“They made us fight and called us fighters”: Barr. Frank Ekpemupolo reflects on Gbaramatu’s struggle for development

Human rights lawyer and Gbaramatu Kingdom indigene, Barr. Frank Ekpemupolo, has shared a reflective piece on social media lamenting the cycle of conflict and underdevelopment that has defined his community, saying “They made us fight and then called us fighters.”

In the emotional post, Ekpemupolo described how the narrative of militancy has become the identity imposed on Gbaramatu people, despite their push for basic infrastructure and recognition.

“They forced our hands to start the war, and when we raised our shields to stand, they pointed fingers shook with blame,” he wrote. “They called us rebels in our own lands and fixed a fighter’s bitter name on us. They call us fierce to mask their greed.”

The lawyer argued that every landmark achievement in Gbaramatu Kingdom was won through struggle, not government benevolence.

“We basically fought for everything we have today as Gbaramatu people. Nothing has ever been given to us without us fighting for it. Our schools were built on stubborn cries, our roads were paved with loud demand,” he said.

Citing historical flashpoints, Ekpemupolo recalled the 1997 and 2003 crises in Warri and its environs, and the years of agitation — 2006, 2009, 2016, and 2018 — that preceded the establishment of the Federal Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

“The waters of the Escravos carry our tears, a heavy rhythm born of passing years,” he wrote. “We guard the soil, the river, and the creek, yet peace is the elusive prize we seek. Our children ask us when the storms will cease. When will Gbaramatu taste peace?”

He questioned whether the community’s location in the resource-rich Niger Delta had condemned it to a cycle of plunder and neglect, adding that the “Gbaramatu case remains a dilemma that begs for answers.”

In his closing remarks, Ekpemupolo urged Gbaramatu youths to accept their identity as fighters for survival, but with responsibility.

“I beseech thee, Gbaramatu youths, to own up with the given identity without denial, that we are fighters and we struggle to survive,” he said.

His post comes amid renewed debate over the Warri Federal Constituency delineation and the broader demand for justice, equity, and development in oil-producing communities of Delta State.