The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has prohibited the use of the word “slave” by his subjects in referring to their neighbours, declaring that the term will no longer be tolerated in the palace.

The monarch made the declaration on Saturday at the inaugural Warri Unity Games held at the Federal Government College, Warri, as part of activities marking his fifth coronation anniversary.

Speaking on the need for unity and reconciliation among the people of Warri, Atuwatse said his palace had taken a deliberate step to discourage language that could deepen historical grievances and division among neighbouring communities.

“In our palace, we have officially prohibited our people from referring to our neighbours as slaves. That word is no longer tolerated in the palace of the Olu of Warri — and we say it today for the whole world to hear,” the monarch declared.

He said while “many things have happened in the past”, dwelling on historical grievances or seeking to maintain old systems of dominance would prevent the people from building a common future.

“We live in a different time now, and we will no longer glorify an era that has no place in today’s Nigeria. We, for one, will not live in the past. We will make the present count,” he said.

The Guardian reports that tensions and cultural rivalries have increasingly emerged among Delta State’s three major ethnic groups, the Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw, in recent times, raising concerns among stakeholders over the possibility of such divisions degenerating into a wider crisis, especially in Warri South and Uvwie Council Areas.

The rivalries, which have at various times been expressed through disagreements over identity, historical narratives, political influence, cultural heritage and claims to traditional or territorial interests, have heightened sensitivities among the groups.

Recently, popular comedienne Anita Asuoha, popularly known as Real Warri Pikin, cancelled her show in Uvwie following concerns over the prevailing ethnic tensions in the area.

Stakeholders have urged the people to prioritise their shared history and development over ethnic sentiments, warning against renewed tensions in Warri, which is still recovering from the 1997 to 2003 crisis that prompted oil firms to relocate their headquarters from the area.

The Olu, who described neighbouring communities as “allies and partners”, urged them to abandon suspicion, hatred and insults, stressing that genuine grievances should be pursued through the courts rather than through confrontation.

“Our neighbours, our allies: history has painted us to you as proud; history has painted us to you as wicked. Today, we humbly stretch out our hand and say — let us begin anew,” he said.

The prominent traditional ruler said the Warri Unity Games were designed to promote interaction, healthy competition and unity among the diverse ethnic groups that call Warri home.

He recalled that an earlier attempt to celebrate his late father, Ogiame Atuwatse II’s coronation anniversary through a land carnival in the early 1990s ended in violence and devastation, saying the experience should serve as a lesson for the present generation.

The monarch said his coronation anniversary would henceforth be dedicated to “unity, peace, progress and prosperity”, adding that Warri must move beyond the divisions and conflicts of the past.

He also called on residents to channel their energy into productive ventures, saying, “let the streets of Warri, the airwaves of Warri, and the hearts of Warri be reserved for building, not for burning.”

The first Warri Unity Games featured inter-tribal sporting activities and was organised to foster friendship among the various communities and ethnic groups in the Warri area.

The king said the initiative was anchored on the belief that the people of Warri had more in common than what divided them, urging them to turn their diversity into a source of strength and collective prosperity.

“We shall have peace in this land. We shall have progress in this land. We shall have prosperity in this land,” the Olu declared. (The Guardian)

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