Olu of Warri identifies factors responsible for neglect of Itsekiri Nation, despite her rich natural resources

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, says Itsekiri people remain poor, frustrated and neglected, despite being one of the geese that lays the golden eggs for Nigeria, due "to previous indifferent and inconsistent regulatory attitudes."

The Warri Monarch, also blamed divide - and - rule tactics by oil companies, a culture that tolerates oppression and " most importantly, internal compromise and betrayal by a few among our own Itsekiri people, driven by greed, selfishness and wickedness" for the perceived neglect of Itsekiri Nation.

Elegant Itsekiri dance steps, welcoming the Olu of Warri to one of the communities

 The king, made the declaration Saturday January 10, after touring Jakpa, Tebu, Ajamita, Ebrohimi, Udo, Obaghoro, Gbokoda and Dibi Field, all Itsekiri riverine communities in Warri North Local Government Area.

He appreciated Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, for the ongoing road project in Dibi as well as the Trans Warri - Ode - Itsekiri Bridges and Access Road, urging the state government, to execute more infrastructural projects in Itsekiri coastal communities.

"I now speak directly to Chevron - not just Warri, not Ugborodo, not even Lekki, but Houston. " Chevron chose to remain onshore when others retreated offshore to avoid community accountability.

 "We believe you recognized the blessing God has bestowed on us, and thus wish to remain here among us, to continue to enjoy the blessing. Despite the facts that could have easily pushed you away. We welcome you. We accommodate you. We believe in true partnership. That will yield in mutual success, one that makes your operation and presence in this part of the world, a model for your global operation .

Some community leaders, in one of the communities

 "But, do not take our peaceful nature and mistake it for weakness," the reverred Monarch, proclaimed. Below, is the full text of The Olu's speech: " A Statement of Truth, Responsibility, and Resolve

(After touring some of our riverine communities, our hearts are heavy.)

For over 60years, the Itsekiri people have listened to figures—production numbers, revenue charts, academic explanations—drawn from oil produced on our God-given and legally recognized land.

But today, we say clearly: those numbers no longer impress us, because they do not reflect the actual reality of the lives of our people on ground.

Yes, the records confirm what the nation already knows: this tribe called Itsekiri, in the western corner of the Niger Delta is one of the geese that lays the golden eggs for Nigeria.

 Colourfully dressed Itsekiri women, entertaining the Monarch

Yet, paradoxically, our people remain poor, frustrated, and neglected.

This did not happen by accident.

It is the result of:

 • previous indifferent and inconsistent regulatory attitudes

 • divide-and-rule tactics by oil companies,

 • a culture that tolerates oppression

 • and most importantly internal compromise & betrayal by a few among our own Itsekiri people, driven by greed, selfishness & wickedness.

Today, for the sake of my people, I refuse to remain silent.

I refuse to hide behind diplomacy.

I refuse to dress this truth in ceremonial language.

I stand before you, as Overlord of the land, father of the people, custodian of the culture, and spiritual authority—and I say it plainly:

My people are discouraged.

My people are poor.

My people are tired.

However, my people will no longer accept being treated as though they do not matter.

A WORD TO MY PEOPLE FIRST

Before speaking to companies & outsiders, I must speak to us.

No external actor can truly undermine us, unless someone inside unlocks the door.

Oil Companies, be they International or Nigerian, take advantage of us only when they see that those who pose as leaders among us, are willing to trade our collective destiny for their own personal gain.

These so called leaders worship only one god. And that god is none other than their stomach, and because they worship this false god, the land suffers.

Because these people wear greed as the mask of leadership, the common people are exposed & exploited.

These so called leaders are the ones who have been playing the role of middlemen, and benefiting, by instigating us against oil companies, and government.

We know that Government has taken an oath to protect and care for its people, and we appreciate the efforts of our amiable Govenor, HE, Elder Sherrif Obowovweri, (and I want to appreciate you for the road work currently going on in Dibi, and of course the trans Warri ode Itsekiri road, and we encourage you to do more of such infrastructural development in these riverine communties) 

We also thank the President of this Nation, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for always giving us a listening ear, and considerate attention. 

But we have had enough of these usurpers, enough of these charlatans, enough of these opportunists, who deal & trade in the name of our people. And try to keep us silent and inactive, by applying blackmail and fear. Today, we not only resist those chains, but we break them. 

This tolerance for them has failed us.

And now is the time for us to replace it with transparency, unity, and accountability—or remain victims of a system we secretly enable.

To every Itsekiri collaborator who continues to place selfish interest above the future of our children, our communities, and our land:

If you refuse to change,

If you insist on selling the people for personal gain—

You will reap the consequences of your actions.

You will become a plague wherever you go.

You will be the Jonah in every boat you enter.

This is not hatred.

This is a call to repentance.

A DIRECT WORD TO CHEVRON

I now speak directly to Chevron—not just Warri, not Ugborodo, not even Lekki, but Houston.

Chevron chose to remain onshore when others retreated offshore to avoid community accountability.

We believe you recognized the blessing God has bestowed on us, and thus wish to remain here among us, to continue to enjoy the blessing. Despite the “facts” that could have easily pushed you away.

We welcome you.

We accommodate you.

