Renowned peace, justice and environmental advocate, Sheriff Mulade has called on Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, to urgently step in and address the growing tension among the Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw ethnic groups in the Warri Federal Constituency before it escalates into a major crisis.
Mulade’s appeal follows reports of rising friction between Itsekiri and Ijaw youths after banners celebrating the 10th coronation anniversary of the Pere Ama-Okosuwei of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, Monbene III, were allegedly removed from key locations in Warri Metropolis on Tuesday.
The United Nations peace ambassador traced the fresh wave of unrest to unresolved issues surrounding the ward delineation exercise conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the constituency.
He urged the governor to convene a stakeholders’ dialogue with traditional rulers and community leaders to restore peace and foster unity.“The government is for all. If necessary, Governor Oborevwori should come down to Warri and hold a town hall meeting with stakeholders to chart a way forward,” Mulade said, warning that the situation could spiral into a full-blown crisis if not promptly addressed.
He also charged security agencies to act with professionalism and resist being used by individuals pursuing selfish interests. “The Nigerian Police and other security agencies must not create the impression that they can be manipulated. They should move swiftly to nip this tension in the bud,” he cautioned.
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Mulade, who is the Ibe-Serimowei of the Ancient Gbaramatu Kingdom, appealed to traditional rulers to rein in their subjects and emphasized that peace is crucial for sustainable development.“Peace is better than violence, and at this moment, what we want is peace and unity for the sake of development,” he stressed.The peace advocate further warned youths against acts that could undermine Delta State’s investment drive and ongoing infrastructure projects.
He insisted that INEC must resolve the lingering ward delineation dispute, which he identified as the root cause of the renewed ethnic friction.“There has been relative peace all this while, which made infrastructural development and investments possible. But if there is a crisis, all government projects will be halted,” he said.
“The youths must not give room to violence or allow themselves to be used.”“Lastly, I urge INEC to close out this Warri ward delineation because that is the root cause of this fresh phase of ethnic violence. INEC and the federal government must act neutrally and in line with the Supreme Court judgment to put these issues behind us,” Mulade added.
