
<PAGE>   1
                                                  Registration No. 333-_______
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AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 28, 1997.
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                               ------------------


                     ONEOK Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan

                               ------------------


                                   ONEOK, INC.

                  100 West Fifth Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
       (Name of the issuer of the equity securities being offered pursuant
              to the Plan and the address of its principal office)

          OKLAHOMA                             73-1520922
(State or other jurisdiction of               (IRS Employer
Incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

          J.D. NEAL                            DONALD A. KIHLE
Vice President, Chief Financial      Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe Kihle Gaberino
    Officer and Treasurer                      100 West Fifth Street
           ONEOK, Inc.                              Suite 1000
       100 West Fifth Street                   Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103
      Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103                        (918) 585-8141
         (918) 588-7000

         (Name, addresses, and telephone numbers of agents for service)

                               ------------------

  Appropriate date of commencement of proposed sale pursuant to the Plan: from
                  time to time after the effective date hereof

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                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

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<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                        Proposed     Proposed
                                        Maximum      Maximum
                                        Offering     Aggregate     Amount of
Title of Securities    Amount to be     Price        Offering      Registration
to be Registered (1)   Registered(2)    Per Unit (3) Price (4)     Fee
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                    <C>              <C>          <C>              <C>         
Common stock with
$0.01 par value        242,252          $ 36.656     $ 8,879,989     $3,062

</TABLE>

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Exhibits Index on Page 5.


<PAGE>   2



(1)      In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933,
         this Registration Statement also covers an indeterminate amount of
         interests in the Plan to be offered or sold pursuant to the employee
         benefit plan described herein.

(2)      Represents the estimated maximum amount of common stock of ONEOK, Inc.
         (hereinafter referred to as "Common Stock") which could be contributed
         or acquired under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (hereinafter
         referred to as the "Plan") from ONEOK, Inc. (hereinafter referred to as
         the "Company"), during the years of operation of the Plan.

(3)      Based on price of $36.656 per share of the Common Stock, the average
         sales price of the Common Stock published in the Wall Street Journal
         reports of the New York Stock Exchange Composite Transaction for
         November 25, 1997.

(4)      Estimated pursuant to Rule 457(c) solely for the purpose of calculating
         the registration fee.




                                        2

<PAGE>   3



                                     PART I
              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form S-8 will
be sent or given to employees as specified in Rule 428(b)(1). These documents
(and the documents incorporated by reference pursuant to Item 3 of Part II of
this Registration Statement) taken together, constitute the prospectus for
purpose of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.


                                     PART II
               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                     ITEM 3
                     INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

The Company and the Plan hereby incorporate by reference in this Registration
Statement the following documents of the Company (SEC File No. 1-2572)
heretofore filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission:

         (1)    Annual Report on Form 10-K of ONEOK Inc. (Predecessor by
                merger to the Company herein after referred to as "Old ONEOK"
                for the year ended August 31, 1997.

         (2)    Form 8-K reporting the consummation of the merger of ONEOK Inc. 
                with and into WAI filed November 26, 1997.

         (3)    Old ONEOK's Proxy Statement dated August 6, 1997 in connection 
                with its Special Meeting of Shareholders held September 25, 
                1997.

         (4)    In addition, there is incorporated herein by reference all
                documents filed subsequent to the date hereof, by the Company
                and the Plan pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d)
                of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, prior to
                the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that
                all securities have been sold or which deregisters all
                securities then remaining unsold. Such documents are deemed to
                be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

                                     ITEM 4
                            DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

The following is a description of the securities offered.

Holders of ONEOK, Inc. Common Stock are entitled to (1) vote for each share held
of record. The holders of Common Stock are entitled to receive any dividends
that may be declared by the Corporation's Board of Directors from funds legally
available therefor and to share pro rata in the net assets of the Corporation
upon liquidation. Holders of Common Stock have no preemptive rights and no
rights to convert their Common Stock into any other securities of the
Corporation. All outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid and are not
subject to calls or assessments. Each share of Common stock includes an
associated right, each right ("Right") entitling the holder to purchase one
one-hundreth of a share of Series C Participating Preferred Stock, par value
$0.01 per share of the Company pursuant to a Rights Agreement between the
Company and a designated rights agent (the "Rights Agreement"). The designation
of Rights (Exhibit 4(c) hereto) is incorporated herein by reference.



                                        3

<PAGE>   4



                                     ITEM 5
                     INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

The legality of the securities which may be purchased under the Plan has been
passed upon by the firm of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe Kihle Gaberino, 100 West
Fifth Street, Suite 1000, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103, counsel for the Company. The
firm of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe Kihle Gaberino, has reviewed the statements
made as to matters of law and legal conclusions under "Securities to be Offered"
and such statements are set forth in the documents which form a part of the
prospectus in reliance upon its authority as an expert.

