By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor (South-South), Jimitota Onoyume (Asst. News Editor), and Akpokona Omafuaire (Ughelli)

Senior citizens, who grew up in Warri, an oil hub and the commercial nerve center of Delta State, introspectively gazed into the ‘good old days’ and concluded that present-day Warri is poles apart from the peaceful and lovely oil city they knew and resided in.  

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Within the western Niger River Delta, Warri is an area known for its rich history and diverse population. It is located on the Warri River. During British colonial rule, it was the administrative center of Warri Province, which later became Delta Province.

The Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw ethnic nationalities form the bulwark of the Warri people. However, the Isoko, Ibo, Yoruba, and Hausa are part of this multicultural community. All ethnic nationalities are represented in this melting pot. Warri was known as the “oil city,” particularly during the 1960s through the late 1990s. 

A city of great historical, economic, and cultural importance, Warri symbolized Delta State’s resiliency and solidarity. Once known for its thriving economy, lively nightlife, and peaceful coexistence of the Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw communities, the city is currently experiencing economic stagnation and infrastructure degradation.

However, Delta State Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is already addressing a portion of Warri’s infrastructure shortage.

Warri is not as it was before — Pa Oki, retired principal

Pa Churchill Oki, an octogenarian, remarked that the 1950s and 1960s were enjoyable times in Warri. Warri was a small place, but it has expanded today and is still expanding. Sadly, Warri is the only provincial headquarters out of the 25  provincial headquarters created by colonialists  that neither became a state capital nor a state in the country.”

 Oki, a retired principal and former member of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, Delta State, continued: “I saw public pipe-borne water flowing from taps in streets and streetlights, not the solar type of streetlights today.

 ”Individuals like Esiso, Edewor, Soko, and many more created business establishments. Sido, the father of Cecilia Ibru, established the United College of Commerce, while the Agbowo family manufactured the Endemus Bread, which the whites enjoyed with us. 

 ”There was unity among the different tribes. Chief Mene Ukoli, the father of Professor Frank Ukoli, first vice-chancellor of the Delta State University, Abraka, had four professors. Chief Mene was a leader in the Warri kingdom. He was a chief during the reign of Olu Erejuwa II. His daughter married one of the Emikos.

“Former military governor of the defunct Midwest Region, the late General David Ejoor, complied with the directive of the former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to bring back Olu Erejuwa II from exile when the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons (NCNC) government banished him over political issues in 1964.

 ”Chief Festus Okotie Eboh, a rich, influential, and respected politician, was the first indigenous finance minister. He appointed Obahon as governor of the Central Bank, and Dr. Esiri, from the Eku community, chaired the Warri Urban District Council in the late 50s.

 ”The whites and top government officials occupied the Government Reservation Area (GRA). I remember we nicknamed it Oko-Oyibo. Warri cannot be what it was before. It was an interesting city with love and amenities. There was unity among the Isoko, Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw. Other tribes also united with Warri, but it is different now. 

 ”Warri was a beautiful town. We had the Ikomi, Bozimo, Mukoro, and Mowoe, all great family names. Some old houses should be kept as a museum. We had the British Council Library on Robert Road. The government library established by the late Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia, the governor at the time, and the Warri Port are all but gone.

‘Shadow of itself,’ says Mene, ILoT secretary

The secretary of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILoT), Sir Sunny Mene, told Saturday Vanguard, “Everybody born and raised in Warri city is known as a ‘Warri boy’ or ‘Warri girl,’ no matter the age and ethnic differences. They speak the popular Warri Pidgin English, similar to the Saro Pidgin of Sierra Leone.”

“The Warri I grew up and worked in was a cosmopolitan city. The people were civilized, urbane, open-minded, culturally aware, and adaptable to diverse environments.

“The original ‘Warri boy’ or ‘Warri girl’ was a broad-based individual, comfortable, engaging with people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds, often embracing global perspectives rather than being limited by local or national viewpoints.

 ”The indigenous Itsekiri people, by nature, are imbued with traits that reflect a blend of curiosity, tolerance, and appreciation of the richness of human diversity, which is why they embody a worldview that transcends narrow identities and fosters a sense of global citizenship.

 Among the Urhobo, Ijaw, Yoruba, Isoko, and other ethnic nationalities that coexisted with them, it is understandable why they have a large number of mulattoes and half-castes from the colonial era and freely marry.

“The Warri Port functioned, and multinational oil and servicing companies thrived, where whites and blacks mixed freely in clubs.

 ”Unfortunately, today, Warri, because of the ethnic crisis from 1997 to 2003, has become a shadow of its old self.

“It has become a sprawling slum, torn apart by inter-ethnic rivalries. The kidnapping of expatriates and oil workers started in Warri and metamorphosed into the Niger Delta crisis.

