Warri
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 and her twin city, Uvwie are the commercial capital of Delta State with a population of over 311,970 people in 2006.[2] The city is the indigenous territory of Urhobo, itsekiri and Ijaw people.
Warri | |
|---|---|
City | |
Warri Port | |
| Nickname(s): Waffi, Waff, Waff Town | |
Warri Location in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 5°31′N 5°45′E / 5.517°N 5.750°ECoordinates: 5°31′N 5°45′E / 5.517°N 5.750°E | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| State | Delta State |
| Local Government Area | Warri South LGA |
| Government | |
| • Executive Governor | Ifeanyi Okowa |
| Population (2016)[1] | |
| • Urban | 363,382 |
| • Urban density | 31,371.8/sq mi (12,112.73/km2) |
| • Metro | 1,043,122 |
| • Metro density | 13,508.4/sq mi (5,215.61/km2) |
| Demographics | |
| • Ethnicities | Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ijaw |
| • Languages | Pidgin English, Urhobo, Itsekiri, and Ijaw |
| • Religions | 95% Christianity, 3% African Traditions, 2% Islam |
Warri shares boundaries with Uvwie to the east, Udu to the south east, Ogbe-ijoh to the south, and other communities in Warri South LGA to the west.[3] Due to its rapid population growth and linked roads, the city and its border towns eg Uvwie, Udu merged into a conurbation collectively referred as “Warri”
Warri sits on the bank of Warri River which joined Forcados River and Escravos River through Jones Creek in the lower Niger Delta Region. The city has a modern seaport which serves as the cargo transit point between the Niger River and the Atlantic Ocean for import and export.
Warri served as the capital of the colonial Warri Province during the early 1900s when this part of Delta State was under the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria.[4][5]
Warri City is native to four monarchs, namely;
• The Olu of Warri (itsekiri)[6][7]
• The Ovie of Agbarha-Ame (Urhobo)[8]
• The Orosuen of Okere-Urhobo (Urhobo)[9]
• The Pere of Ogbe-ijaw (Ijaw)
History
Etymology
The name ‘WARRI’ was first associated with the kingdom of the Itsekiri ancestral capital town of Ode Itsekiri which the locals also refer to as ‘Iwere’. A mispronunciation of Iwere by several European explorers probably resulted in various names like Awarri, Ouweri, Warre, Warree, etc, in the works of Jean Barbot[10] when reaching the capital of Warri Ode-itsekiri he said this “The capital town Ouwere, which gives its name to the whole country, lies on the river Forcado, about thirty six or seven leagues up from its mouth, and is near two miles about, being encompass'd on the land-side with groves and thickets, the ordinary residence of the king of Ouwere.[11] The British eventually anglicised it as "Warri."
British Advent pre Warri City
British colonialism effectively took off in the Western Niger Delta with the proclamation of the Oil Coast Protectorate by Great Britain in June 1885. British colonial administration was carried out through local chiefs like Nana Olomu of Ebrohimi in Benin River. This administration was effectively restricted to Benin River and its environs as the British were content with conducting trade with the people of the hinterlands through the Itsekiri as middlemen [12]
Eventually the scramble for Africa by various European powers intensified leading to the conveyance of the Berlin Conference of 1885 where Africa was partitioned. In order to lay a claim to a particular African region, it needed to be shown that there is ‘effective occupation’ by the concerned European power and one of the ways of showing this was by signing treaties of protection with the various tribes. Great Britain signed such treaties with the Itsekiris as a tribe and several with the various Urhobo villages. The treaties acknowledged the ownership of the lands which the various tribes occupied and on which the British met them offering them protection in exchange for acknowledging the suzerainty and protection of Great Britain
The British treaty with the Itsekiri was signed in 1884 and (resigned in 1894 after the fall of Nana Olomu) acknowledged the Itsekiri territories to be Ode Itsekiri, Benin River and the people and country of both banks of the Escravos River. In contrast, the British signed treaties with various Urhobo villages in the territory which now constitute most parts Warri Township (Warri City) and Uvwie as follows;
| Towns | Dates of treaties |
|---|---|
| Ugborikoko (Gborikoko), Uvwie | 10/05/1892[13] |
| Ugboroke, Uvwie | 04/03/1893[14] |
| Ekpan (Toree), Uvwie | 25/02/1893[15] |
