The Obuama Community in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers says the September 7, 2026, press statement issued by Udekama (Degema) people is misleading and distorted historical facts relating to the land ownership between the Obama and Usokun communities in the area.
This was contained in a paper presented in press briefing held in Port Harcourt on Monday signed by. Prof. Sakeini A. Idoniboye. -Obu chairman of the community development community (CDC), Sir, Harvest Daobu, Harry, secretary of the Obuama community, and three others.
The paper reiterated the assertions given by. The Usokun community concerning the history of ownership of the disputed Obupiri land, portions of the Udekama statement, is characterized with falsehood. and mispresentation of facts and of the history of litigation between the communities.
According to Prof. Idoniboye Obu, the Obiama community was compelled to respond to the falsehood with the view to keep the record straight. regarding the history of the land dispute and a series of court proceedings back in 1935.
“Obuama, also known as Harry’s Town, is a Kalabari community in the Degema Local Government Area that shares a common boundary with Usokun, which it described as part of the Udekama (Degema) people.
“We totally debunked the claim that the Usokun people allotted the Obupiri land to an ancestor of Obuama in 1883. We maintained this position since the first recorded boundary dispute in 1935, but it had been King Amachree IV who gave the land to its ancestor, the late Chief Idoniboye-Obu,” the statement said.
In the same vein, Obama cited Kalabari Native Court Suit No. 23/35, instituted by the Usokun people in 1935, against Obama for trespass and damages, but the Usokun community lost the case as the first recorded action in the dispute.
*The suit that involved claims for damages for trespass and an injunction against Obuama, the Usokun lost the case.”
According to the Obuama community, efforts to resolve the boundary dispute subsequently led to Suit No. 164/38, instituted before the Kalabari Native Court in 1938. And again the judgment was delivered in favor of Obuama, and the court fixed the boundary between Obuama and Usokun. Obama and no appeal was filed against the ruling in Suit No. 164/38.
They further cited the 1925 Supreme Court judgment in Will Amachree v. Orku, Goldwatch and Senabor, alongside other court proceedings, in presenting its position on the historical relationship between the Kalabaris. people and Udekama communities.
Consequently, the Obuama community used the forum to call on the Usokun community to obey existing court rulings and urged all parties to pursue the longstanding dispute through lawful, peaceful, and constructive means instead of resorting to violence.
