It was this politically motivated sanguinary war, later termed Warri Crises, that reduced the glamorous pride of all Itsekiris from its Olympian height to rubbles before the eyes of all Nigerians in particular and the world at large.
Curiously and with time, the Ijaw/Itsekiri war then assumed another nomenclature and metamorphosed into what became known as the Niger Delta crises with the Itsekiris as the proverbial sacrificial lamb till date. This is so because Itsekiris were neither compensated nor are their gallant youths integrated into the Federal Government Amnesty Programme in spite of the colossal lose in all ramifications suffered by them.
His Majesty mounted the pristine throne of Warri Kingdom in a grand style never before witnessed in the annals of Itsekiri existence as a people. Indeed, his coronation gave birth to the then anniversary “carnival float” in Warri wherein various types of cars, trailers and other heavy duty vehicles were skillfully re-designed and decorated wonderfully to look like a moving train, ship or house boat on land with beautifully but delicately attired male and female dancers performing the simple but intricate Itsekiri dance steps to the delight of all Warri residents irrespective of birth, tribe and political affinity.
To be sure, during these coronation anniversaries in Warri, every businessman becomes an automatic winner. Money flows very richly and freely in the economic sense because virtually every article of trade was in huge demand.
From ordinary nails, wood, paints, clothing materials sellers for both women and men to hoteliers, designers and food vendors benefits massively from the usually one-week event that electrifies the oil city with event decorations equipment dealers and managers being the most sort after.
For many years, each of these epoch making coronation anniversary celebration attracts not only Itsekiri sons and daughters in Nigeria and the Diaspora, it also attracts dignitaries across the globe including first class royal fathers, businessmen/stakeholders; directors of oil majors operating in the state; top government functionaries; security agents; politicians of all shades; the presidency, senators and governors.
This no doubt brings about social harmony and cross fertilization of ideas and conviviality in rare display of brotherly love every year until sometime in 1993 when something snapped by way of some hoodlums attacking the carnival float along Warri/Sapele road, thus signaling the harbinger of trouble in subsequent coronation anniversary for some years.
TURBULENT YEARS – 1997-2003
What appears like a Childs’ play in 1993 from a quarter in Warri that unsuccessfully disrupted the Olu’s carnival train that was effectively put in check was to metamorphose from what appears as petty envy and jealousy into a full blown political issue in which of the three ethnic nationalities inhabiting parts of Warri and its environs engaged themselves in a war of attrition. The truth of that incident was that both the Ijaw and some Urhobo group effectively colluded to wage a genocidal war intended to erase the Itsekiri nation not only from the world map , but also from the surface of their God given homeland with intent to annex their natural resources.
This period in the history of the Itsekiris could in fact be aptly describe as the years of locust invasion – the nearly eclipse of the Itsekiri kingdom; the years of doom when morale and prestige ebbed and skidded far down the abyss.
Itsekiris where buffeted right, left and centre both from land and water. What appears to have been the only impossible option for survival then was a flight straight into the airspace. Whole lots of towns and villages were fiercely burnt and reduced to rubbles. Thousands were killed – women, children, old and young maimed. Hundreds died of starvation in the bush just as others were beheaded or kidnapped and sacrificed to some gods. Brothers and neighbours of donkey years became arch enemies.
Indeed, gloom was boldly written all over the faces of every Itsekiri person as government stood akimbo watching helplessly and could not provide any measure of security or assistance. Today, it can be said that Itsekiri has lost some of their communities to their Ijaw brothers. It is arguable whether communities like Kantu, Jaghalla, Kpokpo and many others are still Itsekiri towns as important as they are to Warri kingdom today.
Many Itsekiris are still refugees up till date in their own county today as they dare not attempt to go back home, just as many of their sacked villages have been renamed and occupied by their Ijaw brothers in this 21st Century with a government in place.
In all these embattled years and more, everything about coronation anniversary were observed with long faces and at a very low-keyed level only at the palace in the oil city. Big-Warri with all its traditional and ancestral paraphernalia/grandeur was also razed to the ground and still largely remains desolate until when the maverick Itsekiri woman leader and the Igba of Warri Kingdom, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor made frantic effort to bring back life into the place without much support.
However, with the Silver Jubilee celebration in sight more concrete steps to drive life into Big-Warri was initiated by the duo of Mr. Ayiri Emami and Hon. Thomas Ereyitomi. As it stands today, through their dedication and deft deployment of available finances they have transformed Ode-Itsekiri into an El-dorado of sort. No wonder His Majesty has considered them worthy of Chieftaincy titles of Warri Kingdom come Saturday, 28 May, 2012.
Evidence that the years of gloom would soon be surmounted came sometime in August 2003 when for three consistent days gallant Itsekiri youths fought with their last blood to defend the Royal Palace at Warrri against all odds. Guns of various made, shapes and seizes were freely used and openly exhibited as security agents obvious left the people to fight and decide who finally wins this unending but unwarranted war.
The enemies, though exhibited great gallantry by taking their war into the heartland of Itsekiri nation, they however met unexpected resistance that led to their waterloo. That singular three-day-battle-of survival signaled light at the end of the tunnel for the Itsekiri nation. Slowly but surely, wining that great battle brought back hope and life for the once forlorn nation.
And since then things have been picking up whichever way, in snail speed and dry bones are beginning to rise again to the delight and glory of God the creator.
The Silver Jubilee coronation anniversary celebration is assuming this larger than life dimension because it is indeed worthy of celebrating in itself.
The 2012 edition of the Itsekiri World Cultural Day organized by the Iwere Renaissance …. wherein the pilot test for a successful “Oyo-Ekoro” was executed has shown that life has bounced back to the kingdom once more. And with the combine joy of having a serving Governor in Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, not minding what people say or do about him in a state like Delta, there is a truly a brighter future ahead of Warri Kingdom and the revered royal father, Ogiame Atuwatse II (CON) the Olu of Warri together with his subjects.
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