Itsekiris Raise Alarm Over Alleged Plot Against Olu of Warri’s Uvwie Visit
The Itsekiri National Association in Canada (INAC) has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by some individuals in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State to disrupt a planned royal visit by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to Itsekiri communities in the area.
The group warned that any attempt to prevent the revered monarch from visiting his subjects could trigger avoidable inter-communal tension, urging the Delta State Government and security agencies to act swiftly to forestall a breakdown of law and order.
In a statement jointly signed by INAC President, Fiogho Tonwe; Secretary, Owen Fregene; Tosan Eyide; and Oritseweyinmi Adodo-Obadoni, the association said the monarch’s scheduled visit to Ugbolokposo and other Itsekiri settlements in Uvwie was in line with long-established traditional responsibilities and should not be politicised.
According to the association, the Olu of Warri’s visit to communities under his traditional authority is a legitimate exercise of his role as custodian of the Itsekiri people, irrespective of where they reside.
“The Olu of Warri has a legitimate and historic responsibility to his subjects wherever they reside. A visit to Itsekiri communities within Uvwie that have co-existed with their Urhobo neighbours for generations is neither an encroachment nor an act of aggression. It is the exercise of a sovereign’s duty of care to his people,” the statement said.
The association alleged that some individuals were mobilising opposition to the visit in what it described as a deliberate attempt to inflame communal sentiments for political relevance.
While acknowledging that many residents of Uvwie do not support the planned protest, INAC condemned what it called the exploitation of ethnic sensitivities by a few actors seeking political visibility.
The association also expressed concern over what it described as the silence of the Delta State Government and sections of the Urhobo leadership, warning that failure to publicly discourage threats against the monarch could embolden those intent on causing unrest.
“It is deeply troubling that at a moment when a clear and authoritative voice is needed to de-escalate tension and reaffirm the rights of all communities to practise their traditions freely, that voice has been absent,” the statement said.
It added that “silence from those in authority is not neutrality; it is, in effect, permission. It emboldens those who incite and abandons those who suffer the consequences.”
INAC called on Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to publicly affirm the rights of Itsekiri communities to receive their traditional ruler and to promote peaceful coexistence among ethnic groups in the state.
The association also urged the Urhobo Progress Union and other Urhobo traditional and civic organisations to distance themselves from individuals allegedly promoting division and to reaffirm the longstanding peaceful relationship between the Urhobo and Itsekiri peoples.
It further appealed to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to provide adequate security for the monarch, members of his entourage and the communities expected to receive him, while ensuring that anyone resorting to violence or intimidation is brought to justice.
INAC also urged the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to intervene where necessary in defence of the constitutional rights and freedom of movement of recognised traditional rulers across the country.
Reaffirming its support for the Itsekiri people, the association warned that the international community was monitoring developments and called on all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue and restraint.
“Peace is possible. It has always been possible. But peace requires courage from those in leadership—the courage to speak, to intervene, and to refuse to be silent when silence itself becomes a form of complicity,” the statement added.
