By
Princewill Oviesan Deduke
In the complex social and cultural landscape of the Niger Delta, few issues are as sensitive as identity, history, resource ownership and peaceful coexistence. It is against this background that Prince Collins Eselemo has carved a distinctive place for himself as an Ijaw voice, a Warri-born advocate and a campaigner for peaceful coexistence among the different ethnic communities that make up the Warri metropolis.
Eselemo, an Ijaw leader and grand patron of the Ijaw Youth Council, has consistently presented himself not merely as an advocate for the Ijaw people, but as a stakeholder in the larger Warri community. His public interventions have repeatedly emphasized the need for Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo communities to coexist peacefully rather than allow ethnic disagreements to undermine the future of the city.
THE WARRI UNITY PROJECT
One of the most significant aspects of Eselemo’s public profile is his association with the Warri National Congress (WNC), an organisation he founded during the period of intense communal crisis in Warri. According to accounts of his involvement, the WNC brought together Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo stakeholders in an attempt to promote dialogue, peace and reconciliation.
That experience appears to have shaped a central philosophy in Eselemo’s public advocacy: that the future of Warri cannot be built on ethnic superiority or perpetual arguments over who belongs where, but on recognition, accommodation and shared responsibility.
In a 2025 interview, Eselemo recalled the role played by the Warri National Congress in promoting peace during the crisis years, stressing that a Warri person should see himself or herself first as a Warri person, rather than being defined exclusively by ethnic identity.
That position is particularly significant in a city where Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo histories and communities intersect.
DEFENDING IJAW IDENTITY
Eselemo’s advocacy for unity does not mean abandoning Ijaw identity. On the contrary, he has been outspoken about the historical presence and interests of the Ijaw people in Warri and the wider Niger Delta.
In 2026, he again publicly challenged claims that Ijaw communities had no legitimate presence in Warri South, pointing to the historical presence of Ogbe-Ijoh and Ijaw families and institutions in the area. He also welcomed peace initiatives involving traditional leaders and called for the people of Warri to embrace dialogue.
This dual posture—strong cultural identity combined with a call for coexistence—perhaps best captures what Eselemo represents in the public space.
BEYOND ETHNIC DIVIDES
The larger message associated with Eselemo’s advocacy is that Warri must become a place where different tribes can live, trade, work and raise their families without fear or discrimination.
His public interventions have repeatedly warned against rhetoric capable of reopening old wounds. In 2024, while addressing renewed arguments over the identity and ownership of Warri Urban, he called for restraint and argued that divisive claims could threaten the relative peace achieved in the city.
For Eselemo, therefore, unity is not necessarily the disappearance of ethnic identities. It is the ability of different identities to exist within one civic community.
A NIGER DELTA PERSPECTIVE
His influence also extends beyond Warri. Eselemo has spoken extensively on issues affecting the Niger Delta, including resource control, self-determination, development and the political future of the region. In a 2026 interview, he described resource control and self-determination as central elements of the Ijaw struggle.
Yet his regional outlook is intertwined with a broader demand for peaceful engagement. The argument is that communities should be able to defend their history and interests while still creating room for dialogue and cooperation.
THE LEGACY OF A WARri BOY
Ultimately, Collins Eselemo’s story is intertwined with the complicated history of Warri itself. His supporters may see him as a defender of Ijaw heritage and Niger Delta interests; others may know him principally for his peace advocacy and political interventions.
Whatever perspective one adopts, his longstanding involvement in discussions about Warri’s ethnic relations makes him an important voice in conversations about the city’s future.
His enduring message can be summed up simply: Ijaw identity should be respected, other ethnic identities should also be respected, and Warri’s future must not be sacrificed on the altar of ethnic rivalry.
For a city blessed with diversity, the real victory is not for one tribe over another. The real victory is a Warri where Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo and other communities can live together, conduct their businesses, educate their children and build a common future.
That is the larger Warri unity project that Collins Eselemo has continued to champion.
