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CULTURE

REJOINDER: Itsekiri Progress Club Responds to URS Call for Peace Among Traditional Rulers in Warri

October 23, 2025 • 3 min read

By Ademola Adekusibe
October 23, 2025

The Itsekiri Progress Club (IPC) has issued a reasoned rejoinder to the recent appeal by the Urhobo Renaissance Society (URS) calling for peace among traditional rulers in Warri. While appreciating the intent behind the appeal, the IPC emphasized that genuine peace can only be built on the foundation of justice, truth, and respect for established boundaries.

In a detailed statement signed by Dr. Tosan Popo, Chairman, and Elder Godwin T. Okotie, Secretary, the Club noted that the enduring peace in Warri Federal Constituency continues to be threatened by recurring attempts to annex or lay claim to Itsekiri territories in defiance of court judgments and government-recognized boundary delineations.

According to the IPC, “The elusive peace within the larger Warri territory can only be attained when all parties accept the truth and return to the original template of territorial boundary delineation as defined by the Delta State Government and the National Boundary Commission. To broker peace over a dinner table of injustice will be worse than the intended purpose.”

The statement cited recent acts of defiance, including attempts by the Amakosu of Ogbe-Ijoh to unlawfully extend his territory into Warri South Local Government Area, despite a subsisting court judgment restraining such actions. The Club also referenced the creation of the Okere-Urhobo Kingdom from an aboriginal Itsekiri community as another example of territorial overreach.

The IPC reaffirmed that the ethnic map of Delta State clearly defines the boundaries of all ethnic groups, noting that Itsekiri lands comprise Warri South, Warri North, and Warri South-West Local Government Areas. “We urge all parties to respect these boundaries and work towards peaceful coexistence,” the Club stated.

While acknowledging the contributions of the URS and its leadership, the IPC criticized what it described as “subtle attempts to distort historical truths” and “mischievous denigration” of the Olu of Warri’s title. “The name Warri has never been associated with any other tribe in Nigeria, pre- and post-independence, except the Itsekiri people,” the Club maintained.

Reiterating its commitment to peace and unity, the IPC concluded that sustainable peace in the Warri area will only emerge when all ethnic groups stay within their lawful spheres of influence as defined by the Delta State Government’s ethnic map.

“Itsekiris will not cede an inch of our land ever again to any tribe in the name of peace. Let us build a Warri where justice reigns, where no tribe is oppressed, and where everyone can thrive and live in harmony,” the statement read.

Signed:
Dr. Tosan Popo – Chairman, Itsekiri Progress Club
Elder Godwin T. Okotie – Secretary, Itsekiri Progress Club