                                     ITEM 6
                    INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

Pursuant to Article VIII of the bylaws of ONEOK, Inc. upon authorization and
determination either (1) by the board of directors by a majority of a quorum is
not consisting of directors who were not parties to the action, suit, or
proceeding involved; (2) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or even if
obtainable and a quorum of disinterested directors so directs, by independent
counsel in a written opinion; or (3) by the stockholders, the Company is
obligated to indemnify any person who incurs liability by reason of the fact
that he is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company, or is
or was serving at its request as a director , officer, employee, or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or
as a member of any committee or similar body, if he acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interest of
the Company, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no
reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful. However, in an action by
or in the right of the Company, no indemnification will be made if such person
shall be adjudged to be liable to the Company, unless such indemnification is
allowed by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Under insurance obtained by the Company, coverage of Company officers and
directors against liability for neglect, errors, omission, or breaches of duty
in their capacities as such is provided for both the Company, to the extent that
it is obligated to indemnify such officers and directors, and the officers and
directors themselves. Such coverage is provided in the amount of $75,000,000
with a retained limit by the Company of $250,000. The insurance companies are
obligated to pay covered losses in excess of the $250,000 retained limit, up to
the policies' limits of $75,000,000. Among the policies' exclusions are those
which exclude coverage for accounting for profits made within the meaning of
Section 16(b) of the Securities Act of 1934, claims based upon or attributable
to directors and officers gaining any personal profit or advantage to which such
individuals are not legally entitled, and for any claims brought about or
attributable to the dishonesty of an officer or director.

The registrant has been advised that, in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission, provisions providing for the indemnification by the
corporation of its officers, directors, and controlling persons against
liabilities imposed by the Securities Act of 1933 are against public policy as
expressed in said Act and are therefore unenforceable. It is recognized that the
above-summarized provisions of the registrant's bylaws and the applicable
Oklahoma General Corporation Law may be sufficiently broad to indemnify
officers, directors, and controlling persons of the registrant against
liabilities arising under said Act. Therefore, in the event that a claim of
indemnification against liability under said Act (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer, or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit, or
proceeding) shall be asserted by an officer, director, or controlling person
under said provisions, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel
the question has already been settled by the controlling precedent, submit to a
court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether or not such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in said Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                        4

<PAGE>   5



                                     ITEM 8
                                    EXHIBITS

The following exhibits are attached hereto or incorporated by reference herein:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                      Page Number or
                                                      Incorporation by
                                                      Reference to
                                                      ---------------- 
<S>                                                   <C> 
(4)(a)   Certificate of  Incorporation
         ONEOK, Inc.                                  Exhibit (3.1) to Form
                                                      S-4 Registration
                                                      Statement No.
                                                      333-27467

(4)(b)   Bylaws of ONEOK, Inc., as Amended            Exhibit (3.2) to Form
                                                      S-4 Registration
                                                      Statement No.
                                                      333-27467
 
(4)(c)   Certificate of Description,                  Exhibit A to Exhibit (3.4)
         Preference of Rights of Series C             To Form S-4 Registration
         Participating Preferred Stock of             Statement No. 333-27467
         the Corporation

(5)      Opinion of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe
         Kihle Gaberino

(23)(a)  Consent of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe
         Kihle Gaberino (See Item 5)

(23)(b)  Independent Auditors' Consent

(23)(c)  Independent Auditors' Consent

(24)     Powers of Attorney (Included on pages 8,
         9, and 10)

(99)     ONEOK, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan     12 - 20

</TABLE>






                                        5

<PAGE>   6



                                     ITEM 9
                                  UNDERTAKINGS

a.       The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

         (1)      To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being
                  made, a post-effective amendment to this registration
                  statement:

                  (a)      To include any prospectus required by Section 10 
                           (a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                  (b)      To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                           arising after the effective date of the registration
                           statement (or the most recent post-effective
                           amendment thereof) which, individually or in the
                           aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
                           information set forth in the registration statement;

                  (c)      To include any material information with respect to
                           the Plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
                           the registration statement or any material change to
                           such information in the registration statement.

         (2)      That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
                  Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment shall be
                  deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
                  securities offered therein, and the offering of such
                  securities at the time of shall be deemed to be the initial
                  bona fide offering thereof.

         (3)      To remove from registration by means of post-effective
                  amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
                  unsold at the termination of the offering.

b.       The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purpose of
         determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing
         of the registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
         15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable,
         each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to
         Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is
         incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed
         to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered
         herein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
         deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

c.       The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to deliver or cause to be
         delivered with the prospectus to each employee to whom the prospectus
         is sent or given, the latest Annual Report to Shareholders unless such
         employee otherwise has received a copy of such report, in which case
         the registrant shall state in the prospectus that it will promptly
         furnish, without charge, a copy of such report on written request of
         the employee. If the last fiscal year of the registrant has ended
         within 120 days prior to the use of the prospectus, the Annual Report
         of the registrant of the preceding fiscal year may be delivered, but
         within such 120-day period the Annual Report for the last fiscal year
         will be furnished to each such employee.