We believe in true partnership.

That will yield in mutual success, one that makes your operation & presence in this part of the world, a model for your global operation.

But please, do not take our peaceful nature & mistake it for weakness

Because the record speaks clearly.

Before your arrival as Gulf Oil, our people in these communities lived better lives than they do today.

Let us be honest:

Peaceful people can become desperate people, especially when 6 decades of evidence tells them that not only are they not the priority, but also, that they do not matter. And as is the case in the ND, the oil companies have shown that they respond faster to threats than to dialogue, which is truly most unfortunate.

The Itsekiri people reverence their King, and he has consistently preached peace.

And I still do.

But peace without justice is not sustainable.

And it is becoming increasingly difficult—even irresponsible—to ask our people to continue accepting this unjust pattern.

A WORD TO GOVERNMENT AND THE NATION

Our national anthem prays: “Help us to build a nation where no man is oppressed.”

Nation-building begins at the grassroots.

When the foundation is neglected or suppressed, what can the righteous do?

The land is alive.

The land knows when there is injustice.

The land knows when there is oppression.

We are a spiritual people. Itsekiri ene—the blessed people.

We remain surrounded by prayers, and surrounded by blessings.

We are a blessing to this nation Nigeria.

The blessing that we are must be protected, nurtured, and respected.

This message extends beyond Itsekiriland—to the Niger Delta and even beyond.

As Nigeria seeks to restart oil production in Ogoniland after three decades, a new moral foundation must also be laid here in Itsekiriland.

We are tired of:

 • poverty in the midst of abundant wealth

 • being thirsty, yet surrounded by water

 • having soap in our eyes, while standing in the midst of many rivers.

We seek alignment for the common good. Where the quality of our current and future lives and environment, is just as important as the economic interests of all. 

OUR DEMAND IS SIMPLE AND JUST

Our most important resource is people. Showing value for human life.

How we treat our people, determines how the land responds to us in yielding what it is we seek to extract from it.

When respect for people aligns with respect for the land, fruitfulness & productivity will exceed projections—for companies, communities, and the nation.

Today, even tho we stand here in Jakpa, I bring further spotlight to the status quo in all oil-producing Itsekiri communities. From those in the Warri River axis; the Benin River axis, the Ugborodo axis, & the coastal communities & others.

I want to thank & appreciate Government of Nigeria for finally giving us this first version of the PIA, which we believe to be a living breathing document.

And I want to appeal to the key stakeholders of the PIA: The settlors, the regulator and we the people, to prioritize development for our people.

Our priorities are clear & in this order:

 1. Electricity & connectivity

 2. Portable water

 3. Healthcare

 4. Education

5. Accessibility 

6. Employment (I place emphasis on gainful employment, without a sense of entitlement, oil companies operating in our land could do so much better when it comes to gainful employment. We are not here for window dressing, or to be considered as part of the landscape, or to be treated as necessary evil. All Nigerians can and should benefit from employment by oil companies, but the locals should not be treated or traded for other considerations. Employ our people)

7. Environmental protection & further economic opportunity 

And after all these are put in place, security presence will be necessary. 

For sixty years, hundreds of billions of dollars have flowed from these swamps, with almost nothing to show for it, in these same swamps. That chapter is closed.

In looking forward to the next sixty years—before the world moves fully beyond oil—we must all work towards leaving a lasting positive legacy, not trauma & scars.

These next 60yrs, I want to appeal to the government, in collaboration with the oil companies: that when these things that we are asking for, once they are being approved and awarded, those who are privileged to be given the responsibility of carrying out these jobs, that it should be treated as a sacred responsibility. 

Even if the contractors are our own Itsekiri people; make an example of them if they do not fulfill their end of the bargain. 

We will not allow anyone hide behind sentiment or secrecy, as an excuse for not delivering the goods to our people, who deserve more than what they have been receiving. 

A king is as wealthy as his people.

Today, I remove all pretense: my people have been marginalized and deprived. And this treatment comes to an end today.

This is not about contracts for a few.

It is about dignity for all.

A FINAL WORD

I wish to use Ogidigben as an example.

Shell promised Ogidigben electricity in 1990. The Palace trusted Shell to deal fairly and quickly with the community. 

However, many influences and interests stalled and frustrated the process. It was not until the palace stepped in directly 3 years ago, after 3 decades of being patient, that Shell, having changed its name to Renaissance, moved with such impressive speed, to bring that project to a concluding phase.

The Palace will no longer watch from a distance

Gulf oil has morphed into Chevron.

And I will not allow Chevron—or Renaissance, Seplat, Heritage, Conoil, Neconde/Nestoil, ND Western, Elcrest, Platform, Sahara Energy, & the other oil companies, —to repeat the failures of the past.

The palace is standing up for her people.

We bring our voice, our authority, and our clout to stand with every oil-bearing community in Itsekiriland.

We seek development.

We seek peace.

We seek partnership.

But we insist on justice.

Today, we declare a new day for host and impacted communities in Itsekiriland.

Let it be peaceful.

Let is be equitable.

Let it be firm.

Let it be irreversible.

God Bless Warri Kingdom.

God Bless Delta State.

God bless The Federal Republic of Nigeria."

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