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Palace Delays Public Statement on Olu of Warri


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Plans by officials of the palace of Olu of Warri in Delta State to present a public statement to journalists on the state of affairs in Iwere-land, otherwise called Itsekiri Kingdom, was monday postponed.

Since reports that the revered Itsekiri monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse II, passed on hit the media in Nigeria and globally, many people at home and abroad have been anxious to hear from the horse’s mouth.

The widespread anxiety was apparently prompted by the fact that no formal statement has yet been issued either by the palace of the Olu of Warri or the Itsekiri Council of Chiefs (Warri Council of Chiefs) which forms part of the Itsekiri monarch’s cabinet.
Specifically, there was no statement from the relevant Itsekiri authorities denying or confirming the reported passing on of one of Nigeria’s first class traditional rulers.

However, in response to a short notice on the proposed briefing, about 30 journalists from print and electronic media were gathered for over an hour monday morning at the relatively quiet palace of the Olu of Warri before a palace official announced the suspension of the exercise.

The official, who chose to remain anonymous, simply said the royal palace regretted the postponement of the press briefing due to fact that the “chiefs wanted to ensure that they dot the I’s and cross the T’s” before presenting the prepared statement to the media.
Possibly, a new date from the briefing would be duly communicated to the different media houses, the palace official added.
Nonetheless, it was gathered that eminent Itsekiri sons and daughters, including well-known traditional chiefs, politicians and clergymen have shown concern but remained remarkably quiet since reports of the sudden demise of the 70-year-old royal father hit the airwaves last Saturday.

The Itsekiri king reportedly transited after being taken to a Lagos hospital following complications from an alleged recent domestic accident, though he was known to have had some health challenges since about two years ago.

Born in 1945 and christened Godwin Toritseju Emiko, the late Olu of Warri was a prince destined for the royal crown, being the second son of Olu Erejuwa II of Iwere Kingdom (Itsekiri Kingdom of Warri).

He attended the prestigious Hussey College, Warri, before proceeding to the University of Lagos where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.

Subsequently, he practised law briefly at Emiko Chambers at Okere, Warri, a law firm established by his uncle, before being crowned king.

He was appointed into the Warri Traditional Council in 1983 and also served in various capacities as a member of Warri Local Government Council.

Atuwatse II was crowned as the 19th Olu of Warri on May 2, 1987, thus becoming the second university graduate to ascend the Itsekiri royal stool.

History has it that the first Olu of Itsekiri (Iwere-land) was Ginuwa, a Prince of Benin Kingdom who ascended the throne in the 15th century.

Credit: Thisday

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