Using the case of Warri where local government creation triggered bloody violent
ethnic conflicts, the article seeks to elucidate the paradox in which decentralization
triggers instead of ameliorating conflicts. It shows that decentralization encourages
violent group mobilization when it ignores historic local grievance and is perceived to
be biased in favour of some groups. To be effective in conflict resolution,
decentralization should be attentive to the history of inter-group relations especially
historic grievance against inequalities.