By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has demanded better treatment for oil producing host communities from both the federal government and oil companies.
The monarch decried that his Itsekiri people remain poor, frustrated and neglected, despite being a major contrubutor to the economic mainstay of the country.
Atuewtse III made the submissions after touring Jakpa, Tebu, Ajamita, Ebrohimi, Udo, Obaghoro, Gbokoda and Dibi Field, all Itsekiri riverine communities in Warri north local lovernment area, at the weekend after protests erupted.
In a strongly worded address issued after the tour, the monarch said production figures and revenue statistics from oil extracted in Itsekiriland has not reflected on the livelihood and wellbeing of the people.
“For over 60years, the Itsekiri people have listened to figures, production numbers, revenue charts, academic explanations, drawn from oil produced on our God-given and legally recognized land. But today, we say clearly: those numbers no longer impress us, because they do not reflect the actual reality of the lives of our people on ground.
“Yes, the records confirm what the nation already knows: this tribe called Itsekiri, in the western corner of the Niger Delta is one of the geese that lays the golden eggs for Nigeria. Yet, paradoxically, our people remain poor, frustrated, and neglected,” he said.
The Warri Monarch, blamed divide-and-rule tactics by oil companies, a culture he said tolerates oppression and internal compromise and betrayal by a few among the Itsekiri people, driven by greed, selfishness and wickedness.
The monarch, speaking as custodian of the land and culture, said the era of silence and ceremonial diplomacy was over, insisting that the Itsekiri people would no longer accept being treated as irrelevant in matters concerning their land and resources.
“No external actor can truly undermine us unless someone inside unlocks the door,” he said.
He called for unity, transparency and accountability within Itsekiriland, stressing that tolerance for internal sabotage had failed the people.
Addressing Chevron directly, the monarch acknowledged the company’s continued onshore presence, but cautioned against mistaking the peaceful disposition of the Itsekiri people for weakness.
“Peaceful people can become desperate people, especially when 6 decades of evidence tells them that not only are they not the priority, but also, that they do not matter. And as is the case in the ND, the oil companies have shown that they respond faster to threats than to dialogue, which is truly most unfortunate.
“And it is becoming increasingly difficult, even irresponsible, to ask our people to continue accepting this unjust pattern,” he said.
He noted that living conditions in many oil-producing communities had worsened since the commencement of oil exploration decades ago, warning that prolonged injustice could lead to desperation.
While commending Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for ongoing road projects in Itsekiri areas, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as a listening ear, the monarch urged government at all levels to prioritise grassroots development.
He emphasised that nation-building begins at the community level and warned that continued neglect of oil-producing areas could undermine national stability.
The Olu also welcomed the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), describing it as a “living document,” and urged regulators, operators and host communities to ensure it delivers tangible benefits to the people.
Outlining the demands of the Itsekiri people, the monarch listed priority areas to include electricity and connectivity, potable water, healthcare, education, accessibility, gainful employment for locals, environmental protection and expanded economic opportunities.
He stressed that employment of locals by oil companies must go beyond tokenism and insisted that development projects, once approved, must be treated as sacred responsibilities, regardless of who executes them.
“This is not about contracts for a few; it is about dignity for all,” the monarch declared, announcing what he described as a new, irreversible era for host communities in Itsekiriland,” he said.
