OPUAMA LEADERSHIP ROW DEEPENS AS YOUTH LEADER DEMANDS 30-YEAR ACCOUNTS, REPORTEDLY FACES DETENTION

A call for financial transparency has drawn in rival youth groups, a traditional ruler and, according to a circulating appeal, the criminal justice system.

A leadership dispute in Opuama community, Egbema Kingdom, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, has moved from social media argument to a wider contest over accountability, authority and the right to dissent.

At the centre is Goodluck Ojusin, leader of the "Alhaji Omoko Must Go Movement." Ojusin has publicly demanded that the community's leaders account for funds generated from Opuama over the past 30 years. He says the community has little to show for "billions" and that "the people deserve to see the books." His targets include Hon. Alhaji Emmanuel Omoko, Hon. Spencer Okpoye, Commissioner representing the Ijaw ethnic nationality in DESOPADEC, and Amb. Jude Ebitimi Ukori, former chairman of the Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation (EGCDF). These are allegations. None has been proven, and the leaders deny them.

The movement's position

In a series of statements, Ojusin said his movement is built on youth concerns about unemployment, poor infrastructure and weak representation, not on insults. He said that if the records are clean, he will apologise "to the world openly," but that if they are not, all sitting leadership roles should stand dissolved. He announced that Opuama youths would gather on October 1, 2026, to elect a new leader, and listed schools, a health centre, roads, water, electricity and youth empowerment as the movement's goals.

He also welcomed dialogue with the traditional ruler and the Omoko-led leadership, but insisted it must come with the books on the table. "Dialogue without books is deception," he said.

The counter-narrative

The Opuama Youth Assembly, Warri (OYAW), led by Comr. Ezekiel Ugulapelewei, rejected the claims as baseless and passed a vote of confidence in the named leaders. It said the leaders have impacted lives in Opuama and the wider kingdom in ways that are "verifiable," and advised Ojusin to apologise. The group also questioned his standing to speak because of where he lives. Ojusin answered that he resides in Warri, Delta State, adding that "truth does not need an address to speak out."

Ojusin separately pushed back at Comr. Ugular Ebizimor Endurance, president of OCYM, who reportedly dismissed the agitation as a fight for "stomach infrastructure." Ojusin said he was proud to fight for water, jobs, light and roads, and objected to the publication of the names of youths backing him. He said he would not return to Opuama until there is "a New Government that represent the interest of all."

The traditional ruler steps in

HRH Hon. Henry Binidodogha, Ovuru I of Ofunama Land, expressed confidence in the Omoko-led leadership while cautioning that allegations of financial misconduct are grave and must be backed by evidence and examined by appropriate authorities, not social media campaigns. He warned against parallel leadership structures and urged the youths to channel grievances through recognised constitutional, traditional and community mechanisms. He also encouraged the leadership to remain transparent and to engage stakeholders when legitimate concerns arise.

Ojusin's reply struck a conciliatory note. He said the movement shares the monarch's desire for peace and unity and is itself calling for "evidence, dialogue and due process."

Reported arrest

My arrest was orchestrated by the administration of Alhaji Omoko Emmanuel, in collaboration with his long-standing loyalists, Hon. Spencer Okpoye and Ambassador Jude Ebitimi Ukori.

A flyer titled "Urgent Appeal for Justice" now circulating online claims that Ojusin was arrested on the 9th by the administration of Alhaji Omoko Emmanuel, in collaboration with his long-standing loyalists, Hon

Spencer Okpoye and Amb. Jude Ukori, and detained at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Warri-Okere, Delta State. It lists the charge as one year's imprisonment with an option of an N800,000 fine and describes him as an awaiting-trial inmate. It links the arrest to his public allegations and appeals to Opuama youths, human rights groups and the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria for a lawyer and a fair trial.

This report has not independently verified those claims. No charge sheet, court record, or statement from the police or the Correctional Service has been seen, and the leaders named in the flyer have not publicly responded to it.

Unanswered questions

Whatever the merits of either side, several issues remain open:

◽No financial records covering the 30-year period have been published, and none has been publicly requested through a formal channel such as a regulator or court.

◽It is unclear on whose complaint, and under what law, Ojusin was reportedly detained.

◽The outcome of the proposed October 1 youth election has not been confirmed.

Both sides say they want peace, development and accountability. For now, they disagree on who must answer first.

𝘐𝘻𝘰𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘺 has reached out for comment from all parties named.