Members of Warri Council of Chiefs say the controversial declaration of a new order by the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II has caused them humiliation, disgrace and manhandling,adding that the purported declaration is unacceptable to them.
Ina statement signed by 21 of the Chiefs, including the Iyatsere of Warri, Chief. Gabriel Mabiaku,prominent Itsekiri activist, Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori Ogbebor, sister to Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Chief Yemi Oritsejafor and popular Niger Delta activist, Chief Ayirimi Emami, the Itsekiri Chiefs advised the Warri Monarch to withdraw the declaration, stating that it cannot guarantee the resulting consequences of the Olu’s refusal to renounce his purported declaration.
Respected pan Itsekiri socio- cultural group, Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILOT, in its response to the growing controversy declared that if ‘Ogiame’ is abolished from the Olu of Warri title, the Monarchy would have been extinguished and ifAtuwatse II ceased to be Ogiame, his reign as the Warri Monarch would have expired.
According to ILOT, the section of the Olu of Warri’s statement which alleges “ that the Itsekiri religion is fetish and that the Itsekiris are non Christian people isa misrepresentation of well- known documented historical fact that Christianity began in Warri /Benin region in the early 16th century and about eight of the nineteen Olus got baptized as Christian”.
The Itsekiri leaders in their statement signed by 10 of its members, including its chairman, J. O. S. Ayomike and Chief Isaac Jemide, stressed that Itsekiri nation cannot be said to have covenant with Umalokun and as such the Olu’s new order of Iwere kingdom is legally not binding on anybody.
The ILOT is also averse to the Monarch’s abolishing of the Itsekiri anthem which he alleges is sung as a worship to the king and the purported ban of all sacrifices of wine, blood, food, water, kolanuts and other items.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
ISSN 2354 - 4104
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