The crisis rocking the Olu of Warri palace yesterday took a fresh dimension as the Ologbotsere Descendants, one of the largest family in Itsekiri nation, rejected the pronouncement of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, concerning the coveted Ologbotsere traditional title.
The rejection followed purported reports that the Ogiame had abolished the traditional title of Ologbotsere in Itsekiri kingdom.
He was also said to have striped the erstwhile holder of the title.
Responding to the media reports, which are already generating fresh controversy in the Kingdom, the Ologbotsere Descendants said the Ologbotsere title cannot be abolished as doing so was unlawful and against extant laws governing the throne.
The Ologbotsere Descendants Union Worldwide made their position public after an enlarged emergency meeting held at the home of the embattled Ologbotsere, Chief Ayirimi Emami yesterday.
The Ologbotsere Descendants unanimously passed vote of confidence on Chief Emami after a motion to that effect was moved by Chief Sam Omamamuli and seconded by O.J. Nanna.
Arising from the meeting, spokesman of the Ologbotsere Descendants, Comrade Alex Eyengho, said the family still didn’t believe that what Chief Brown Mene announced in a video that was circulating on social media is the position of the Olu.
He said the Ologbotsere descendants would react appropriately over the purported removal of Emami as when it comes directly from the mouth of the Olu, whom he said is a defendant in a suit instituted by Emami challenging his enthronement.
E”yengho said: “As you know the Ologbotsere Descendants Union Worldwide called an Emergency meeting for today (Thursday.
“Of course, the main thrust of today’s emergency meeting is to react to the development from the palace of Olu of Warri Kingdom as addressed by Chief Brown Mene, which came to us as a rude shock.
“When I say us, I mean the Ologbotsere family.
“What came out of the palace on Tuesday came to us as a rude shock.
“And we see it as not in tandem with extant law, not in tandem with Itsekiri culture, not in tandem with Itsekiri tradition.
“That is the way we see it.
“So arising from this general meeting today of the Ologbotsere Descendants, which was well attended as you can see, the Ologbotsere Descendant Union Worldwide reject outrightly and absolutely the vide that came out of the palace to the effect that the Olu of Warri has derobed the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami.
“We reject that outrightly for reasons I have given to you because it is not in tandem with extant laws, not in tandem with culture and tradition of Itsekiri people.
“For that reason, we stand by and with Chief Ayirimi Emami and we passed a vote of confidence on him as the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom.
“The Ologbotsere Descendants Union Worldwide will swim and sink with (Chief Ayirimi Emami as Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom).”
While saying that they were not averse to peace and reconciliation, the Ologbotsere Descendants spokesman disclosed that a seven-man panel of elders from the Ologbotsere Descendants has been constituted to further look into the matter by consultations, and dialogue, stressing: “Ologbotsere family is not at war with anybody.
“However to still give room for talk, for mediation, to still give room for dialogue, the family arising from this meeting after rejecting in totality what came out of the palace, we have also set up a seven-man committee to look more into the matter with a view of creating that opportunity or leaving room for jaw jaw and not war-war.
“That Committee will talk more of way forward, that committee will consult widely, that Committee will keep its doors open for discussions, for way forward as way of getting out of this quagmire in Warri Kingdom.
“That’s a summary of what happened here today.”
Eyengho said the purported abolition of the Ologbotsere title vis-a-vis the reported title being branded as “nickname” was an insult to the entire Ologbotsere Descendants Union Worldwide and as far as “we the Ologbotsere Descendants are concerned was dead on arrival.
“It is unacceptable to us and we have rejected it outrightly so I don’t want to be talking of the Ologbotsere being derobed.”
Speaking further, Comrade Eyengho gave graphic details of how Chief Emami became the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, emphasising: “Once you make titles like Ologbotsere, Iyatsere, Uwangue, Oshodi and Ojomo, it is till death that they will stop to hold such titles and nobody can remove them.
“The Ologbotsere was made Ologbotsere on the recommendation of the family and was confirmed by the then Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame IKenwoli, the 20th Warri monarch.
“And in Itsekiri customs and tradition, even once you give a Chief, Just an ordinary Chief, not a principal Chief, a title you cannot reclaim it.
“The Itsekiri custom and tradition I am talking about is well captured in this book authored by retired Justice Rufus Ogbobine.
“He talked eloquently about itsekiri custom and tradition: ‘The foundation of Itsekiri Customs and Traditions.”
“So I’m not just talking.
“This is a Justice of the then Bendel State.
“He well articulated it where he said very magnificently clear that once you are made a Chief it is till death.
“And he specifically mentioned five principal titles you cannot just wave away.
“That you cannot just remove.
“For you to remove the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom among other titles you have to go to the government of the state.
“It has to pass through the State House of Assembly and it must get the imprimatur of the governor of the state.
“So it is not something you just wish away or you just mouth or you just announce or you just pronounce that you are removing the Ologbotsere or derobing the Ologbotsere as Chief Brown Mene said it.
“We have said it that it is absolutely unacceptable to us and we will continue to refer to him as Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom.”
Comrade Eyengho said Emami has not erred as representative of Ologbotsere descendants in his quest that the extant law in the succession to the throne of Olu of Warri must be followed, maintaining: “And let me put it on record, the only offence, the only sin of Chief Ayivimi Emani is that he insisted that law and order must be followed.
“He insists that due process must be followed.
“He insists that, look there is an extant law, let us follow it.
“And as a law abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has gone to court.
“This matter is in court.
“It is even subjudice for anybody to make such pronouncement but I take it with a pinch of salt because the so-called pronouncement was made by Chief Brown Mene.
“Chief Brown Mene is not Olu of Warri Kingdom.
“He made the pronouncement. I did not hear it from the Olu of Warni himself.
“We can see the video where Chief Brown Mene purportedly made the announcement or suspended or derobed the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom.
“It is all over the social media.
“It was Chief Brown Mene.
“I have the video.
“But if you have the video where the Olu of Warri himself made that announcement, please play it for me.
“So I take this with a pinch of the salt.”
Present at the enlarged meeting were the various heads of the Ologbotsere family, including the Secretary-General, William L.A. Anukun, Otsemaye Uwanikone, Wilson E. Mene, Besidane Esimaje, Alex Eyengho, O.J. Nanna and Samuel B.O Okorodudu.
