu Community; Mr. Endurance Ufene, Youth President, Ikantu Community; Mr. Saturday Timinimi, Former Chairman, Ikantu Community; Mr. Daniel Adidi, P.R.O., Ikantu Community; Mrs. Vivian Eyiangho, Chairlady, Ikantu Community; Ambros Timinimi, Secretary, Ikantu Community; Linda Ebikeboere Wereyesigha Esq., Opinion Leader, Ikantu Community; and Alfred Otiro Asia, Elder, Ikantu Community.

Ikantu Community, which derived its name from the presence of bitter kola trees called 'Ikan' in the Ijaw dialect, is habited by a mixture of Ijaws and Itsekiris with each tribe speaking the Ijaw and Itsekiri languages. Overtime, claims began to surface that Ikantu (also called Kantu) was solely an Itsekiri settlement, resulting in acrimony among its inhabitants.

Speaking on behalf of the community during the media briefing, the Chairman of Ikantu, Mr. Atemubaghan said, "We, the undersigned, acting for ourselves and on behalf of the people of Kantu (Ikantu) Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, wish to address the press in respect of an age-long misrepresentation of Kantu Community as an Itsekiri Community instead of an Ijaw Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.

"The Kantu (Ikantu) Community is an Ijaw Community from origin when Gbaramatu Clan was founded by our ancestors in about the 11th century. The founder of Kantu Community was an Ijaw man named Oweizibiri, who is full-blooded Ijaw man from Oporoza in Gbaramatu Kingdom," he revealed.

Clarifying how Ikantu became partly inhabited by the Itsekiri people, he said, "Our ancestor, Oweizibiri, who had earlier lived in Amadino (Omadino), an Ijaw fishing settlement with his father (Tometebe), got married to Erebo, a petty trader from Ode in Old Western Region (South West). The marriage was blessed with seven children, namely Igbon, Afugbu, Korobo and Obiti, who are all females, while Iyejo (Erejo) and Egbegha [were] males. It is on record that Emiemie, one of the grandchildren of Oweizibiri was buried as an old man in Amadino (Omadino).

"The male children of Oweizibiri married Itsekiri women who also gave birth to other children. In the course of growing up, the children were more attached to their mothers who spoke their Itsekiri dialect with their children. And some of the children also inter-married with other Itsekiri indigenes. As such, Itsekiri language became dominantly spoken by majority of Ikantu people. This is how the Ikantu Community, which is one of the major communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, became affiliated to Itsekiri people.," he stressed.

Going forward, he stated that the purpose of the press briefing is to correct the erroneous information that Ikantu belongs to the Itsekiri people and to also inform the world of the historical claims of the Ijaw people to the community.

"From the above, we wish to categorically inform the general public, Local, State and the Federal Government, and the International Community, that Ikantu is an Ijaw Community in Gbaramatu Kingdom, and is never, was never, and will never be part of Itsekiri ethnic nationality.

"Some of the descendants of our ancestors, Oweizibiri, are still bent on alienating their father (Ijaw) land to their maternal Itsekiri nationality. We strongly condemn this attitude of these persons because it has created antagonism for the people of Ikantu Community, among their kith and kin in Gbaramatu Kingdom and the larger Ijaw nation.

"In conclusion, we wish to state and inform the general public, Local Government, State, Federal Government and International Community, that Ikantu is an Ijaw Community, having an ancestral affinity with Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area, and will continue to remain in the traditional institution of Gbaramatu Kingdom."

Wrapping up the press briefing, the people of Ikantu Community pledged their continued allegiance and loyalty to the traditional ruler, His Royal Majesty, Oboro Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, the Pere of ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom.

Among those in attendance are members of the Gbaramatu Kingdom Traditional Council of Chiefs as led by the Pere Gboluwei, Chief P.T. Heavens (JP); elders, women and youths of Ikantu Community.

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