{"id":4375,"date":"2025-07-11T13:59:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T13:59:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/11\/just-in-advocacy-group-writes-open-letter-to-delta-state-house-of-assembly-demands-for-amendment-of-traditional-rulers-and-chiefs-law\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T13:59:10","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T13:59:10","slug":"just-in-advocacy-group-writes-open-letter-to-delta-state-house-of-assembly-demands-for-amendment-of-traditional-rulers-and-chiefs-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/07\/11\/just-in-advocacy-group-writes-open-letter-to-delta-state-house-of-assembly-demands-for-amendment-of-traditional-rulers-and-chiefs-law\/","title":{"rendered":"JUST IN: Advocacy Group Writes Open Letter To Delta State House Of Assembly, Demands For Amendment Of Traditional Rulers And Chiefs Law"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022As They Call For Correction Of Title Of Olu Of Warri To Olu Of Itsekiri<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u200eBy Uche Alvin<\/strong>
\u200e
\u200eOPEN LETTER TO THE DELTA STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY<\/strong>
\u200e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Urgent Legislative Action Needed to Amend the Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs Law
\u200eCorrect the Misleading Title \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d to the Accurate \u201cOlu of Itsekiri\u201d
\u200eTo:
\u200eRt. Hon. Emomotimi Dennis Guwor
\u200eSpeaker, Delta State House of Assembly
\u200eAsaba, Delta State
\u200eSir,
\u200e
\u200eWe write as concerned indigenous citizens and stakeholders of the Warri Federal Constituency, comprising the Ijaw, Urhobo and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities to bring to your urgent attention a long-standing issue of historical misrepresentation, legal irregularity and ethnic sensitivity that continues to undermine peaceful coexistence in our State.
\u200e
\u200eTHE ISSUE: A HISTORICALLY AND LEGALLY INCORRECT TITLE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eIt is a well-established historical fact that the traditional ruler of the Itsekiri people was originally and correctly known as the \u201cOlu of Itsekiri.\u201d This title reflected his cultural jurisdiction over the Itsekiri people and their settlements, primarily in Ode-Itsekiri (Iwerre).
\u200eHowever, in 1952, under the regional government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, this title was unilaterally changed to \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d without the consent or consultation of the Ijaw and Urhobo communities, who are co-indigenous to Warri and have never been under the authority of the Olu.
\u200eThis politically motivated change was not only undemocratic but has had enduring consequences on inter ethnic relations in Warri.
\u200e
\u200eDAMAGING IMPACTS ON PEACE AND SOCIAL HARMONY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eSince this change, the title \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d has been used in ways that:
\u200e1.Falsely suggest the Olu is sovereign over all Warri peoples, including Ijaws and Urhobos;
\u200e2.Promote divisive narratives; notably the unfounded claim that Ijaws and Urhobos are \u201ctenants\u201d or \u201cstrangers\u201d in their ancestral homelands;
\u200e3.Confuse the public and external stakeholders, who now wrongly assume the Olu is the paramount ruler of all of Warri, a claim that has no legal or cultural legitimacy.
\u200eThese outcomes have fueled tension, distorted historical realities and compromised the dignity of other indigenous groups in the constituency.
\u200e
\u200eLEGAL VIOLATIONS AND THE NEED FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eThe continued use of the title \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d contravenes provisions of the Delta State Traditional Rulers and Chiefs Law, which stipulates that:
\u200e\u2022Traditional titles must reflect the ethnic identity and territorial jurisdiction of the titleholder;
\u200e\u2022No traditional ruler shall be recognized as sovereign over multiple distinct ethnic groups;
\u200e\u2022The Traditional Rulers Council must promote equity, respect for ethnic diversity and peaceful coexistence across the state.
\u200e
\u200eAdditionally, the law recognizes seven (7) distinct and independent kingdoms within the Warri Federal Constituency:
\u200e1.Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom
\u200e2.Gbaramatu Kingdom
\u200e3.Egbema Kingdom
\u200e4.Isaba Kingdom
\u200e5.Itsekiri Kingdom
\u200e6.Okere-Urhobo Kingdom
\u200e7.Agbarha Kingdom
\u200eThis legal framework confirms that the Olu\u2019s jurisdiction is confined to the Itsekiri Kingdom and does not extend to Ijaw or Urhobo territories. Therefore, the continuous bearing of the title Olu of Warri is in clear violation.
