?Obuama Community Refutes Udekama Land Claim

The Obuama Community in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers says the September 7, 2026, press statement issued by Udekama (Degema) people is misleading and distorted as regards the historical facts relating to the land ownership between the Obama and Usokun communities in the area.

This was contained in a paper presented at a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Monday.

The paper was signed by Chairman and Secretary of the Community Development Community, Prof. Sakeini A. Idoniboye. -Obu, and Sir Harvest Daobu Harry, respectively, and three others.

The paper reiterated the assertions given by the Usokun community concerning the history of ownership of the disputed Obupiri land.

It said the portions of the Udekama statement was characterized with falsehood, misrepresentation of facts and the history of litigation between the communities.

According to Prof. 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 debunk 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,” he said.

Obuama community claimed 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, and no appeal was filed against the ruling in Suit No. 164/38”, the community said.

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.

Obuama community called 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.