| Ephron (Effurun), Uvwie | 05/06/1894[16] |
| Edjeba, Agbarha | 07/03/1893[17] |
| Otovwodo (Agbassa), Agbarha | 14/03/1893[18] |
| Igbudu (Obodoodoo), Agbarha | 30/03/1893[19] |
| Ogunu, Agbarha | 30/03/1893[20] |
In order to have effective occupation of their territories, the British decided to penetrate the hinterlands and by an order-in-council of 1893, the Oil Rivers Protection was extended into the hinterlands and renamed Niger Coast Protectorate. With the extension into the hinterlands, the British appointed ‘Political Agents’ to help in contacting people of the hinterlands. In 1895, Dore Numa an Itsekiri and George Eyube, an Urhobo were appointed Political Agents. Dore was appointed for Sapele District (named after the city of Sapele) covering much of the Itsekiri Country and some parts of Urhobo lands whilst George Eyube was appointed for Warri District (named after the ancient city of Warri ;- Ode-Itsekiri) covering much of the Urhobo Country. Unfortunately, George Eyube died in 1901 by an accidental discharge from his own gun and Dore Numa’s authority was extended to cover Warri District. By this appointment Dore became the Paramount Chief of both districts with all appointed warrant chiefs under him. Part of Dore’s authority included granting of leases to the colonial administration on behalf of the Natives for public purposes [12]
Creation of Warri City
The British decided to move the seat of the administration of the Niger Coast Protectorate from Ode-Itsekiri (Warri or Iwerre) to the uplands to have effective control of the hinterlands. In order to achieve this, the British in 1906 took a lease of a new trading station opened in 1898 on virgin lands for Alexander Miller Brothers Limited of Liverpool at the mouth of the Okere Creeks. This new trading station was also named WARRI after Ode-Itsekiri so the Itsekiris dubbed Ode-Itsekiri BIG WARRI in order to differentiate Ode-Itsekiri from the new trading station [12]
Demographic
Its inhabitants are predominantly Christians of different denominations, and some practice a mixture of African traditional religions like most of Southern Nigeria. The city is known nationwide for its unique Pidgin.[21]
Climate
The region experiences moderate rainfall and moderate humidity for the most part of the year. The cl imate is monsoonal and is marked by two distinct seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season lasts from about November to April and is significantly marked by the cool "harmattan" dusty haze from the north-east winds. The rainy season spans May to October with a brief dy spell in August, but it frequently rains even in the dry season. The area is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate with a mean annual temperature of 32.8 °C (91.0 °F) and an annual rainfall amount of 2,770 mm (109 in). There are high temperatures of 28 °C (82 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F). The surrounding region is predominantly rainforest, tending to swamplands in some areas. The vegetation is rich in timber trees, palm trees, as well as fruit trees.
| Climate data for Warri | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 31.5 (88.7) | 32.2 (90.0) | 32.4 (90.3) | 32.2 (90.0) | 31.5 (88.7) | 30.0 (86.0) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.4 (83.1) | 28.8 (83.8) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.4 (88.5) | 31.5 (88.7) | 30.7 (87.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.8 (80.2) | 27.5 (81.5) | 27.9 (82.2) | 28.0 (82.4) | 27.3 (81.1) | 26.3 (79.3) | 25.2 (77.4) | 25.3 (77.5) | 25.5 (77.9) | 26.3 (79.3) | 27.1 (80.8) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.7 (80.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 22.1 (71.8) | 22.9 (73.2) | 23.5 (74.3) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.1 (73.6) | 22.6 (72.7) | 21.0 (69.8) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.3 (72.1) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 22.2 (72.0) | 22.6 (72.7) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 30 (1.2) | 58 (2.3) | 127 (5.0) | 201 (7.9) | 270 (10.6) | 367 (14.4) | 474 (18.7) | 324 (12.8) | 457 (18.0) | 325 (12.8) | 104 (4.1) | 31 (1.2) | 2,768 (109.0) |
| Source: Climate-Data.Org[22] | |||||||||||||
Economy and infrastructure
There is the Warri Refinery and Petrochemicals located at Ekpan, Uvwie [23] with the majority of international and local oil companies operating in Nigeria having their operational offices close by. One of the nation's major seaports is sited within Ugbuwangue, Warri.