         The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to transmit or cause to be
         transmitted to all employees participating in the Plan who do not
         otherwise receive such material as stockholders or the registrant, at
         the time and in the manner such material is sent to its stockholders,
         copies of all reports, proxy statements, and other communications
         distributed to its stockholders generally.

d.       Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities
         Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
         persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
         otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
         Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against
         public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.
         In

                                        6

<PAGE>   7



         the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities
         (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid
         by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the
         successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
         such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the
         securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion
         of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
         submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
         indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act
         and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.




                                        7

<PAGE>   8



                                    SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this registration
statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma, on the 26th day of
November, 1997.


                                    ONEOK, Inc.


                                    By: LARRY BRUMMETT
                                        --------------------------------
                                        Larry Brummett, Chairman of the
                                        Board and Chief Executive
                                        Officer






                                        8

<PAGE>   9



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose individual signature appears below hereby authorizes Larry
Brummett and J. D. Neal, or either of them, as attorney-in-fact with full power
of substitution, to execute in the name and on behalf of each person,
individually and in each capacity stated below, and to file any and all
amendments to this registration statement, including any and all post-effective
amendments and all instruments necessary or incidental in connection therewith.


                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned
certify that to the best of their knowledge and belief, the registrant meets all
the requirements for filing on Form S-8. This registration statement has been
signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated in the City of
Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma, on this 26th day of November, 1997.


LARRY BRUMMETT                           J. D. NEAL
----------------------                   ----------------------------
Larry Brummett                           J. D. Neal
Chairman of the Board,                   Vice President,
Chief Executive                          Chief Financial Officer, and
Officer, and Director                    Treasurer

E. G. ANDERSON                           STEVEN L. KITCHEN
----------------------                   ----------------------------
E. G. Anderson                           Steven L. Kitchen
Director                                 Director

W. M. BELL                               D. L. KYLE
----------------------                   ----------------------------
W. M. Bell                               D. L. Kyle
Director                                 Director

D. R. CUMMINGS                           B. H. MACKIE
----------------------                   ----------------------------
D. R. Cummings                           B. H. Mackie
Director                                 Director

W. L. FORD                               D. A. NEWSOM
----------------------                   ----------------------------
W. L. Ford                               D. A. Newsom
Director                                 Director

HOWARD R. FRICKE                         G. D. PARKER
----------------------                   ----------------------------
Director                                 Director

J. M. GRAVES                             J. D. SCOTT
----------------------                   ----------------------------
J. M. Graves                             J. D. Scott
Director                                 Director

S. J. JATRAS                             S. L. YOUNG
----------------------                   ----------------------------
S. J. Jatras                             S. L. Young
Director                                 Director




                                        9

<PAGE>   10



                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Plan has caused
this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned in
their capacity as members of the registrant's Executive Compensation Committee,
thereto duly authorized, in the City of Tulsa and the State of Oklahoma, on this
26th day of November, 1997.

                                   ONEOK, INC.
                          EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN



WILLIAM L. FORD
---------------------------
William L. Ford, Chairman


DOUGLAS R. CUMMINGS
---------------------------
Douglas R. Cummings, Vice Chairman


J. M. GRAVES
---------------------------
J. M. Graves, Member


STEPHEN J. JATRAS
---------------------------
Stephen J. Jatras, Member


GARY D. PARKER
---------------------------
Gary D. Parker, Member


STANTON L. YOUNG
---------------------------
Stanton L. Young, Member



This Plan does not have any officers or directors or persons performing similar
functions other than the committee members whose signatures appear above.





                                       10

<PAGE>   11



                                 EXHIBIT INDEX

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               PAGE NUMBER OF
                                                                                               INCORPORATION BY
EXHIBIT NO.                             DESCRIPTION                                            REFERENCE TO
-----------                             -----------                                            ----------------
<S>                      <C>                                                                   <C>
(4)(a)                   Certificate of Incorporation ONEOK, Inc.                              Exhibit (3.1) to Form
                                                                                               S-4 Registration             
                                                                                               Statement No.
                                                                                               333-27467

(4)(b)                   Bylaws of ONEOK, Inc., as Amended                                     Exhibit (3.2) to Form
                                                                                               S-4 Registration
                                                                                               Statement No.
                                                                                               333-27467

(4)(c)                   Certificate of Description, Preference of Rights of                   Exhibit A to Exhibit (3.4)
                         Series C Participating Preferred Stock of the                         To Form S-4 Registration
                         Corporation                                                           Statement No. 333-27467
                                                    
(5)                      Opinion of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe Kihle Gaberino  

                                                               
(23)(a)                  Consent of Gable Gotwals Mock Schwabe Kihle Gaberino 
                         (See Item 5)           

(23)(b                   Independent Auditors' Consent

(23)(c)                  Independent Auditors' Consent

(24)                     Powers of Attorney (Included on pages 8, 9, and 10)

(99)                     ONEOK, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan                              12 - 20
</TABLE>

                                                 
 
                                                    
                                                    
                                                    
                                                    
                                                    
                                                    
