President General of Warri National Congress, WNC, Prince Collins Eselemo has hailed HIM, Ogiame Atuwatse III, Olu of Warri, for his recent peace shuttles while commending the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for wards distribution among the three ethnic groups in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Eselemo, who spoke in Warri at a press briefing by the WNC, comprising Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw people of Warri South, dismissed insinuations by few Urhobo that Ijaw do not exist in Warri South to merit electoral wards. He tasked the people of Warri to emulate the disposition of the Olu of Warri who visited the King (Pere/Amakosu) of Ogbe-Ijoh, a neighbouring Ijaw Kingdom that stretches into Warri South LGA, for peace.
Eselemo said “although the established Ogbe-Ijoh community, complete with market, cemetery, customary court, etc, was sacked for Colonial Structures and Convenience, the Ogbe-Ijoh Market stands as bold relic, with several other Ijaws then massively buying the vacated lands in the Ogbe-Ijoh Clan leases from government for development and habitation”.

“Aside Ogbe-Ijoh Market in original location, the present location of King George Hall used to be the Ogbe-Ijoh customary court while the Ogbe-Ijoh cemetery used to be behind Ojojo Primary School Warri.

“With Ijaw people like my father, Prince Wilson Eselemo, the Agidees, the Okis, the Egbusons (whose property was bought for the proposed palace of the present Ovie of Agbarha-WarriKingdom), the Bozimos, the Brisibes, the Akebofas, etc, who raised children, grand and great grand children in Warri metropolis for decades and established Torufa Primary School for their children’s education, how can one say Ijaws are not in Warri South?”

Presenting documents showing Ewein Ward, his father’s property, peopled by the Ijaw is in Warri South, Eselemo further asked: “How can anyone say Ijaw are not in Warri South LGA, Delta State?”