| ogugwa1992: 6:31pm On May 20 |
PAP reaffirms commitment to Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, accuses Warri media group of blackmail, malicious lies
RE: REFUTATION OF BASELESS ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CHIEF DR. DENNIS OTUARO PhD., THE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL AMNESTY PROGRAMME, BY A SO-CALLED WARRI MEDIA GROUP.
The Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition, through its spokesman Comrade Abalagha Adawari, unequivocally condemns and refutes the baseless, malicious, and divisive allegations leveled against Dr. Dennis Otuaro, of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), by the so-called Warri Media Group in their press statement dated May 16, 2025. These accusations are not only unfounded but are a calculated attempt to sow discord, undermine peace, and destabilize the fragile harmony in the Niger Delta.
We categorically reject the claim that Dr. Otuaro’s participation in the remembrance of Major Isaac Adaka Boro in Warri constitutes a “provocative overreach” and an attempt to stoke ethnic tension. Major Isaac Boro, a revered nationalist of Ijaw heritage and a bonafide son of the Niger Delta, fought for the liberation and justice of all Niger Deltans. His legacy transcends ethnic boundaries, and his contributions to the region and Nigeria as a whole are celebrated across the Niger Delta.
To suggest that commemorating such a hero in Warri, a city within the Niger Delta, is an act of ethnic provocation taken too far by these elements and their co travelers. It is not only absurd but a deliberate distortion of history aimed at fanning division. We affirm that Major Boro’s memory can and should be honored anywhere in the Niger Delta, and no group has the right to gatekeep such commemorations.
We warn the Warri Media Group to immediately desist from orchestrating division and promoting ethnic chauvinism in the Niger Delta. Their actions threaten the unity and collective progress of our region. Every Nigerian, regardless of political or religious affiliation, has the constitutional right to assemble and commemorate shared heroes anywhere in Nigeria, as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Attempts to curtail this right under the guise of ethnic exclusivity are unacceptable and must be condemned by all well-meaning stakeholders.
The Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition also dismisses as laughable and baseless the allegation that Dr. Otuaro did not President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 general election. This claim is a product of shoddy journalism and a failure of due diligence by the Warri Media Group. Dr. Otuaro tirelessly campaigned across the creeks and communities of the Niger Delta, mobilizing for President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC). His commitment to the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is evident in his actions and the transformative programs he continues to implement under the PAP.
The Warri Media Group’s failure to these facts before peddling such falsehoods exposes their agenda to malign and discredit a dedicated public servant.
Equally reprehensible is the accusation that Dr. Otuaro sponsored splinter groups to protest and allege interference by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) delineation exercise in Warri. We state categorically that this claim is a fabrication with no iota of truth. Dr. Otuaro holds the First Lady in the highest esteem, regarding her as a mother and a respected national figure. The attempt to link him to such protests is a desperate ploy to tarnish his reputation and create discord between him and the Presidency.
Furthermore, the allegation that Dr. Otuaro induced INEC National Commissioner, Mrs. Rhoda Gumus, to carry out any delineation exercise is baseless and holds no water. Dr. Otuaro remains steadfastly committed to the mandate of the PAP, which focuses on reintegration, empowerment, and peacebuilding in the Niger Delta, and has no involvement in electoral processes or delineations.
We also find the accusation that Dr. Otuaro orchestrated the removal of Mrs. Edith E. Eyesan, an illustrious Itsekiri daughter, as Executive Vice President, Upstream, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), to be utterly laughable and a childish attempt at blackmail. Dr. Otuaro has no connection to or influence over such corporate decisions, and this accusation is a reckless fabrication designed to incite ethnic tension.
Mrs. Eyesan’s contributions to the oil and gas sector are well-respected, and attempts to drag her name into baseless controversies are deplorable.
The Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition understands the enormous responsibility that comes with Dr. Otuaro’s role as Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. We affirm that no amount of blackmail, orchestrated media attacks, or smear campaigns by faceless groups like the Warri Media Group will derail him from executing his constitutional duties.
