Olu of Warri to kick off Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity tourney

The Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, is to kick off the newly inaugurated Delta Ethnic Peace and Unity Cup football tournament to be contested among the Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, and Urhobo ethnic groups in Delta State.

The football competition aims at promoting peaceful coexistence and unity among Ijaw, Itsekiri, Isoko, and Urhobo ethnic groups in Delta State, particularly after the conflict and crisis that erupted in Warri and environs some years ago.

Chairman, Delta Football Association, Mr. Kenneth Nwaomucha, announced this on Thursday at the inauguration of the 10-member Local Organising Committee of the tournament held at Africa for Peace Centre, Ugolo, Osubi, Delta State.

Nwaomucha explained that “the opening ceremony of the tournament will take place at Ode-Itsekiri (Big Warri) on November 6, 2024, the International Day of Tolerance, with the Warri monarch, the royal guest of honour, doing the kickoff.”.

He commended the organisers and sponsors of the biennial football competition, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), and Chief Sheriff Mulade, respectively, “for their patriotism and commitment to sustainable peace in Delta State, which manifested in facilitating the football tournament.”

Speaking earlier, Mulade noted that the tournament, which was limited to Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic communities when it was initiated some years ago, is being expanded this year “to accommodate the Delta South and Delta Central to ensure that relative peace reigns.”.

He said, “We felt it was important for us to expand the scope to accommodate the Isoko and Urhobo in order to build the needed peace to enable the government of the state and the federal government to do the needful in terms of development to our state and to our communities.

“As a state, we need peace so that the much-needed dividends of democracy and that of the electoral campaign promises can be delivered to us.”.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Governing Board of CEPEJ, Dr. Godwin Orhadahwe, emphasised the need for sustained sensitisation of the various ethnic groups in Delta State on the need for unity and peaceful coexistence, stressing that these are highly imperative for community development.