 ”Consequently, many international oil companies (I.O.Cs) and servicing companies deserted Warri for Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin City, and other metropolises. The economic and social life of the city has been dislocated.

“Today, Warri is like the proverbial goat owned by the whole community but dying from deprivation, starvation, and hunger. According to some, Warri is a victim of its cosmopolitanism.

 “Regardless of their ethnic differences, I implore the Warri people to consider peace. As a party to the Warri peace treaty, which ended the notorious Warri crisis, I beg all decent men to restore the Warri, where we were born, raised, and labored, to its former splendor.

Let us build on ex-gov Uduaghan’s peace ingenuity — Origho, ex-Delta HOS

Patrick O. Origho, the former Head of Service at Delta State, recalled, “Our growing-up days in Warri were interesting, ones that you need to cherish, because we had shared values and vision, and shared vision among the people, so they acted as one.”

“There have been some commotions in the recent past, which culminated with the advent of the exit of the IOCs and everything else; Warri seemed to have fallen,” Origho, who is also a prominent member of the Warri Rebirth Initiative (WRI), a non-political organization created to improve peace, unity, and the general development of the oil city of Warri, said. But he quickly noted, “We have passed the point where we constantly lament Warri’s impending fall due to some recent events.”

 “No one will undervalue the efforts made by former Governor Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan to bring peace back to Warri. Except for a few skirmishes, I am glad to report that the people have maintained the peace ever since. 

“As old Warri boys, that is one important thing we should treasure. At the very least, it suggests that the traditional institution should have learned its lessons and that the intertribal conflicts and other issues may have subsided somewhat.”

Crisis split Warri people, but we should reunite — Akpasubi, WRI scribe

Benjamin Akpasubi, the organizing secretary of the Warri Rebirth Initiative, said, “As a Warri boy, we grew up in peace, and when someone had money in those days, you would not know that he was Urhobo, Ijaw, or Itsekeri. We all lived as one.”

“I grew up in the Okere community, and the Urhobo people at Okere did not know that this man is from this side or the other side; we all live the same way. To the extent that narrowing my mind now to Okere, even when they did their festival in those days, the Urhobo in that area joined their festival.

“And when Urhobo in Okere performed theirs, the Itsekiri participated, which meant that they were living as one. But what confused the town was the crisis that came later. It also led to so many companies leaving Warri.

“We need more of the infrastructure development we are seeing now from the government. We should support the government, and I should add that we also want economic advancement, so the government should create jobs for people.

“All these things bring happiness to individuals and groups of people. Besides, the cultural heritage should be respected. That is, we reunite and revive the cultural heritage of the people within Warri and its surroundings.”

Time to give Warri a new lease of life —Tidi, ex-Warri South chair

Dr. Michael Tidi, a former Warri South Local Government Area chairman, reiterated, “Warri has always been a melting pot where diverse ethnic groups lived in harmony and shared a collective vision for progress. “The city grew because of the contributions of the Itsekiri, Urhobo, and Ijaw communities, becoming a center for social interaction, education, and business.

“However, the unfortunate crises of the past, most notably between 1997 and 2003, disrupted this unity, leaving scars that persist to this day. These conflicts, which were rooted in land disputes and political tensions, claimed hundreds of lives, displaced thousands of families, and halted economic activities.

“Warri’s economy, which had provided about 70% of Delta State’s income, was essentially paralyzed at the height of the crisis.  Despite these challenges, Warri remains a symbol of perseverance, and its residents have demonstrated remarkable resilience in rebuilding and adapting. 

“It’s time to use this tenacity to drive coordinated initiatives to revitalize and repair the city.

“The state government’s ongoing reconstruction of the Warri Township Stadium is commendable. This facility, once a center for sports and social gatherings, represents the vibrancy of Warri. The touch-up projects, including road repairs and streetlight installations, also show that efforts are being made to enhance the city’s infrastructure.

 ”The Ijaw community, in particular, deserves recognition for their significant developmental strides in the riverine areas. Despite geographical challenges, they have established over 50 schools, 20 healthcare facilities, and thriving communities, showcasing their resilience and commitment to progress.

“While these efforts are appreciated, they barely scratch the surface of Warri’s needs. The much-celebrated Warri/Uvwie Development Agency, established to address the city’s infrastructural decay, has not delivered as expected. 

“Critical areas remain neglected, and the city’s potential remains untapped. Warri, with a population exceeding 1 million, remains without a comprehensive waste management system, and nearly 40 percent of its roads remain in poor condition.

“The government must adopt a more aggressive and targeted approach, recognizing Warri as a priority in Delta State’s development agenda.”

Vanguard News