By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

The good, bad and ugly WARRI, a principal nucleus of petroleum-related business, located in the creeks and swamps of the Niger-Delta is a money-making city in Delta State, which prides itself as the ‘heart beat’ of the country.

The people that live in Warri are largely Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ijaw with other ethnic groups making it metropolitan.

With its enormous natural resources and expanded infrastructural development in the surrounding Uvwie, Udu, Ughelli and Okpe in recent years, linked to Warri with their various road networks, it is unarguable that God, in His benevolence, blessed the municipality.

But in today’s Nigeria, the oil city is talked about more in its unsavory terms. No thanks to the crises it  witnessed over the last two decades, ranging from the Itsekiri-Ijaw war, militancy and lately kidnapping. Indeed, a time came that there was no love lost among the people, who, yester years, did not see themselves as Itsekiri, Ijaw or Urhobo, but as Warri boys, living collectively notwithstanding their diversities.

*Orubebe

New start

In the last few years, some concerned residents of Warri have made conscious efforts to revive the spirit of the old Warri boys under the auspices of Warri Rebirth Initiative, WRI. President of the group, Mr. Kes Agbosa, said, “The idea for Warri Rebirth Initiative was mooted in the middle of 2009 after we saw the massive response by the ‘original Warri boys’ to a clarion call for assistance to one of our own who was bereaved. By October of that year, the inaugural meeting took place. We have since had six outings, which success dumb-founded us in terms of number and caliber of attendees. It appeared that it is a project that has been waiting to happen.

“Warri Rebirth Initiative is a loose social, non-political organization of Warri ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ striving to attain the peace and oneness known in and amongst all citizens of the geographical expression called Warri between the 1950s and the 1970s with a view to realigning the area for human, social and infrastructural development.”

A principal promoter of WRI, Mr. Patrick Origho, also said, “The aim of this organisation is to endeavour to destroy all seeds of tribal discord among the various ethnic groups in the area and in their place sow those of peace and unity as a vehicle for individual and collective progress and development through social interaction and assistance where necessary.”

… Enter Orubebe

Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, himself a Warri boy, addressed the social group on the topical matter, “Spiritual and Natural Dimension of Warri and its Inhabitants.” He took a cursory look at what binds the inhabitants together, which is oil, the major facilities and institutions in Warri, which have been and will continue to be the basis of communal life in the city, factors that can be used to achieve harmony and peaceful co-existence among the inhabitants and the spiritual issues necessary for rebirth.

Present for the function after a church engagement, which was spiced with music from veteran musician, Tony Grey, and cultural dancers from Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic groups, were a former Minister of Information, Prof Sam Oyovabaire.  Mr. Lucky Oghene-Umoru, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Prince Sunny Omatseye, Dr. Akpo Mudiaga-Odje, Hon Michael Diden, Chris Boyo, Elegbete Moses Odibo, Chief Emmanuel Jones and Barrister Andrew Oru. What everybody were waiting to hear was what went wrong, why and the way forward. Orubebe did not let down on the particulars and statistics.

When did water enter the basket?

Starting with what went wrong, he said, “To my mind, we may have had the various crises of the past because we went outside the will of God for bringing us together and started working against each other and that is why our resources have not benefitted us.”

He pointed on that God did not make mistake, did not make mistake in locating the ethnic groups in Warri and, therefore, “expects us to live in harmony and utilize the resources He gave us to improve our society and the lots of our people.”

“God will hold us accountable if we do not harness these endowments and potentials to develop and galvanize our people together,” he added.

Distrust

On the reason for the crises, he said, “But somewhere along the line, suspicion came in, trust disappeared and the cord of unity that was binding us together was broken.”

On the way forward, he posited, “First, we need to genuinely forgive each other of any hurts and wrong doings suffered during the period of the crises; There must be mutual trust and brotherly love amongst us; We must rekindle the old spirit of Warri boy and see ourselves as one people under God; The government, elites, opinion moulders, clergy and business people should make conscious and strenuous efforts to create jobs and generate employment for the teeming youths and unemployed people.”

“Change in value orientation of the people should be done as a matter of urgent public importance to forestall further acts of immorality and promote good conduct; We must strengthen existing institutions such as educational institutions and churches to preach good ethical behavior, tolerance and love for one another; We need to encourage the hosting of festivals, social gatherings and introduce new forms of social interaction among the inhabitants of Warri to promote true friendship and better communal living”.