After four days of intense pressure from his subjects, the
Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, yesterday capitulated.
The royal father capitulated about 11:20pm after much
pressure by various groups and Governor Emmanuel
Uduaghan of Delta State.
Thousands of youths and women had laid siege to the Olu’s
palace (Aghofen), Ugbori located in Ajamimogha area of
Warri, in protest over the declaration of the monarch
entitled “The New Order of Iwere Kingdom”.
The elders and leaders of thought had told the monarch
point-blank that if he failed to rescind and recant his
declaration immediately, he should be prepared to face the
wrath of the people.
In a position paper obtained last Monday
night, the Itsekiri leaders under the auspices of Itsekiri
Legacy Rebirth, a prominent Itsekiri elders/opinion leaders
group, had dissociated themselves from the contentious
declaration, saying it was not binding on anybody in the
land.
The paper was signed by Pa J. O.S Ayomike and Chief Israel
O. Jemide. They said that about eight of 19 Olus got
baptized as Christian and, as such, the Itsekiri nation
cannot be said to have a covenant with
“Umalokun” (goddess of the sea).
While saying a pocket of people may have had covenant
with the “Umalokun”, the leaders insisted that everyone
has freedom of worship as enshrined in the Nigerian
constitution, adding that “religion is a personal matter”
that should not be forced on the people.
They said that no one has stopped Atuwatse II from being a
“devout” Christian as the country’s constitution gives him
the fundamental right to practise a religion of his belief
without let or hindrance.
Even the presence of heavily armed security agents
mobilised to the palace at Ugboren in Ajamimogha area
did not deter the protesters as they turned out in thousands
from their various communities in both upland and
riverine areas to resist the “new order”.
It was observed that an indication that the royal
father had yielded was first manifested when cannon shots
were fired at about 11:30pm, which was very unusual.
Shortly after, the Warri Council chiefs emerged from the
palace to drop the cheering news to the protesters amidst
wild jubilation.
Spokesman of the council Chief Charles Ikomi told the
crowd that the Olu of Warri had accepted to “drop the
issue”.
Chief (Mrs) Rita Lori-Ogbebor commended the angry
Itsekiris comprising old men, women and youths for their
peaceful protests in the past few days and urged them to
return to their various homes because “our monarch has
dropped the issue”.
The message was terse but the protesters were satisfied and
went into wild jubilation, while the masquerades spiced
the occasion with different traditional dances.
Another round of cannon shots was fired after the message
was delivered, signalling the Itsekiris’ acceptance of the
new position of their royal father.
It was observed that the Council of Chiefs thereafter
returned to the palace to thank the monarch for the
decision while the celebration lasted amongst the
indigenes.
It was gathered that the monarch yielded to the demands
of his subjects following deferent pressures from various
groups and the 48 hours’ ultimatum given by the elders of
the kingdom for the Olu of Warri to rescind his position.
It was learnt that he saw the need to listen to the cries of his subjects following the desertion of three of his
cabinet members, who said that they did not know the
reason for appending their signatures to the document; one
escaped to Port Harcourt to escape the wrath of their
kinsmen and women.
The Itsekiri elders under the aegis of Itsekiri Elders and
Leaders of Thought, after several hours of deliberations
and consultations on Monday, had given the Olu of Warri
48 hours to rescind his declaration or abdicate the throne.
Before the monarch yielded to the demands of his subjects,
a heavy security web was weaved around the palace
yesterday with the presence of soldiers, navy, air force,
police and civil defence personnel.
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