What do you think about this? Nigeria: Wafi Boys Come of Age A group of men and women who carry the memory of the brightness and bubble that was characteristic of the Warri of old are determined to rekindle that memory in the life of the younger generation They are all men in the midpoint of life but they preferred to style themselves as Warri boys and girls, on the day that they came visiting. Stuck in the memory of the five men that visited Vanguards corporate office penultimate week was the fond memory of a once bubbling and effervescent city. Warri, Wafi, or lately, oil city has over time spawn its own language, culture and unusual unity that was terribly fractured by the ethnic wars at the turn of the century. Despite being home to Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw ethnic groups and many, many more Nigerians from within and outside Delta State, Warri had prior to the ethnic wars, uniquely inspired a unique culture and lifestyle that stood the Wafi man out in any gathering. The fresh initiative to reinvent that unique Wafi culture is being spearheaded by the Warri Rebirth Initiative which has Mr. Kes Agbosa as chairman. Speaking on the motif of the group, he said: We are a group of Warri and boys and girls, (in Warri, we have no men and women no matter the age), who have come together to reestablish the unity and oneness in Warri that we used to know which cut across tribes whether Urhobo, Itsekiri or Ijaw at that time when we were growing up. Among the Wafi boys that followed Agbosa to Vanguard were Paul Onomi, Orgainsing Secretery, Mr. Francis Obeh, Mr. Bayo Okorodudu, Mr Emiko Okome, Warri is a unique place. Unique in the sense of one unity, this is why Warri has its own language, besides the ethnic languages we have, our pidgin English which is unique, Agbosa said. By now, Warri should have been ahead of others in this country in terms of unity but for this unfortunate incident that happened. That oneness is unique to us and that is why we want to re-establish it. There was nothing like tribal differences and unfortunately, an ethnic war came up. We still believe that the war was not originated by ordinary Warri boys and girls, strangers came from outside to impose it on us. We thank God it is over and we saw that one of the first victims of that war was the unity of the people. One of the fruits of the new initiative of the WRI is regular meetings in several locations across the country of Wafi boys and girls who meet in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Warri among others with attendees even coming from abroad. We are happy to say that as at today, the branch in Lagos is picking up, they come to Warri to attend meetings and we believe with peace, Warri will regain its status in this country as a centre of civilization, Agbosa said. To rekindle the idea of unity that the people once shared, WRI is promoting a fiesta with the theme, Wafi 2013 this December. Its one way of bringing people together again, we will have cultural display, we will eat together, dance together as we used to do. So that we can leave a legacy for our children to enjoy. Remarkably it will be a time of fun with the abundance of comedy given the citys national reputation as a grooming centre for comedians. That is the spirit in us. Any Warri boy or girl is a comedian, you dont stay in a place where there is Warri boy or girl and be sad, it is part of us. Majority of them professionalized it, otherwise, we are all comedians, he said. Given Agbasos assertion that the wars that destroyed the peace of Warri fifteen years were inspired by people outside Warri, he was asked what would have been the purpose of the anarchists? The economic activities in Warri then were such that non stakeholders needed to destroy the unity of the people to be able to get in or penetrate and then enjoy themselves. Pressed that it was really the elites within Warri and not outsiders or strangers that instigated the war, Agbosa kicked back: If you know the antecedents of the war, you will know that there was nothing between the Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw and Isoko who stay in Warri even till today. When I use the word strangers, I meant people actually came from outside, they could be from these tribes but they never lived in Warri, they are not Wafferians. On a last note, he was asked where the warmongers came from and his retort was that of the peace maker: I dont know where they are from but I do no know that they are not Wafferians.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 10:55:23 +0000
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