By Francis Sadhere, Warri
In a time when Nigeria’s media landscape continues to battle economic pressure, safety concerns, and diminishing infrastructure, an unlikely lifeline has emerged for journalists in Warri, Delta State—from none other than former militant leader turned security contractor, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, widely known as Tompolo.
Tompolo, through his firm, Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), has constructed and fully equipped a modern press centre in the heart of Warri. The facility, named High Chief Government Ekpemupolo Press Centre, is now the official secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Warri Correspondents’ Chapel—a monumental gift that many see as a turning point for journalism in the oil-rich but infrastructurally challenged region.
A Press Centre Rooted in Vision and Support
The edifice is more than bricks and mortar—it is a symbol of commitment to press freedom and institutional capacity-building. It is also a rare example of collaboration between private security interests, traditional leadership, and government.
At the maiden congress held in the new facility, the NUJ Warri Chapel could barely contain its gratitude. Their communique read like a roll call of acknowledgements—from Tompolo, the benefactor, to High Chief Kestin Pondi, TSSNL’s Managing Director, and Dr. Paul Benenimibo of the Nigeria Maritime University, all praised for their roles in the project’s realization.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori also earned applause for officially commissioning the building. His gesture reinforced his administration’s friendliness toward the media and earned him commendations from journalists who, more often than not, are left out in infrastructure conversations.
But even in celebration, there was a loud undertone of frustration.
The Irony of a Beautiful Building Surrounded by Bad Roads
While the edifice stands as a beacon of hope, it is ironically located on Eburu Street, a stretch of road that has become a nightmare for commuters and now for the very journalists it was meant to serve. During the congress, journalists voiced their displeasure over the poor state of the road, describing it as “deplorable” and an “embarrassment” given the status of the facility it leads to.
“It’s like building a palace in the middle of a swamp,” one correspondent muttered under his breath.
Their call to Governor Oborevwori was direct: fix the road leading to the press centre, and extend similar interventions to adjoining roads in the Okumagba Avenue area. The Warri Uvwie Environs Development Agency (WUEDA) was also urged to hasten drainage and road projects currently ongoing in the area.
Warri’s Chronic Infrastructure Decay
Warri, once the heartbeat of Delta’s oil economy, has suffered prolonged infrastructural decay. The city’s residents are no strangers to roads that resemble gullies, neighborhoods turned into lakes during the rainy season, and man-hours lost in traffic bottlenecks.
At the congress, the NUJ did not stop at Eburu Street. It raised broader concerns about flooding in Warri, Uvwie, Udu, and even Okuokoko in Okpe Local Government Area. These areas, they said, have become flashpoints of urban neglect, with clogged drainages and abandoned road networks compounding the suffering of residents.
Commendations with Conditions
The journalists were, however, not blind to progress. They praised the Oborevwori-led administration for its ambitious infrastructure drive, especially the ongoing flyover projects at PTI Junction, Enerhen Junction, and DSC Roundabout. But they also pointed to the urgent need for remedial work on the failed Effurun–DSC stretch, which has turned into craters, forcing drivers into dangerous detours.
Their message to Julius Berger, the contractor handling the flyovers, was clear: fix the roads while building the bridges.
A New Dawn for Journalism—or Another False Start?
For now, the new press centre offers a much-needed boost to journalists in Delta State. It provides a conducive working environment, a symbol of respect for the profession, and perhaps most importantly, a reminder that their voices matter.
But the success of this symbolic project may be undermined if those voices continue to echo from a building trapped in a maze of impassable roads.
The gift of a press centre is a great start. But for journalism to thrive, the roads leading to truth—both literally and figuratively—must also be cleared.
Until then, the Warri journalists will continue to report not only from a building that stands tall but from streets that remain sunken.
