WARRI CRISIS: WHEN A STATE CSO VALUES POLITICAL INTEREST THAN HUMAN LIVES
-By Zik Gbemre
As another Warri crisis brews over Itsekiris desperation to ferment trouble with Urhobo and Ijaw neighbors over a Supreme Court backed Ward Delineation that exposed years of Itsekiris bogus claims to sole ownership of Warri Township where Urhobos are majority aborigines, we were prompt to assert that Governor Oborevwori has chosen to politicise the crisis.
We said then, not long ago, that the Delta state Governor was intentionally seated on the fence, deliberately blinded to the worsening tension, when he should call instigators, chiefly the Olu of Itsekiri and his conceited subjects to order for desperately inciting another crisis that will do no party any good.
We said the governor as Chief Security Officer in the state has chosen to play spectator, making passing statements through paid praise singers he calls Media Aides, taking no decisive action while warring factions fight in Warri, just because he wants to protect his 2027 ambition to retain office.
While the shameless bootlicker media aides to Oborevwori called us names for saying the bitter truth, the Governor has vindicated us, that he indeed is playing politics with Warri crisis. He values his second tenure ambition over lives that could be lost as the ethnic tension pushes towards fatalities.
Oborevwori in his own words says he doesn't care, he would say nothing, take no action as warring parties fight in Warri. According to him, calling to order and letting the instigators face the wrath of the law would compromise his political ambition.
"People are saying I'm not talking. I don't talk. To Warri people, if you want to fight, fight after 2031", a state Governor says.
To Oborevwori, he doesn't care if Itsekiris fight Urhobos or Ijaws. The CSO of a state doesn't give a hoot if these people engage in another bloody feast of fury. He is not perturbed that when fight breaks out, the collateral damage would affect the innocent and derail his administration.
He even knows and identified an Itsekiri ally Oborevwori openly branded as a known instigator of Warri crisis. Rather than call him to order, all he cares is to be silent so no party feels offended, accuses him of taking sides so he doesn't lose 2027 votes.
"Don't fight during my time because Itsekiris, Ijaws, Urhobos voted for me. What do you want me to say. You want me to lose votes? I will not speak" he affirms, "but all we need is peace", he says as wishful thinking without taking proactive action.
The question we're asking, why did we get here? Yes, why did we get here, we ask, not how did we get here, because we know how will got here. We got here because we are a shameless state where excellence is exception to the rule when it comes to leadership selection, where mediocrity prevails over merit and excellence.
We got here, to the point where in a state saturated with intellectuals, technocrats, experts, industry gurus and accomplished activists, when it came to selecting the man at the helms, it was a most timid community tyrant, with questionable, multiple affidavits backed up credentials that emerged the preferred choice.
Ironically, the state's league of the most informed elites were the chief promoters who lorded a village champion over those better equipped to be Delta governor. And today, the elites promoters are the timid, kindergarten governor's aides.
For us, this appalling statement by Obororevwori on being unfeeling, of valuing his second tenure ambitions above lives under threat by his failure to avert another looming Warri crisis is no surprise. It's not the first time happening.
It was this "I will not speak" attitude he displayed over the Okuama/Okoloba crisis that has left his own Urhobo community on the brink of extinction, a Professor of Physics,Arthur Ekpokpo left dying slowly in military dungeon, because Oborovwori "will not speak" to avert escalation of an avoidable crisis.
February 2025, Chairman of Ughelli South Local Government, the lousiest in the history of that Council , Dr. Lucky Avweromre, ferried to Okuama for inspection four quick win projects - 1 block of six classrooms for Secondary School, another for primary school, a community hall and a seeming glorified dispensary intended as primary health care(PHC) .
The contracts awarded months before, were intended as quick win project contractors should complete within few months to initiate the resettlement for returnee survivors of Okuama who were sacked when the Military invaded and razed every building except a Church building left standing over 14 March, 2024 violence that left 17 soldiers dead.
We recall that on that project inspection visit, a conceited Avweromre who wears a P.hD degree with complex gave the contractors four weeks from that 23 February 2025 to complete and deliver the first four resettlement projects.
How many four weeks have passed between 23 February, 2025 and today? The projects are not completed. The Council Chairman has done nothing, handed no sanctions. Like Oborevwori, Avweromre "Will not talk". He merely played to the gallery. He's so compromised with his award of the contracts to cronies that he cannot punish the incompetent contractors.
Delta, this is how we got to where we are now. Where a governor "will not speak" or take decisive action whether a community burns down, because he doesn't want to lose reelection votes.
It's well.
Zik Gbemre
September 20,2025
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes