The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II (CON) says he decided to remove ‘ Ogiame’ from his title because it connotes allegiance to Umalokun and the other deities of the sea, land and sky that are false gods which Prince Ginuwa of the Benin kingdom who became the king of Iwere kingdom made a covenant with, demanding worship and annual sacrifice from people of the kingdom in exchange for assisting him and his entourage in their flight as well as quest to establish a new earthly kingdom in this part of the world.
The embattled Warri Monarch in a declaration titled ‘The New Order of Iwere Kingdom’ dated September 4, 2013 without his signature, stated that he ascended the throne with the full knowledge of Itsekiri people that he was doing so by the grace of God for His blessings upon “our people and for the glory of God” and averred that he is now convened to set a new order in place for Iwere people.
Fresh Angle can however report that the Monarch’s purported new order which started generating wagging tongues amongst Itsekiris immediately the unsigned document stated circulating degenerated into an open confrontation in the morning of Saturday September 7 when tens of Itsekiri youths from neighbouring communities in Warri stormed the Olu’s palace by Ugbori, Warri, demanding that the Monarch rescind his purported declaration or vacate the throne if his new found faith is not in conformity with the kingdom’s traditional stool.
The angry youths reportedly locked the gate of the Olu’s palace and drove out some Itsekiri Chiefs who were seating at the palace.
The Olu who only moved to the palace barely a month ago from his private residence in Warri GRA was not seating with the Chiefs when the protesting Itsekiri youths who had set up burn-fires along Ajamimogha and Ugbori road stormed the palace. The Chiefs allegedly dissociated themselves from the Olu of Warri’s declaration.
In a swift reaction however, members of the Emiko Royal Family, a lineage that produces the Olu of Warri have completely dissociated themselves from the Warri Monarch’s declaration, noting that the whole gamut of history behind the Itsekiri throne is captured or encapsulated in the title, Ogiame.
According to a statement issued by the Emiko family after an emergency meeting, “ the property in the title, Ogiame, belongs to the Itsekiri people who have so addressed their Monarchs right from inception over five hundred years ago, including Christian Monarchs”.
While acknowledging that “in his capacity as the reigning Itsekiri Monarch, he has authority to review aspects of Itsekiri culture, tradition etc in line with modernity,” it should be “done following due process of consultation with Itsekiri stakeholders,” the Itsekiri royal family in its statement signed by 37 people declared that it considers the Ogiame title as such that the Itsekiri people hold that it should not be cancelled for whatever reason (s).
Our Senior Correspondent who followed the protests Saturday and Sunday September 7 and 8 respectively reports that a marriage ceremony fixed for the Four Square Gospel Church at the Olu’s palace on Saturday September 7 had to be shifted to another venue following the protest, while the palace gate was locked throughout Sunday September 8 preventing worshipers from accessing the palace, just as an Itsekiri masquerade known as Epi drawn from different Itsekiri communities took over the palace arena.
Fresh Angle gathered that members of the Olu palace branch of Four Square Gospel Church who were denied access to the Olu’s palace by the protesting youths, Chiefs and masquerades had to hold their service at an event centre opposite the palace.
As at the time of filing this report, not even the presence of Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan on Sunday afternoon (September8) could calm frayed nerves as the Itsekiri youths and cross section of the palace chiefs are determined to make the Olu of Warri rescind his new declaration.
Copyright: Fresh Angle International (www.freshangleng.com)
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