RismadarVoice Reporters
January 11, 2026
The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has called on the Federal Government, the Delta State Government, oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to intensify the execution of infrastructural projects in Itsekiri coastal communities, lamenting decades of neglect despite the area’s immense contribution to Nigeria’s oil wealth.
The monarch made the appeal on Saturday while addressing journalists after touring several oil-producing riverine communities in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. The communities visited included Jakpa, Tebu, Ajamita, Ebrohimi, Udo, Obaghoro, Gbokoda and Dibi.
Ogiame Atuwatse III expressed concern that the Itsekiri people had remained poor, frustrated and marginalised over the years, blaming regulatory inconsistencies, poor engagement by oil firms and what he described as exploitative corporate practices.
He criticized alleged divide-and-rule tactics employed by some oil companies in the area, noting that such practices had entrenched oppression and were sometimes enabled by internal compromise among a few individuals within the Itsekiri community.
The monarch cautioned oil firms against mistaking the peaceful disposition of Itsekiri communities for weakness.
“For over 60 years, the Itsekiri people have listened to figures, production numbers, revenue charts and academic explanations drawn from oil produced on our God-given and legally recognised land,” he said.
“Today, we say clearly that those numbers no longer impress us, because they do not reflect the actual reality of the lives of our people on the ground.
“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 lay the golden eggs for Nigeria. Yet, paradoxically, our people remain poor, frustrated and neglected.”
The Olu of Warri said the situation was not accidental, attributing it to years of regulatory neglect, corporate practices that tolerated injustice, and internal betrayal driven by personal greed.
He said he could no longer remain silent amid the growing hardship faced by his people.
“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,” he said.
“No external actor can truly undermine us unless someone inside unlocks the door. Oil companies, whether international or Nigerian, only take advantage of us when those who pose as leaders among us are willing to trade our collective destiny for personal gain.”
Despite his concerns, the monarch commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for ongoing infrastructural projects in the area, including the Dibi road project and the Trans Warri–Ode-Itsekiri bridges and access road. He urged the state government to sustain development efforts in coastal communities to foster inclusion and economic growth.
He also appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his openness to the concerns of the Itsekiri people, while warning against individuals he described as “usurpers, charlatans and opportunists” who falsely claim to represent the community.
“The tolerance for them has failed us,” he said. “Now is the time to replace it with transparency, unity and accountability, or remain victims of a system we secretly enable.”