Dr. Otuaro remains resolute in implementing programs and initiatives aimed at reintegrating and empowering Niger Delta youths who laid down their arms to embrace peace, thereby fostering sustainable development in the region. His commitment to President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is unwavering, and his leadership continues to inspire hope and progress across the Niger Delta.
We call on all Niger Delta stakeholders, including traditional rulers, community leaders, and civil society organizations, to reprimand and call to order elements bent on destroying the unity and progress of our region through divisive media attacks and blackmail. Such actions are inimical to the collective interest of the Niger Delta and must be resisted.
The Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition stands firmly behind Dr. Dennis Otuaro and the Presidential Amnesty Programme. We urge all Niger Deltans to remain vigilant and united in the pursuit of peace, development, and prosperity for our region.
Signed:
Comrade Abalagha Adawari
Spokesman, Niger-Delta Environmental Justice Coalition
May 20, 2025
https://leaders.ng/2025/05/20/pap--reaffirms-commitment-to-tinubus-renewed-hope-agenda-accuses-warri-media-group-of-blackmail-malicious-lies/
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| tiswell(m): 8:24pm On May 20 |
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| SouthSouth1914: 8:53pm On May 20 |
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Some people are desperately cooking up something for tribal war in Warri. Just like they did in 2007. People know better in 2025.
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| Kindness218: 9:27pm On May 20 |
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| U09ce: 10:07pm On May 20 |
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Ijaw vs Itshekiri vs Urhobo, wuna no dey tire to fight? Just recently, there were squabbles with regards to delineation of polling units in the Warri federal constituency. Each tribe was claiming superiority and the exercise appears to be in limbo. The unfortunate thing is that the clamor isn't about development but rather pushing selfish interests. A stranger to Warri will be shocked to see the level of infrastructural decay in a place that's touted to be an oil city. Instead of intense bickering, let the citizens embrace peace and tolerance to move their state forward. Whether they like it or not, all the tribes will continue to cohabit till God-knows-when just they've lived for mant centuries.
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| ReubenE(m): 1:57am On May 21 |
U09ce:
Ijaw vs Itshekiri vs Urhobo, wuna no dey tire to fight? Just recently, there were squabbles with regards to delineation of polling units in the Warri federal constituency. Each tribe was claiming superiority and the exercise appears to be in limbo. The unfortunate thing is that the clamor isn't about development but rather pushing selfish interests. A stranger to Warri will be shocked to see the level of infrastructural decay in a place that's touted to be an oil city. Instead of intense bickering, let the citizens embrace peace and tolerance to move their state forward. Whether they like it or not, all the tribes will continue to cohabit till God-knows-when just they've lived for mant centuries.
The number one thing in the road to peace among the three tribes is changing the name of the Itsekiri stool to its original name - Olu of Warri back to Olu of Itsekiri
Like you rightly said, these guys are not even fighting for development but over nonsensical things. With the constant fighting, unsuspecting minds would think Warri is one super place of development. Warri is a ghost town fully owing to the senseless fighting among the three tribes
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| U09ce: 7:17am On May 21 |
ReubenE:
The number one thing in the road to peace among the three tribes is changing the name of the Itsekiri stool to its original name - Olu of Warri back to Olu of Itsekiri
Like you rightly said, these guys are not even fighting for development but over nonsensical things. With the constant fighting, unsuspecting minds would think Warri is one super place of development. Warri is a ghost town fully owing to the senseless fighting among the three tribes
Olu of Itshekiri seems out of place, because Itshekiri isn't a place but a tribe. The convention for traditional titles is [Title] of [Place] e.g Oba of Benin, Emir of Katsina, Dein of Agbor, King of England etc. Not Oba of Binis, Emir of Katsinawa....
