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 Ijaw people, otherwise known as the Ijo people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta in Nigeria, with significant population clusters in Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers. They also occupy Edo, Ondo, and small parts of Akwa Ibom. Many are found as migrant fishermen in camps as far west as Sierra Leone and as far east as Gabon. They account for about 1.8% of the Nigerian population according to CIA Factbook. The Ijaws are one of the most populous tribes inhabiting the Niger Delta region and the eighth largest ethnic group in Nigeria.
Delta State is a state in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Named after the Niger Delta—a large part of which is in the state—the state was formed from the former Bendel State on August 27, 1991. Bordered on the north by Edo State, the east by Anambra and Rivers States, and the south by Bayelsa State, while to the west is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres of the state's coastline. The State was initially created with 12 local government areas in 1991 which was later extended to 19 and now has 25 local government areas. Asaba as its state capital is located along the River Niger on the northeastern end of the State, while the state's economic centre is the twin cities of Warri and Uvwie.
The Itsekiri are one of the Yoruboid subgroup of Nigeria's Niger Delta area, They speak a Yoruboid language and can be found in Delta State. The Itsekiris presently number 2.7 million people and live mainly in the Warri South, Warri North and Warri South West local government districts of Delta State on the Atlantic coast of Nigeria. Significant communities of Itsekiris can be found in parts of Edo and Ondo states and in various other Nigerian cities including Lagos, Benin City, Port Harcourt and Abuja. Many people of Itsekiri descent also reside in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada. The Itsekiris are closely related to the Yoruba of South Western Nigeria and also close to the Okpe people and Edo peoples. The Itsekiris traditionally refer to their land as the Kingdom of Warri or 'Iwere' as its proper name – which is geographically contiguous to the area covered by the three Warri local government districts. The area is a key centre of Nigeria's crude oil and natural gas production and petroleum refining and the main town Warri forms the industrial and commercial nucleus of the Delta State region.
Uvwie (/hu-we-ɛ/), is a principal Urban Local Government Area in Delta State. It lies along the Warri River and it is one of the twenty-four Urhobo Kingdoms. The entirety of the LGA is conurbated with the city of Warri, making it a greater part of Warri metropolitan area
Koko is the major town in and the headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, South South Nigeria. Koko is one of the major towns in the Niger Delta region with a rich history and is known for its unique cultural heritage, natural resources, and vibrant economy.
The Warri Crisis was a series of conflicts in Delta State, Nigeria between 1997 and 2003 between the Itsekiri, the Ijaw, and the Urhobo 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.
Warri South West is a Local Government Area in Delta State, Nigeria. It was created in 1996 and has its headquarters in Ogbe-Ijoh, an Ijaw community.
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 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.
Ayiri Emami is a Nigerian businessman, politician, and philanthropist, the chairman and chief executive officer of A & E group, a company with investments in oil and gas, construction, haulage, entertainment and the hospitality industry.
Reyenieju Oritsegbubemi Daniel is a 3rd-term member of the House of Representatives, Nigerian National Assembly. Born into the families of Pa George and Mrs. Elizabeth Reyenieju, both of Warri kingdom.
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 Atuwatse II was a Nigerian traditional title holder and paramount leader of the Itsekiri who was Olu of Warri from 1987 to 2015. He was the 19th Olu of Warri Kingdom with the title Ogiame Atuwatse II. He was born Godwin Toritseju Emiko. He succeeded his father Erejuwa II as the Olu of Warri. He was a lawyer by profession and was a recipient of the Commander of the Niger (CON) award from the Nigerian Government. He died in 2015 and was succeeded by his brother Ikenwoli.
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.
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.
Utonlila Community is an Itsekiri community located in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State. Utonlila is based in Nigeria. The community is a twin community with Oboghoro Community. As a result of this, they both share Odokun secondary school and the two primary schools; Ijala primary school and Edo primary school. It also uses the same jetty.
Ubeji Community is an Itsekiri community located in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nigeria. Ubeji community is near the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company in Ekpan, Uvwie and as such, suffers huge environmental pollution. It is home to a large number of Itsekiris, it is a Suburb of the City of Warri It shares boundaries with Ifie Community, Aja-Etan Community, Ijala-Ikenren Community, Ekpan Community, etc.
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.
Olori "Ivie" Emiko-Atuwatse, known as Olori Atuwatse III, is Queen of the Warri Kingdom, a lawyer, social entrepreneur and wife of Ogiame Atuwatse III, current ruler of the Kingdom of Warri, and the 21st Olu of Warri. She is also the daughter of Nigerian business magnate, investor and philanthropist Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo. After his coronation in August 2021, the Olu of Warri bestowed a new title on his wife, calling her Olori Atuwatse III, now her official title.
Nigeria 
