The city of Warri is an oil hub within South-South Nigeria and houses an annex of the Delta State Government House. Warri City is one of the major hubs of the petroleum industry in Nigeria. Warri, Udu, Okpe and Uvwie are the commercial capital of Delta State with a population of over 311,970 people in 2006. The city is the indigenous territory of Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw people.
The Itsekiri are one of the fundamental Yoruba subgroups in Nigeria's Niger Delta area. They originate from Ile-Ife and speak a Yoruboid language and can be found in Ondo, Edo and Delta State. The Itsekiris presently transcends a population of over 1 million people and live mainly in parts of Ondo, Edo and majorly in the Warri South, Warri North and Warri South West local government districts of Delta State on the Atlantic coast of Nigeria.
The Warri Crisis was a series of conflicts in Delta State, Nigeria between 1997 and 2003 between the Itsekiri, the Ijaw ethnic groups. Over 200,000 people were displaced by the Warri conflict between 1999 and 2006. Over 700,000 people were displaced during this period by violence in Delta State overall.
The Itsekiri language is a major branch of the Yoruboid group of languages, which as a group, is a key member of the Volta–Niger sub-family of the Niger–Congo family of African languages. Itsekiri is spoken by nearly 900,000 people in Nigeria as a first language and by many others as an additional language notably in the Niger Delta and in parts of Edo and Ondo states of Nigeria. The other key members of the Yoruboid group are Yoruba and Igala along with the various Yoruba dialects spoken in Benin and Togo.
The Urhobos are people located in southern Nigeria, near the northwestern Niger Delta.
The Kingdom of Warri, Warri Kingdom or Iwere Kingdom, was established in 1480, was part of the Nigerian traditional states its ancestral capital is based in Ode-Itsekiri, Warri South LGA, Delta State, Nigeria with a palace erected in 1950s in the heart of the city of Warri, Warri South LGA, Delta State, Nigeria.
Erejuwa II was a Nigerian traditional title holder and paramount leader of the Itsekiri who was Olu of Warri from 1951 to 1964 and from 1966 to 1986. He was the 18th Olu of Warri Kingdom with the title Ogiame Erejuwa II. He succeeded his father Ginuwa II as Olu. Ginuwa II was a great grandson of Olu Akengbuwa the last Olu who died in 1848, he was crowned in 1936 after an interregnum that lasted 88 years when Warri's political leadership was dominated by merchant princes.
Ikenwoli Godfrey Emiko was a Nigerian traditional ruler.
Dr Tidi Michael Ejueyitsi is the 15th and current local government chairman of Warri south local government area, Delta State Nigeria. He was born to Joshua Oritsetimeyin Tidi and late Princess Roli Lizzy Emiko. Tidi Michael was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State, Nigeria.
Olu Ginuwa was an Itsekiri king who was the first Olu of Warri. He was the eldest son of Oba Olua, the 14th Oba of Benin and Heir Apparent to the throne of the Great Benin Kingdom. He migrated from Benin Kingdom and was crowned the first Olu of Warri. He reigned for a period of 30 years. He reigned from 1480 to 1510. He was succeeded by his son, Olu Ijijen (Ogbowuru). Another of his sons, Olu Irame took over as king after Olu Ijijen joined his ancestors.
Olu Ijijen (Ogbowuru) was born to Olu Ginuwa. He is the 2nd Olu of Warri. He succeeded his father Ogiame Olu Ginuwa. He was the first King to reach Ode-Itsekiri as his father settled down at Ijala community which is the burial place for all future Olu's. He reigned from 1510 to 1538. He was succeeded by his brother Olu Irame.
Olu Irame was a Nigerian traditional ruler who was the 3rd Olu of Warri. He was the second son to Olu Ginuwa and succeeded his brother Olu Ogbowuru as the 3rd Olu of Warri. It is stated that he banished the three gods and their worshipers from Ode-Itsekiri-Olu because of their incessant "noise-making". The gods and their worshipers moved to Orugbo, a community about 2 miles from Ode-Itsekiri-olu.
Olu Ojoluwa was an Itsekiri traditional ruler. He succeeded his father Ogiame, Olu Irame after his demise. He was crowned Ogiame Ojoluwa, the 4th Olu of Warri Kingdom at Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral home of the Itsekiri. Olu Ojoluwa reigned for about nineteen years from about 1550 to 1569. During his reign, he commenced the process of integration of Ekpen's (Ekpenede) descendants of Okere with the local population in the kingdom.
Olu Akengbuwa was the 16th Olu of Warri who ruled over the Kingdom of Warri. He succeeded his father Olu Erejuwa I as the 16th Olu of Warri. He took the title, Ogiame Akengbuwa. He was also called Eyeolusan Joao. When he went to be with his fathers, there was a period of crisis following the death to the potential successors which was followed by a period of political Interregnum. His son Prince Oritsemone left Ode-Itsekiri during the period of the crisis to form Usele Community.
Olu Ginuwa II was a Nigerian traditional title holder and paramount leader of the Itsekiri who was Olu of Warri from 1936 to 1949. He was the 17th Olu of Warri Kingdom with the title Ogiame Ginuwa II. He was born Emiko Ikengbuwa. He succeeded his grandfather Olu Akengbuwa as Olu of Warri after an interregnum that lasted 88 years when Warri's political leadership was dominated by merchant princes. Atsibutsere Skinn, son of Princess Agbeje Ikengbuwa, presided over the selection and installation of Ogiame Ginuwa II in 1936 as head of the royal family.
Ode-Itsekiri is a community in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. It is also called Itsekiri-Olu and Big Warri. It is the capital of the Itsekiri people and one of the first autonomous communities before the crowning of the Olu Ginuwa. It existed long before 1480, with exact data not known. The Olu's Palace in Ode-Itsekiri has always been used to crown the Olu of Warri Kingdom, while the Kings are buried at Ijala-Ikenren Community.
Okere-Urhobo is the name of one of the two Urhobo kingdoms in Warri South Local Government, Delta State, Nigeria, the other being Agbassa.
Ogiame Atuwatse III is a Nigerian traditional king of the Kingdom of Warri in the Delta State. He was born Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko, also known as Tsola Emiko, on April 2, 1984 to Olu Atuwatse II, the 19th Olu of Warri, and Gladys Durorike Emiko. He is also a descendant of Olu Akengbuwa.
Ureju Community is an indigenous Itsekiri rural community in the Warri Kingdom. Ureju Community is one of the aboriginal five communities that make up the Warri Kingdom before the coming of Olu Ginuwa I alongside other Itsekiri communities like Ugborodo, Ode-Itsekiri (Okotomu-Irigbo), Inorin and Omadino. It is located in the Benin River axis of Warri North Local Government Area of present-day Delta State, Nigeria. Ureju Community has two main families - Olero and Kokolo.
Omadino Community is an indigenous Itsekiri urban community in Warri Kingdom. The people of Omadino are the descendants of Nenuwa, the legendary ancestor and founder of the Omadino community who migrated with his followers from Ode in the Ijebu kingdom following their unsuccessful bid for the throne of the Ijebu kingdom. Omadino Community is one of the oldest communities in the Warri Kingdom having existed before the formation of the Warri Kingdom in 1480. Omadino Community is one of the biggest communities in the Warri Kingdom as it falls under Warri South with extensions to Warri North and Warri South-West. It is located in Warri South Local Government Area of present-day Delta State, Nigeria.
Nigeria 