FG, Warri Kingdom Forge Cultural, Tourism Partnership as Olu Deepens Global Peace Agenda
By Marian Alekhue
The Federal Government has entered into a partnership with the Warri Kingdom to preserve, develop and promote its cultural, heritage and tourism assets, as the kingdom intensifies efforts to harness its rich traditions and waterways for investment, job creation and economic growth.
The partnership was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy and the Warri Kingdom.
Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who disclosed this in a post on X on Wednesday, said the agreement would establish a framework for assessing the kingdom’s existing cultural and tourism assets, identifying development opportunities and positioning Warri for greater recognition on the global tourism map.
“This is about more than celebrating heritage, it’s about building a sustainable economy around it,” Musawa said.
She said the initiative would explore the economic potential of Warri’s traditions, waterways and communities, highlighting the Royal Regatta, BINI Riva Life and the emerging Blue Economy conversation as areas capable of attracting investment, generating employment and increasing the kingdom’s international visibility.
The agreement comes as the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, marks five years on the throne under the theme, “Global Homecoming: Celebrating Our Cultural Renaissance, Unity and Transformational Progress.”
Musawa acknowledged the contributions of Qualitrend Destinations, ASEI and Legacy of Traditions/BINI Riva Life to the initiative, which seeks to combine heritage preservation with tourism, commercial and community development.
The Federal Government’s partnership with the Warri Kingdom also comes against the backdrop of the monarch’s expanding international engagement on peacebuilding, cultural exchange and social inclusion.
Recently, Ogiame Atuwatse III and the United Arab Emirates Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, signed a Cooperation Protocol aimed at strengthening collaboration on peacebuilding, cultural exchange and social inclusion.
The protocol was signed during the AIM Congress 2026, themed, “World Governments as Incubators for Tolerance and Shared Growth.”
Executed between the UAE Ministry of Tolerance and Coexistence and the Royal Iwere Foundation, an initiative of the Olu of Warri, the agreement is expected to provide a framework for collaboration in cultural exchange, dialogue, peacebuilding and initiatives designed to promote social cohesion.
The Olu, who delivered a guest lecture titled, “Tolerance as a Tool for Advancing Peace, Social Cohesion and Shared Prosperity: The Case of Africa,” advocated greater investment in tolerance, inclusion and dialogue as foundations for sustainable development.
He argued that Africa could harness its diversity, dialogue and unity to stimulate economic growth, strengthen social cohesion and promote lasting peace.
The monarch cited developments in the Warri Kingdom as an example of how traditional institutions could use reconciliation and cultural initiatives to promote peaceful coexistence.
According to him, Warri is home to diverse communities, including the Itsekiri, Ijaw, Urhobo, Isoko, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa, Bini and Ilaje, each with distinct histories and, in some cases, longstanding grievances.
He said his administration began its peacebuilding efforts by strengthening unity within the kingdom before extending its engagement outward.
“What sounds like a ceremony is governance. And once the house was stronger, we opened the field. Last month, we brought every tribe in the kingdom together for the Warri Unity Games,” the monarch said.
He said the games featured football, paintball, tug of war, a march past and other activities that brought members of the various communities together.
“Every major tribe competing, sweating, celebrating, and going home together,” he added.
The Olu also disclosed that his administration introduced the Ghigho Aghofen ceremony among Itsekiri communities as part of efforts to strengthen relationships and promote reconciliation.
He said some divisions and grievances remained unresolved when he ascended the throne five years ago, stressing that sustainable development required unity within the kingdom.
The twin initiatives — the Federal Government’s cultural-tourism partnership and the UAE-Warri cooperation protocol — place the Warri Kingdom at the intersection of heritage preservation, tourism development, peacebuilding and international cultural diplomacy.
For the Federal Government, the partnership provides an avenue to leverage Warri’s cultural traditions, waterways and established events for tourism and economic development, while the Olu’s international engagements seek to demonstrate the role traditional institutions can play in building social cohesion and shared prosperity.
As the kingdom marks five years of the present reign, the emerging agenda combines cultural renaissance with economic development and a broader emphasis on unity, tolerance and global engagement.
“Preserve what is priceless. Build what is possible,” Musawa said.
