N2.7 trillion fabrication against the Olu of Warri and the theatre of a broke man seeking attention: Why nobody should take Asari Dokubo serious

I have read and watched the video, with a mixture of dismay and familiar amusement, the recent allegation attributed to Alhaji Asari Dokubo, claiming that the sum of ?2.7 trillion was paid to His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri. I have chosen to respond not because the claim has merit, but because silence in the face of dangerous falsehood can sometimes be mistaken for acquiescence.

I know Asari Dokubo. I have known him for years, long before social media turned every outburst into news. There is a predictable pattern to his public interventions that those of us who have watched him closely can no longer ignore. Anytime he is broke, anytime the political relevance he so desperately craves begins to fade, he goes around constituting nuisance, picking a fight with respected institutions and dragging for attention.

This latest claim fits that old script perfectly. It is loud, it is outrageous, and it is empty. The figure alone ?2.7 trillion should tell any discerning mind that this is not a disclosure but a drama, known as the theatre of the absurd. Where is the evidence? Where are the bank records, the source of funds, the purpose, the transaction trail? In any serious society, he who alleges must prove.

As a Chief of Warri Kingdom and a son of Rivers State, I have a duty to appeal for calm and responsible public discourse. We must not allow the frustration of one man to set the entire South-South on fire. Such weighty allegations against a revered throne cannot be treated as fact on the basis of a video clip. Nigerians must learn to demand verifiable evidence before amplifying accusations capable of destroying reputations painstakingly built over centuries.

To His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III CFR, the Olu of Warri, I tender my unreserved apology on behalf of all well-meaning sons and daughters of Rivers State. The people of Rivers State should not be collectively associated with or held responsible for the personal outbursts of an individual who has made a career out of controversy. Asari does not speak for Rivers, and Rivers does not speak through Asari.

Let me be clear about the Olu of Warri: He is not a man of scandal, but a man of substance. His contributions to youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, peace-building and national development are matters of public record, verifiable and visible. To attempt to drag his name into the mud of an unproven ?2.7 trillion transaction is not only disrespectful to the Warri Kingdom, it is an insult to the intelligence of Nigerians who know the difference between facts and fabrications.

I therefore appeal to our youths, to social media users, and to all lovers of peace; do not respond to inflammatory statements with further inflammatory statements. Do not allow a man who thrives on attention to use you as his amplifier. Let us insist on evidence, facts, and responsible discourse. The South-South has too much to lose from ethnic profiling and collective blame.

The people of Southern Nigeria, particularly Rivers and Delta, have lived as brothers for centuries. We intermarry, we trade, we worship together. We must not allow the periodic nuisance of a man seeking relevance to destroy the peace and mutual respect that exist among our people and our traditional institutions.

For the avoidance of doubt, we, the Chiefs of Warri Kingdom, remain unwavering in our commitment to actualize the noble vision of His Royal Majesty for the advancement of Warri Kingdom, Nigeria, and the African continent. We are focused on development, on peace, on unity, and on building a future where our children are not judged by the noise of attention-seekers, but by the content of their character.

Let peace continue to prevail. And let nobody take this latest episode serious, because it is not serious ; it is simply what a man does when he is broke and in need of attention.

Ogiame Suo!

By: Chief Amb. Amalili Stephen Chinedum, 
Arun Otsowo of Warri Kingdom (Onetoritsebawo)

×