BREAKING: Ijaw, Urhobo, Itsekiri Unite, Embrace Peace In Warri, Applaud INEC On Implementation Of Delineation Report

By Joseph Bienbo, Warri

The Warri National Congress (WNC) comprising Ijaw, Urhobo and has held Warri peace press Conference at BB Hotel on Monday, declared that Warri is jointly owned by the Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities, while commending the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the timely implementation of the Warri Federal Constituency Delineation Report.

The group described the exercise as a significant step toward ensuring fairness, justice and equitable political representation among the constituent communities in the Warri area.

The Warri National Congress said the press conference was jointly held to emphasise to the world that Warri tribes have embraced peace and would henceforth work in harmony and unity.

Speaking during a press conference in BB Hotel in Warri, the National President of the organization, Prince Collins Eselemo, stated that historical facts support the position that Warri belongs collectively to the three major ethnic groups. According to him, attempts by any group to claim exclusive ownership of the city would only fuel unnecessary tensions and undermine the spirit of peaceful coexistence that has existed among the people for decades.

Eselemo maintained that Ogbe-Ijoh occupies a central place in the history and identity of Warri, stressing that “Ogbe-Ijoh is synonymous with Warri, and Warri is synonymous with Ogbe-Ijoh land.” He argued that available historical records indicate that Ogbe-Ijoh was the most significant town within the Warri metropolis during the colonial era, adding that the eldars town which was the Ogbe-Ijoh settlement played a vital role in the economic and social development of the area.

The WNC leader also criticized some leaders of the Agbarha Urhobo community, accusing them of allowing themselves to be influenced by certain interests within the Itsekiri ethnic nationality. He warned that such alignments could be detrimental to the long-term political interests of the Urhobo people, urging them to reassess their position and embrace a more independent and fact-based approach to issues concerning Warri’s historical and political identity.

While reaffirming support for the implementation of the delineation exercise, Eselemo called on all stakeholders to remain peaceful and respect the decisions of relevant authorities.

He emphasised that lasting peace and development in Warri can only be achieved through mutual respect, inclusiveness and recognition of the rights and contributions of all ethnic groups that have historically shaped the growth and progress of the oil-rich city.