The Need For Olu And Itsekiri Elders To Call Their Youths To Order To Maintain Peace In Warri

By Zik Gbemre

On the attempt to reignite Warri crisis, it was reported as Itsekiris were celebrating the 4th Coronation of Olu on 23rd August 2025, overzealous Itsekiri youths incited chaos with celebratory procession outside Itsekiri territory of Warri Township in Agbarha-Ame and Okere-Urhobo kingdoms.

Olu and Itsekiri people must keep the peace and celebrate their coronation within Itsekiri territory. Why can’t they take their Olu coronation anniversary to Ode-Itsekiri that is the ancestral home of Itsekiri people and their Olu.

Allowing Itsekiri youths to parade Urhobo areas when celebrating their Olu is inviting crises in Warri Township in Warri South. Warri South has three Kingdoms known and gazetted as Ovie of Agbarha-Ame Warri, Orosue of Okere-Urhobo Warri and Olu of Itsekiri Warri.

Every Kingdom in Warri South is well defined. The popular Agbarha-Ame Warri Festival is usually done within their Kingdom without trespassing into Itsekiri area. The Ovie of Agbarha-Ame Warri Kingdom’s coronation and anniversary was done within the territory of their kingdom.

If the Itsekiri youths are not advised to do the Olu’s coronation within their territory it means the Olu and Itsekiri elders are intentionally using their youths to create crises. It is the responsibility of Olu and Itsekiri elders to call their youths to order. The failure of Olu and Itsekiri elders to call their youth to order means they will be held responsible should any crisis occur in Urhobo areas of Warri South.

The Olu and Itsekiri elders shouldn’t turn blind eyes on this deliberate celebration of Olu 4th anniversary in Agbarha-Ame Warri and Okere-Urhobo Warri areas. Olu and Itsekiri should go and develop their communities in the Benin River coastline if not they will go into extinction.

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Other ethnic groups in Delta are developing their communities but Olu and Itsekiri elites only visit their communities on election days, leave immediately to cities of Delta and Nigeria after voting. If they don’t live in and develop their villages in the swamps hamlets and Benin River then who will develop for them?

Venice in Italy is a Marine city built on top of water but the natives live in it and develop it to global tourist centre. Olu and Itsekiri clogging around Warri South will not help them. Oni of Ife lives in Ile-Ife. Oba of Benin lives in Benin. The Oba of Lagos lives in Isalle Eko.

All Urhobo kings live in their ancestral headquarters in their communities. Olu and Itsekiri elites should embrace reality on ground and not live on pretence.

Olu and Itsekiri elders should tell their people the bitter truth and stop parading Urhobo territory in Warri Township when celebrating their coronation anniversary. The Itsekiri youth should be advised by Olu and Itsekiri elders to put the energy for fighting Urhobos in Warri Township into developing and living in Itsekiri hamlets and villages in Benin river.

Their set back and underdevelopment of Itsekiriland are caused by themselves and not Urhobo natives of Warri Township. Olu and Itsekiri elders don’t have control over their subjects, hence they go outside lteskiris territory to fight Urhobo neighbours.

If Olu and Itsekiri elders are in control then they should be able to call their youths to order and sanction them.
Other traditional rulers in Delta do coronation without fight and parading outside their respective kingdoms.

Throughout the time of HM Ogiamen Ikenwole, the immediate past Olu, there was peace in Warri South LGA and no element of crises in Warri Township. Olu, Itsekiri elders and youth should keep their coronation anniversaries within their Palace and territory in swamp communities in Benin River and Ode-Itsekiri.

Olu and Itsekiri elders should keep the peace as there was peace in Warri Township during the reign of the immediate past Olu,HM Ogiamen Ikenwole. Olu and Itsekiri elders should keep their festivals within their territory and not using coronation for territorial expansion of Itsekiri land.

The Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) headquarters building located in Okere Road in Otovwodo Agbarha-Ame Warri and built long before the Olu was born was vandalized by Itsekiri youths in the name of celebrating his 4th coronation anniversary.

This is the second time in recent times Itsekiri youths have attacked UPU building. One would have expected Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to call a meeting of the three traditional rulers and elders in Warri South LGA and tell them to always do their traditional festivals and coronations in their respective territories.

The three traditional rulers in Warri South are Ovie of Agbarha-Ame Warri Kingdom, Orosue of Okere-Urhobo Warri Kingdom and Olu of Itsekiri Warri Kingdom. These three traditional rulers should do their traditional activities in their respective domains.

The Olu should ensure he fixes the vandalised UPU building so that his subjects will not repeat it again if not such actions may escalate to a level the Olu palace outside his ancestral headquarters,Ode-Itsekiri village will be vandalized by aggrieved neighbours to retaliate their attack on Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) headquarters building in Okere Road, Otovwodo Agbarha-Ame Warri.

Zik Gbemre
August 26,2025

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