By Ambrose Ologide
The Otota (spokesman) of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, High Chief Dr Bridgedier-General Gold Eburu (rtd ) has called on Governor Sheriff Francis Oborevwori to find a lasting peace to the age-long Warri ethnic crisis.
This was contained in a statement titled: “Press Release By The Otota Of Okere Urhobo Kingdom Warri On Unwarranted And Provocative Attacks By The Itsekiri National Against The Urhobo Nationalities Of Okere Warri: A Clarion Call For The Executive Governor Of Delta State, His Excellency Rt Hon Elder Sheriff Francis Oborevwori To Intervene For Lasting Peace”, made available to newsmen in Warri on Monday, August 25, 2025.
The statement reads inter alia that ” I am constrained to make this open complaint, on behalf of the good people of Okere Urhobo Kingdom Warri, to our dear listening governor, His Excellency, Rt Hon Elder Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, Executive Governor of Delta State, about the uncontrolled and incessant provocative behaviour of our Itsekiri neighbours supported by their kiths and kins from the riverine area of Delta State.”
Over time, the ownership of cosmopolitan Warri has been in contention between the Urhobos of Warri (the natives of Agbarha Warri Kingdom and Okere Urhobo Kingdom Warri) and their neighbouring Itsekiri natives, heavily supported by their kiths and kins in the riverine towns of Delta State.
The Itsekiris claim they own Warri, whilst the Urhobos in Warri have proven and gotten legal recognition that they own Warri.
“Sensibly, whenever there is a dispute, the rival groups subject themselves to an arbiter. The final arbiter, as far as Nigeria’s legal system is concerned, is the Supreme Court, which had put the contention of who owns Warri to rest in its ruling in the case SC. 309/4, Dc Idundun & Others Vs Daniel Okumagba & Olodi, Oki and Ighogbadu families. Where it affirmed in clear terms that the Urhobos own Warri cosmopolitan land under dispute with the Itsekiris.
“This was in response to an appeal made by the Itsekiris against the rulings in case, W/48/1968 High Court Warri, made in favour of the Urhobos of Okere Urhobo Kingdom.
“There was a little respite after the celebrated and landmark judgement and Warri enjoyed a measure of relative peace.
“There were, however, pockets of other cases which tended to hover around the ownership of various lands in Warri, which were in the same vein decided in favour of the Urhobos.
“However, this relative peace was interrupted again in 1999 following the uncontrolled show of power by the Itsekiris to move the Warri South West Local Government Headquarters from Ogbe-Ijoh to Ogidigben. Under the pressure from the Ijaw nation in the ensuing fierce battle that followed, the Itsekiris attacked the Urhobos in Warri, particularly the Okere Urhobo Kingdom in Warri, whom they believed were siding with the Ijaws. All sides are still nursing the destruction from that encounter and should therefore be careful enough to avoid a repetition.
“There are signs of another possible breakdown of law and order with the recent provocative attitude of the Itsekiri nation. Very recently, the Itsekiri youths in Odion, in collaboration with their kiths and kins from the larger domain of the Itsekiris in the riverine areas, attacked the unsuspecting Urhobos in Odion Urhobo, a settlement of the Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Warri.
“Whilst the Delta State government is still trying to make peace and help to resettle the Urhobos who suffered various damages, some Itsekiri youths feigning publicity of the celebrations of the 4th Coronation Anniversary of their monarch went on a provocative procession in a motorcade through Urhobo territories on Sunday 17 August 2025 chanting offensive words about the ownership of Warri, hailing their king and derogating the Warri Urhobo Kings. Our youths were restrained from responding. Disappointed because they did not get the expected resistance from Urhobo youths on that day to instigate their premeditated confrontation, they embarked on another procession on Saturday, 23rd August 2025, into the territory of Okere Urhobo Kingdom from the direction of Ajomogha, where the Olu’s Palace is situated, until they were curtailed at Ibo Market.
“Okere Urhobo youths resisted further incursion, upon which the Itsekiri youths responded with an attack using stones, machetes, etc. In the resistance that followed injuries and destruction occurred on both sides. But for the timely intervention of the Police, Army and other security agencies the situation would have grown out of immediate control.
“Apart from the false and baseless claim of territory by the Itsekiris, they are vexed by the recent delineation exercise carried out by INEC and would want to do everything to forestall its implementation including war.
Characteristically, the situation on the ground may result in a full-scale crisis if not quickly mediated. A post, by somebody tagged “Lord of Warri” on x page (formerly Twitter), the Itsekiris are already spoiling for war as they warned that because of the experience they have over the years fighting wars, any war against them will not end well for the Urhobos in Okere Urhobo.
“In the same post, the writer tried to cajole some Urhobo Kingdoms (arrogantly referred to as ‘clans’) to remain indifferent in the emerging crisis as they did in the past, because they are not the target but the Urhobos in Warri, specifically, the Okere Urhobo Kingdom in Warri.
“These utterances are indicators of what to expect, a possible surprise attack on the peace-loving people of Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Warri, by their Itsekiri neighbours and their allies. It is for this reason that I am making this clarion call to His Excellency Rt Hon Elder Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, Executive Governor of Delta State for his quick intervention to stall the imminent violent crisis.
“I humbly suggest the following actions amongst others: Enactment or resuscitation of laws, rules or regulations on restriction of traditional activities and celebrations to within the kingdom boundaries, Physical presence of security agencies mainly army and police at inter-kingdom boundaries, Aggressive intelligence gathering to identify real and prospective sponsors and executors of crisis in the communities, Release of white papers on previous crises in Warri.
“Government supervised peace conference by the three (3) kingdoms in Warri South Local Government Area to which may be invited other stakeholders and peace mediators as may be necessary.
“This will provide an opportunity to discuss areas of concessions in the implementation of the various court judgements.
“I believe His Excellency will oblige us with the intervention in the way he thinks best for peaceful and amiable neighbourliness. Please do, our dear listening Governor.”