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| Darkjudge24: 8:35am On May 21 |
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Like a commenter above said, the title of olu of warri should be replaced with that of itsekiri to gain lasting peace, that title has nothing to do with peace, i think it's just busybody and pepper eye that is bringing those opinions . everyone should mind their business especially the ijaws, they are colluding with the warri urhobos, and i don't think it's a healthy affair, the warri urhobos should be careful with this their romance with the ijaws because the devil u know is better than an angel u don't know
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| akus6060(m): 8:52am On May 21 |
ReubenE:
The number one thing in the road to peace among the three tribes is changing the name of the Itsekiri stool to its original name - Olu of Warri back to Olu of Itsekiri
Like you rightly said, these guys are not even fighting for development but over nonsensical things. With the constant fighting, unsuspecting minds would think Warri is one super place of development. Warri is a ghost town fully owing to the senseless fighting among the three tribes
Are kings named after tribe? Is there anything like Ovie of Urhobo. Rest if you don't have any sensible thing to say.
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| ReubenE(m): 11:19am On May 21 |
akus6060:
Are kings named after tribe? Is there anything like Ovie of Urhobo. Rest if you don't have any sensible thing to say.
Athah of Igala
Etsu of Nupe
Tor Tiv
Och'Idoma
Abodi Ikale
The list is endless.
Looks like you are the one that has no sensible thing to say because of ignorance. Though I knew someone like you will come forward with this same argument because I have seen many Itsekiri people like that.
Firstly, there can be no Ovie of Urhobo or Amanyanabo of Ijaw etc because they don't have a single kingdom like the Itsekiris.
A traditional stool is mostly named after a land when you have several kingdoms within same ethnicity. It is done so to demarcate the land that separates one kingdom from the other.
Itsekiris have a single traditional stool that's why your stool was rightly named Olu of Itsekiri until it was corruptly changed to Olu of Warri in 1952. Before then it was Olu of Itsekiri. Are not even ashamed that you call it Olu of Warri yet the king does not have traditional authority over the Ijaws and Urhobos of Warri. There are places he cannot even go in warri despite bearing the fake name Olu of Warri. Doesn't that mean something to you...
Attah of Igala is named after Igala people, Etsu of Nupe is named after Nupe people, Och'Idoma is named after Idoma people, Tor Tiv is named after Tiv people.
You can bring another ignorant point
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| ReubenE(m): 11:34am On May 21 |
U09ce:
Olu of Itshekiri seems out of place, because Itshekiri isn't a place but a tribe. The convention for traditional titles is [Title] of [Place] e.g Oba of Benin, Emir of Katsina, Dein of Agbor, King of England etc. Not Oba of Binis, Emir of Katsinawa....
No, it is not out of place. It was rightly known as Olu of Itsekiri until 1952 when they connived with Awolowo to fraudulently change it to Olu of Warri.
To your second point: there is;
Attah of Igala named after Igala people
Etsu of Nupe named after Nupe people
Och'Idoma named after Idoma people
Tor Tiv named after Tiv people
Abodi Ikale named after Ikale people etc.
The convention for naming that you alluded to is mostly when a tribe or ethnicity has several/more than one kingdom so the stool is named after the land to demarcate and separate one kingdom from the other. Not saying it cannot be named after the land in a single kingdom ethnic group though.
Itsekiri people have a single traditional stool so Olu of Itsekiri is not out of place as it was rightly known until 1952.
Have you not wondered it is Olu of Warri but he does not have traditional authority over the Ijaws and Urhobos of warri. There are places he cannot even go to in warri. Doesn't that surprise you if he is truly and rightly Olu of warri?
Do you know how many times Urhobo and Ijaw youths has chased him away from their territory because he is for Itsekiri. Isn't that shameful.
Which kingdom have you seen where the king lives outside the traditional headquarters of the kingdom? It is the Olu of Itsekiri known as Olu of warri.
