By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has declared a new phase of resistance against what he described as decades of exploitation, marginalisation and internal betrayal of the Itsekiri people, warning that such practices will no longer be tolerated.
Speaking during a visit to Jakpa Community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, the monarch said the Itsekiri nation was breaking away from years of silence, compromise and fear in its dealings with oil companies and other external interests.
“Today, we break those chains,” the Olu declared. “The time has come to replace silence with truth, division with unity, and compromise with transparency and accountability.”
He warned that individuals who continue to sacrifice the collective future of the Itsekiri people for personal gain would face the consequences of their actions.
While condemning exploitation by corporate interests, the monarch acknowledged ongoing government efforts, commending the Delta State Government for road projects in Dibi and along the Trans Warri–Ode Itsekiri Road.
He urged Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to extend more infrastructural development to riverine communities and thanked President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his willingness to listen to the concerns of the Itsekiri people.
The Olu said decades of oil exploration on Itsekiri land have failed to translate into development for host communities, leaving the people poor, frustrated and neglected despite their contributions to Nigeria’s economy.
“The records confirm what Nigeria already knows: the Itsekiri are among the geese that lay the golden eggs for this country, yet our people are left impoverished and forgotten,” he said.
According to the monarch, the marginalisation of the Itsekiri people was not accidental but the result of years of inconsistent regulatory practices, divide-and-rule tactics by oil companies, and the actions of internal collaborators motivated by greed.
He accused some individuals, who present themselves as leaders, of acting as middlemen who profit personally from engagements with oil firms and government agencies at the expense of the wider community.
“No external force can truly undermine us unless someone from within opens the door,” the Olu said, adding that such internal betrayal has exposed ordinary Itsekiri people to exploitation.
He further alleged that those benefiting from the situation often rely on intimidation, blackmail and fear to maintain their influence.
The monarch concluded by warning that the era of compromise was over, stressing that anyone who continues to place personal interest above the collective destiny of the Itsekiri people would inevitably face the consequences.