Due to conflict in the late 90s, especially in 1999, most oil companies fled the town and nearby regions[citation needed].
Security
Warri is garrisoned by the Amphibious Infantry battalion (Effurun Army Base) located in Effurun, a twin city to Warri and is administratively under the Brigade HQ[24] in Port Harcourt.
The Nigerian Navy operates from its facilities in Warri.
The 61 Nigerian Air force Detachment also operates from its facilities in Jeddo, close to Warri.
Sports
Warri has an international stadium with a capacity of 30,000 which is the home of Warri Wolves football club,[25][26] which has hosted two editions of the African Women Football Championship in 2002 and 2006 respectively and was in contention as one of the venues to be used for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria in 2009. The stadium was used to host the African Youth Athletics Championship (AYAC) in 2013.
Warri Wolves, a professional football team based in Warri plays in the Nigeria National League.[27] Their prominent former players include Best Ogedegbe, Wilson Oruma, Efe Ambrose, Victor Ikpeba and Ekigho Ehiosun.
Manufacturing and raw materials
The economic base of the city lies in the presence of a refinery and other oil and gas companies. Also, there is the steel company, Delta Steel Company,[28] which is located in Ovwian–Aladja area of Udu.[29] The Beta Glass Plant is located nearby, outside the town of Ughelli, where the land is rich in silica and silicates, raw materials required for the manufacture of glass, ceramics and cement. The Transcorp Power Distribution, one of Nigeria's power generating stations, is also located at Ughelli, which is just 15 minutes away by car.
Transport
Rail
In 1991, construction started on a standard gauge railway from the steel mills at Ajaokuta to the port of Warri, about 275 km away. By 2006, the standard gauge lines had reached 329 km in length, but the final 27 km Warri section is still incomplete. In 2010, work recommenced to complete that final section to Warri. The rail line was officially inaugurated in September 2020.
Road
Major road networks within Warri Metropolis has been improved upon by the state government to improve the image of the city. Transportation within the city is mainly by bus and tricycle. The federal government has completed the Warri-Benin Road road expansion project and major parts of the East-West Road Project which will connect Warri-Uyo.
Air
There are several helipads in oil company yards, like Shell yard Ogunu and in Escavos and Focados.
Sea
Movement of goods by sea is through the Nigerian Ports Authority (Delta Ports) at which is mainly for export and import of goods by major companies. Also located on the main Warri riverside are markets and jetties used by local traders, which act as a transit point for local transport and trade. There are local boats that are used for moving from one location to another.
Educational institutions
Primary schools
Primary schools in Warri are:
- Nana Primary School, Warri
- Mowoe Primary School, Warri
- Ojojo Primary School, Warri
- Ogiame Primary School, Warri
- Ikengbuwa Primary School, Warri
- Cavagina Primary School, Warri
- Twin Fountain Group of Schools
- HillTop
- International Unity School (IUS)
- NNPC Staff Primary School
- SNAPS
- Alderstown School for the Deaf
- Kids Compute Academy
- Edjeba Estate School, Edjeba, Warri
- Lakeland School, Ogunu, Warri
Secondary schools
Secondary schools are also in numbers in the city of Warri. These include:
- Yonwuren College, Warri
- College of Education Demonstration Secondary School, Warri
- Twin Fountain Group of Schools
- Cambridge International School
- Federal Government College, Okorode-Urhobo, Warri[citation needed]
- Hussey College, Warri[citation needed]
- Nana College, Warri[citation needed]
- Dom Domingos College, Warri[citation needed]
- Delta Secondary School, Warri
- Dore Numa College, Warri[citation needed]
- Essi College, Warri[citation needed]
- Uwangue College, Warri[citation needed]
- Classical International School, Warri[citation needed]
- College of Commerce, Warri[citation needed]
- Eagles Height School, Ajamhimogha, Warri[citation needed]
- Ubeji Grammar School, Ubeji[citation needed]
Higher institutions
There are various tertiary institutions within and outside the city, the following are the institutions situated in the city of Warri
Tourism
There are various tourist sites to visit while in Warri:[33]
- Red Mangrove swamp
- Falcorp Mangrove Park / Mini Zoo, Ijala, Behind Warri Refinery.[34]
- Warri Township Stadium[35]
- Shell club, Ogunu[36]
- Warri Port, Ugbuwangue, Warri[citation needed]
Religion
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Notable people
Notable Nigerian ministers from Warri include Ayo Oritsejafor and Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin.[37]
- Charity Ogbenyealu Adule, footballer[38]
- Nedum Onuoha, footballer[39]
- Demas Akpore (1928–1993), first elected Deputy Governor of Bendel State (1979–1983)[40]
- Erigga, musician[41]
- Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, former CAN President[42]
See also
References
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- ^ (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Uvwie · Nigeria". Uvwie · Nigeria. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ^ Okoh, Oghenetoja (July 2016). "WHO CONTROLS WARRI? HOW ETHNICITY BECAME VOLATILE IN THE WESTERN NIGER DELTA (1928–52)*". The Journal of African History. 57 (2): 209–230. doi:10.1017/S0021853716000074. ISSN 0021-8537. S2CID 163543228.
