WARRI/Nigeria: Renowned peace, justice, and environmental advocate, Comrade (Chief) Sheriff Mulade, PhD, has appealed to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State to urgently step in and address the growing tension among the Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw ethnic nationalities in Warri Federal Constituency before it escalates into a full-blown crisis.
His call follows recent reports of clashes between Itsekiri and Ijaw youths after the alleged removal of banners marking the 10th coronation anniversary of the Pere Ama-Okosuwei of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Monbene III, from strategic locations in Warri metropolis on Tuesday.
Mulade, who also serves as a United Nations Peace Ambassador, attributed the rising tension to unresolved issues surrounding the recent ward delineation exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He urged Governor Oborevwori to initiate dialogue among stakeholders to restore calm and unity.
“I call on the Governor Sheriff Oborevwori-led administration to act swiftly to tackle this brewing tension before it escalates to a full-blown crisis,” Mulade said. “If need be, the Governor should come down to Warri and have a town hall meeting with traditional rulers and community stakeholders to interact directly and find lasting solutions.”
He also cautioned security agencies to remain professional and not allow themselves to be used by individuals with selfish interests, stressing that their role must be to secure peace rather than deepen mistrust. “The Nigerian Police and other relevant agencies must not create a wrong impression that they can be used to perpetrate selfish interests,” he warned.
The Ibe-Serimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom further urged traditional rulers in Warri to call their subjects to order, emphasizing that peace remains the bedrock of progress and development. “Peace is better than violence, and at this moment, what we want is peace and unity for the sake of development,” he noted.
Mulade also cautioned the youths to avoid violence that could undermine government projects and scare away investors. “There has been relative peace all this while, and that is why we are able to talk about infrastructural development. But if crisis erupts, all state government projects and private investments will be halted, and we don’t need that,” he stressed.
He finally called on INEC to resolve the lingering ward delineation issues in Warri Federal Constituency, which he described as the root cause of the renewed ethnic tension. “The INEC and the federal government must be neutral and comply with the Supreme Court judgment to close out these issues so we can move forward,” he advised.