\u200e
\u200eOUR DEMANDS: RESTORING HISTORICAL TRUTH AND LEGAL ORDER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eIn the interest of truth, justice and peaceful coexistence, we respectfully call on Mr. Speaker and the Honourable Members of the House to:
\u200e1.Amend the Traditional Rulers Council and Chiefs Law of Delta State to correct the politically manipulated title from \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d to \u201cOlu of Itsekiri,\u201d \u201cOlu of Iwerre,\u201d or \u201cOlu of Ode-Itsekiri,\u201d in accordance with historical and cultural accuracy;
\u200e2.Ensure consistent use of the corrected title in all official documents, communications and traditional council records;
\u200e3.Advise traditional institutions and media outlets to cease usage of the misleading title in ways that undermine the dignity and autonomy of other ethnic groups in Warri Federal Constituency.
\u200e
\u200eA CALL FOR UNITY AND PEACE THROUGH JUSTICE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eThis appeal is not an attempt to inflame ethnic tensions or incite division. Rather, it is a constructive effort to correct a historical error that has fueled misunderstanding and discontent for over seven decades. If left unaddressed, this matter may continue to destabilize relations among our ethnic groups and weaken the spirit of inclusive governance in Delta State.
\u200e
\u200eCONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n


\u200eWarri is the homeland of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo. No single ethnic group holds exclusive sovereign claim over the others. We urge this Honourable Assembly to uphold the principles of equity, truth and justice by taking legislative action to resolve this lingering distortion.
\u200eWe trust in your leadership and commitment to fairness and we await your prompt and positive response.
\u200e
\u200eRespectfully,
\u200e
\u200eEbiowei Kuro
\u200ePresident
\u200e
\u200eOvo Rukevwe
\u200eSecretary
\u200e
\u200eConcerned Citizens of Warri Federal Constituency.
\u200e
\u200eCc:
\u200eHonourable Members, Delta State House of Assembly.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022\u2022As They Call For Correction Of Title Of Olu Of Warri To Olu Of Itsekiri…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4374,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[14],"tags":[1155,1154],"class_list":["post-4375","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-opinion","tag-demands-for-amendment-of-traditional-rulers-and-chiefs-law","tag-just-in-advocacy-group-writes-open-letter-to-delta-state-house-of-assembly"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/img_0798-1.jpg?fit=275%2C183&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3609,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/06\/26\/ownership-of-warri-group-sends-open-letter-to-governor-oborevwori-calls-for-correction-of-title-of-itsekiri-monarch-from-olu-of-warri-to-olu-of-itsekiri\/","url_meta":{"origin":4375,"position":0},"title":"OWNERSHIP OF WARRI: Group Sends Open Letter To Governor Oborevwori, Calls For Correction Of Title Of Itsekiri Monarch From \u201cOlu Of Warri To Olu Of Itsekiri\u201c","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"June 26, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\u200e By Uche Alvin OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE\u200eRE: The Urgent Need to Correct the Misleading Title \u201cOlu of Warri\u201d to \u201cOlu of Itsekiri\u201d or \u201cOlu of Iwerre\u201d or \u201cOlu of Ode-Itsekiri\u201d\u200e\u200eYour Excellency,\u200eRt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori\u200eExecutive Governor of Delta State\u200eGovernment House, Asaba\u200eDelta State\u200eSir,\u200e\u200eWe write\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0271-5-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0271-5-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0271-5-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0271-5-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/img_0271-5-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C806&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4786,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2025\/09\/06\/group-calls-for-correction-of-itsekiri-monarchs-title-from-olu-of-warri-to-olu-of-itsekiri\/","url_meta":{"origin":4375,"position":1},"title":"Group Calls For Correction Of Itsekiri Monarch\u2019s Title From \u2018Olu Of Warri\u2019 To Olu Of Itsekiri","author":"Freeborn Abraye","date":"September 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Uche Alvin OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR BOLA AHMED TINUBU,GCFR,PRESIDENT, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA. A Call for Legislative Motion on the Title of Olu of Warri In the interest of peace, unity, and justice in Delta State, I call on our elected representatives to urgently move a motion\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/img_1212-1.jpg?fit=402%2C477&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":216,"url":"https:\/\/coastaltimes.com.ng\/index.php\/2021\/08\/31\/just-in-olu-of-warri-dissolves-itsekiri-traditional-council\/","url_meta":{"origin":4375,"position":2},"title":"JUST IN: Olu Of Warri Dissolves Itsekiri Traditional Council","author":"Coastal Times","date":"August 31, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Coastal News Ogiame Atuwatse III, The Olu Of Warri Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has yesterday dissolved all palace chiefs, traditional council, Committees, Sub- committees of the Warri Kingdom. 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