- ^ "Warri, Nigeria – International Cities of Peace". 7 April 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ https://amp.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3145919/thousands-attend-coronation-new-king-nigerias-oil-hub-warri
- ^ https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/08/23/africa/olu-of-warri-coronation-intl/index.html
- ^ "Delta CP lauds Agbarha monarch on peace, Edion Hall". Vanguard News. 17 August 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ Omonigho, Matthew (5 January 2021). "Delta: Commercial activities shutdown as Okere-Urhobo receives staff of office".
- ^ "Jean Barbot", Wikipédia (in French), 27 May 2022, retrieved 12 January 2023
- ^ Barbot, Jean, and Claes Rålamb. A Description of the Coasts of North and South-guinea: and of the Ethiopia Inferior, Vulgarly Angola... And a New Relation of the Province of Guiana, and of the Great Rivers of Amazons and Oronoque In South-america. With an Appendix Being a General Account On the First Discoveries of America, In the Fourteenth Century, and Some Observations Thereon. And a Geographical, Political, and Natural History of the Antilles-islands, In the North-sea of America. [London], 1732.
- ^ a b c Dedon, Michael O. (26 September 2021). ""A SYPNOSIS OF THE WARRI CRISIS By Michael O. Dedon – A Must Read By All Wado City Indigenes"". NewsRoom247.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ "Advent of British Colonialism in Warri". Digital Library and Museum of Urhobo History and Culture. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
- ^ Ikeke, Nkem (12 March 2017). "8 cities in Nigeria where people cannot do without speaking Pidgin English". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "Climate: Warri". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
- ^ "Warri Refinery's host communities threaten chaos over sack of back-up staff". 8 December 2015.
- ^ "Home page". Nigerian Army | Official Website. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
- ^ Warri Wolves F.C.
- ^ Warri Township Stadium
- ^ IV, Editorial (5 January 2022). "NNL: Warri Wolves return from break Monday". Blueprint Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "How Nigerian government, Indians wreck multi-billion dollar Delta Steel Company, rip off host communities and tax payers". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
- ^ "20 years after collapse, steel company resumes operations". Vanguard (Nigeria). 5 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ "Contact Us – College of Education, Warri". Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Delta State Schools of Nursing Admission Form 2020/2021". www.myschoolgist.com. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "How Oritsejafor Will Bankroll N2.5 billion Eagle Height University | Encomium Magazine". 16 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "hotel and tourism development potentials in delta state". goodie ibru. 2 June 2001. Retrieved 11 January 2008.
- ^ "Opening hours: Falcorp Mangrove Park - Warri Zoo and Nature Park". opening-hours.com.ng. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Warri Township Stadium - Football Stadium". Football-Lineups. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Shell Ogunu Golf Club | All Square Golf". www.allsquaregolf.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "...Fufeyin foresees manipulation of 2019 polls". Vanguard News. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ Nigeria, Media (11 June 2018). "Biography Of Charity Ogbenyealu Adule". Media Nigeria. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ The PFA footballers' who's who 2010-11. Barry J. Hugman. Edinburgh: Mainstream. 2010. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0. OCLC 619938382.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Wedding Bells: Rapper Erigga Is Getting Married To His Long Time Girlfriend". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ "Check out former CAN president's security detail [VIDEO]". Pulse Nigeria. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2021.