The traditional headquarters of the Itsekiri nation is Ode-Itsekiri but the Olu palace is in Warri and not just that, it is in Urhobo territory
2 Likes |
| ReubenE(m): 11:45am On May 21 |
Darkjudge24:
Like a commenter above said, the title of olu of warri should be replaced with that of itsekiri to gain lasting peace, that title has nothing to do with peace, i think it's just busybody and pepper eye that is bringing those opinions . everyone should mind their business especially the ijaws, they are colluding with the warri urhobos, and i don't think it's a healthy affair, the warri urhobos should be careful with this their romance with the ijaws because the devil u know is better than an angel u don't know
So Ijaws of Warri are the angels Urhobo don't know?
Do you realize Ijaws have more customary and historical/ancestral links with Urhobos in the western delta than Urhobos are with Itsekiri?
There are several Urhobo towns founded by Ijaw and Urhobo ancestors, there are several Ijaw towns where they speak Urhobo and Ijaw etc in the western Delta.
Even Ginuwa, the first Olu of Itsekiri was married to an Ijaw woman.
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| U09ce: 8:04am On May 22 |
ReubenE:
No, it is not out of place. It was rightly known as Olu of Itsekiri until 1952 when they connived with Awolowo to fraudulently change it to Olu of Warri.
To your second point: there is;
Attah of Igala named after Igala people
Etsu of Nupe named after Nupe people
Och'Idoma named after Idoma people
Tor Tiv named after Tiv people
Abodi Ikale named after Ikale people etc.
The convention for naming that you alluded to is mostly when a tribe or ethnicity has several/more than one kingdom so the stool is named after the land to demarcate and separate one kingdom from the other. Not saying it cannot be named after the land in a single kingdom ethnic group though.
Itsekiri people have a single traditional stool so Olu of Itsekiri is not out of place as it was rightly known until 1952.
Have you not wondered it is Olu of Warri but he does not have traditional authority over the Ijaws and Urhobos of warri. There are places he cannot even go to in warri. Doesn't that surprise you if he is truly and rightly Olu of warri?
Do you know how many times Urhobo and Ijaw youths has chased him away from their territory because he is for Itsekiri. Isn't that shameful.
Which kingdom have you seen where the king lives outside the traditional headquarters of the kingdom? It is the Olu of Itsekiri known as Olu of warri.
The traditional headquarters of the Itsekiri nation is Ode-Itsekiri but the Olu palace is in Warri and not just that, it is in Urhobo territory
Thanks a lot for the response. I learnt a lot from it. Two questions. What's the etymology of 'Warri'? Are you Urhobo?
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| ReubenE(m): 10:40am On May 22 |
U09ce:
Thanks a lot for the response. I learnt a lot from it. Two questions. What's the etymology of 'Warri'? Are you Urhobo?
The etymology is "Warri" is disputed.
Ijaws say it was 'Wari' corrupted to Warri. 'Wari' is HOUSE in Ijaw.
Itsekiris say it was 'Iwerre' corrupted to Warri. 'Iwerre' is joy, blessings, peace, and good luck in Itsekiri language according to them. But Iwerre is also used to refer to Ode-Itsekiri, their traditional homeland.
In as much as I want to remove sentiment from the argument because I am Ijaw, I kind of believe the Ijaw folklore because "Wari" is closer to "Warri" and makes more meaning of the origin of the name Warri than "Iwerre".
Again, Itsekiris say Ginuwa, a man from Edo their first King is the founder of Warri Kingdom. Ginuwa was married to an Ijaw woman - which leads me to believe Ijaws were already in that warri axis just like the Itsekiri and Urhobo so it is definitely not out of place for the name Warri to have originated from Ijaw.
To add: Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo they all have their boundaries even though sometimes contested. If they respect those boundaries, there will be no problem.
The current problem and the ones before is largely because Itsekiris want to claim over lordship over the others which to be frank is impossible.
None of the three ethnic groups have the power to chase the others out of warri, even the Nigerian government cannot do it because they are willing and ready to die for it.
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