In Nigeria’s oil heartland, Olori Atuwatse III sees a different resource

A New Vision for Warri: Beyond Oil, Toward Human Potential

In Nigeria s oil heartland Olori – Nestled within Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, the Warri Kingdom has long benefited from petroleum extraction that has contributed significantly to Africa’s second-largest economy. Yet beneath this wealth lies a stark reality: numerous neighboring communities continue to struggle with inadequate infrastructure, insufficient educational facilities, limited healthcare access, and unreliable clean water supplies.

According to Olori Atuwatse III, the queen consort of Warri, this paradox represents what she terms the “resource curse.” In her conversation with CNN correspondent Larry Madowo, she explained that while resources flow out of the region, local development often goes unnoticed. “Everything is taken out, but nothing is developed,” she observed, capturing the frustration of many residents who see wealth extracted without corresponding improvements in their daily lives.

Redefining Modern Royalty

When Tsola Emiko became Ogiame Atuwatse III in 2021, ascending as the twenty-first monarch of Warri, he and his wife embarked on an ambitious mission to transform traditional monarchy into a vehicle for contemporary progress. Rather than maintaining ceremonial distance, the royal couple chose active engagement with community needs.

One of their first major initiatives was establishing the Office of the Olori, which provided the queen with an official platform to champion development programs targeting women, children, and educational advancement. Olori Atuwatse III described her approach as grounded rather than flashy. “I didn’t embrace it with glamour,” she reflected. “What I felt was weight. What I felt was responsibility … a responsibility to use this platform of privilege to serve.”

In 2021, the royal couple launched the Royal Iwere Foundation, organizing its efforts around three core areas: education, empowerment, and environmental sustainability. These pillars have generated diverse programming, from STEM education initiatives and ecological projects to entrepreneurship support designed to help women establish lasting businesses.

Human Capital as the True Resource

Both the king and queen share a unified vision centered on people. “Everything really is centered around human capital development,” Olori Atuwatse III emphasized, highlighting their belief that investing in individuals creates lasting community transformation.

During a March graduation ceremony for EstablishHer—a six-month business and leadership program created by the foundation—the queen shared impressive results. Since the program’s inception, forty-four participants had officially registered their businesses, while additional graduates secured new clients, expanded their operations, and gained valuable access to mentorship, professional networks, and financial support.

Recognizing that funding remains a critical barrier, the foundation recently announced a loan facility worth 150 million naira, approximately $110,000, specifically intended to help women scale their enterprises. “Our biggest resource is our human resource,” Olori Atuwatse III told CNN. “My vision, my hope is to build our people so that they can build our communities.”

Changing Mindsets, Changing Futures

For the queen, meaningful economic development starts with shifting perspectives. “To really change anything, we must first change how we think — not just what we think,” she explained, drawing from her own transformative experiences.

Her personal journey includes openly discussing her struggle with postpartum anxiety following the birth of her son in 2018. She characterized that period as a “mental breakthrough” that fundamentally altered her understanding of purpose and leadership. This insight now informs her work across multiple domains, from youth development to women’s empowerment.

Her vision extends well beyond Warri’s borders. Through the Elevate Africa Fellowship—a ten-month mentoring program for mid-career professionals that she and her husband established—Olori Atuwatse III has pledged $1 million toward nurturing emerging African leaders. She maintains that cross-continental collaboration remains essential for sustained progress.

“We must begin to elevate Africa across the continent,” she said. “We cannot just elevate Nigeria in isolation.”

The legacy Olori Atuwatse III hopes to create transcends traditional measures of wealth. Rather than counting barrels of crude oil, she envisions a future defined by confident, empowered citizens. “We don’t believe that Africa is a problem to be solved,” she declared. “We believe Africa is rich. Africa is resilient. African excellence needs to be amplified.”