The Itsekiri National Association in Canada (INAC) has alleged that plans are underway by some individuals in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, to disrupt the proposed visit of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to Itsekiri communities in the area.
The association warned that any attempt to prevent the monarch from visiting his subjects could heighten inter-communal tensions and urged the Delta State Government and security agencies to take proactive measures to avert a breakdown of law and order.
In a statement jointly signed by INAC President, Fiogho Tonwe; Secretary, Owen Fregene; Tosan Eyide; and Oritseweyinmi Adodo-Obadoni, the group said the royal visit to Ugbolokposo and other Itsekiri settlements in Uvwie was consistent with the Olu of Warri’s traditional responsibilities and should not be politicised.
According to the association, the monarch’s visit to communities under his traditional authority is a legitimate exercise of his role as the custodian of the Itsekiri people, irrespective of their place of residence.
“The Olu of Warri has a legitimate and historic responsibility to his subjects wherever they reside. A visit to Itsekiri communities within Uvwie that have co-existed with their Urhobo neighbours for generations is neither an encroachment nor an act of aggression. It is the exercise of a sovereign’s duty of care to his people,” the statement read.
INAC alleged that some individuals were mobilising opposition to the visit in a bid to inflame communal sentiments for political advantage. However, it maintained that many residents of Uvwie do not support the planned protest and condemned what it described as attempts by a few actors to exploit ethnic sensitivities for personal relevance.
The association also expressed concern over what it described as the silence of the Delta State Government and sections of the Urhobo leadership, warning that the failure to publicly discourage threats against the monarch could embolden those seeking to foment unrest.
“It is deeply troubling that at a moment when a clear and authoritative voice is needed to de-escalate tension and reaffirm the rights of all communities to practise their traditions freely, that voice has been absent,” the statement said.
It added: “Silence from those in authority is not neutrality; it is, in effect, permission. It emboldens those who incite and abandons those who suffer the consequences.”
The association called on Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, to publicly reaffirm the rights of Itsekiri communities to receive their traditional ruler while promoting peaceful coexistence among the state’s ethnic nationalities.
It also urged the Urhobo Progress Union and other Urhobo traditional and civic organisations to distance themselves from individuals allegedly promoting division and to reaffirm the longstanding peaceful relationship between the Urhobo and Itsekiri peoples.
INAC further appealed to the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to provide adequate security for the Olu of Warri, members of his entourage and the host communities, while ensuring that anyone who resorts to violence or intimidation is brought to justice.
The association also called on the National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria to intervene, where necessary, to safeguard the constitutional rights and freedom of movement of recognised traditional rulers across the country.
Reaffirming its support for the Itsekiri people, INAC said the international community was closely monitoring developments and urged all stakeholders to exercise restraint and embrace dialogue in the interest of peace.
“Peace is possible. It has always been possible. But peace requires courage from those in leadership—the courage to speak, to intervene, and to refuse to be silent when silence itself becomes a form of complicity,” the statement added.
The allegations by INAC had not been independently verified as of the time of filing this report, and there was no immediate response from the Delta State Government or the other parties mentioned in the statement.
