Mulade calls for unity as CEPEJ moves to restore lasting peace in Warri Federal Constituency

Michael Olumide

A leading human rights and advocacy organisation in the Niger Delta, the Center for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), has launched a high-level multi-stakeholder roundtable dialogue aimed at de-escalating recurring tensions among the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo ethnic nationalities in Warri, Delta State.

The peacebuilding dialogue, held at King George Hall in Warri South Local Government Area, brought together a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including community leaders, security agencies, market women, civil society groups, youth representatives and leaders of ethnic nationalities resident across Warri Federal Constituency.

Communities represented at the dialogue included the Okere Urhobo Kingdom, Itsekiri communities, Agbarha-Warri Kingdom and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom, among others.

Also present were representatives of non-indigene communities such as the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Kogi-Igala and Isoko resident in Delta State, reflecting the inclusive approach adopted by the organisers.

The session, themed “Restoring the Glory of Warri, Rebuilding Trust, Promoting Unity and Preventing Conflict through Sustained Engagement,” also attracted key security and civil society actors.

Among them were SP Musa Yau-Kangiwa, DPO ‘A’ Division, Warri; ASP Hezekiah Okpabi of ‘B’ Division, Warri; Prof. Andrew Agboro, Chairman of Delta State Civil Society Organisations; Sylvester Okoh, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Warri Peace Community Support Initiative; and ASP Obehi Idiake, Station Officer, ‘A’ Division, Warri.

Addressing participants, CEPEJ National Coordinator and Ibe-Sorimowei of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, said the initiative aligns with CEPEJ’s sustained advocacy for durable peace and stability in Warri and its neighbouring communities.

Mulade noted that in contemporary society, conflicts are often fueled by “conflict investors and conflict beneficiaries,” making total elimination difficult. However, he stressed that stakeholders must collectively work to de-escalate tensions and make conflict unattractive.

“We must consolidate on the existing harmony in Warri Federal Constituency and its environs,” he said. “Warri Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo are one. We have lived in peace even before now. Warri is our own, and the essence of peace is to consolidate and strengthen it.”

He commended market women and representatives of non-indigene communities for actively participating in the dialogue, describing their presence as a demonstration of shared commitment to peace and unity.

Mulade further called for sustained collaboration among all groups to ensure a peaceful and inclusive Warri.

In a keynote address, Adjunct Faculty at the National Peace Academy, Abuja, Dr. Austin Onuoha, urged the various ethnic nationalities to embrace unity and collective responsibility as the bedrock for lasting peace.

He emphasized that dialogue, mutual respect and trust-building remain critical tools in preventing the resurgence of communal conflicts.

A major highlight of the event was a unity drama presentation that underscored the importance of coexistence and harmony among Warri’s diverse ethnic groups.

The dialogue culminated in the inauguration of a 20-member Warri Indigenes and Residents Peacebuilding Committee (WIRPC), drawn from both indigenes and non-indigenes across the various ethnic nationalities.

According to Mulade, the committee is mandated to deepen stakeholder engagement, de-escalate tensions, sustain dialogue and reinforce peaceful practices across communities.

The committee is expected to operate for one year, within which significant progress is anticipated in strengthening peaceful coexistence and preventing conflict in Warri Federal Constituency.

Observers at the event described the initiative as a timely and strategic intervention aimed at restoring trust, rebuilding relationships and preserving Warri’s legacy as a commercial and cultural melting pot in Delta State.