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Tag: Ayiri Emami

  • Olu of Warri: Do not rubbish the throne – Ibori appeals to Itsekiri people

    Olu of Warri: Do not rubbish the throne – Ibori appeals to Itsekiri people

    Former Governor of Delta State, James Ibori has appealed to the people of Itsekiri not to rubbish the ancient and prestine throne of the Olu of Warri.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Ibori sent out the passionate appeal to the sharply divided Itsekiri people over the succession process to the coronation of the 21st Olu of Warri.

    The former Delta State Governor urged the Itsekiri people not to do anything that would further “rubbish and diminish the ancient and pristine Olu of Warri throne.”

    Ibori made the call on Friday at his Oghara, Delta State country home when the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Ayiri Emami honoured the invitation of the former Governor to discuss the way forward on the raging matter.

    Ibori, whose mother is Itsekiri from Abiugborodo in the Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, addressed the Ologbotsere and his entourage in Itsekiri language all through his admonition.

    According to the former Delta State Governor, who is popularly known as Odidigborigbo by his admirers, there is no alternative to peace and unity in the matter.

    “I plead with all, no matter the divide you belong in this matter to at this point apply the brakes. We should stop doing things that will escalate the already tense situation.

    “At moments like this, the best thing to ask, particularly by the elders who know the customs and tradition of the Itsekiri is: how do we normally do it? How do we do it?

    “Everybody involved must come to the table to discuss the matter and fashion a way forward in this very delicate and potentially embarrassing matter.

    “The Warri throne is highly respected nationally and internationally. We should not do anything to diminish it. We must not cut our nose to spite our face. Warri Kingdom is a pride of monarchy system in Nigeria and beyond. There must be a way around the current situation but certainly not to escalate it.

    “I am willing to be part of an unbiased mediatory and reconciliatory body to resolve this matter as soon as possible.

    “Despite the stage we are in, it is not too late to remedy the situation and reunite our people who are currently divided on the matter,” Ibori said.

    Emami had earlier in his presentation updated the former Governor on the matter and why he decided to go to court after waiting without taking any action for over three months.

    The embattled Ologbotsere lamented that all through the period his name was “being rubbished both in the traditional media and social media on a daily basis” simply because he “maintained that due process and due diligence vis-a-vis the extant laws guiding the succession to the Olu of Warri throne must be followed.”

    In the entourage of Ayiri were Chief Samuel Omamuli (the Uwaoyiboyami of Warri), and Pa William L. A. Anukun (the Secretary-General of Ologbotsere Descendants worldwide).

    Others are Pa Samuel B. O. Okorodudun, Barr. Clement Omotoye and Comrade Alex Eyengho (Spokesperson of Ologbotsere Descendants worldwide), and among others.

  • Ologbotsere of Warri: Ayiri vows to challenge suspension in court

    Ologbotsere of Warri: Ayiri vows to challenge suspension in court

    Chief Ayiri Emami will challenge his suspension as Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom in court, spokesman of the Ologbotsere Descendants worldwide, Mr Alex Eyengho has said.

    Mr Eyengho, who disclosed this on Friday while speaking with newsmen in Warri, said plans to challenge the suspension in court had already been concluded.

    According to Eyengho, Chief Emami was taking the decision to challenge the suspension after painstaking wide consultations with critical stakeholders on the matter both home and abroad.

    He further stated that the Ologbotsere’s prayers in court “shall be seamlessly simple, straightforward and from the point of extant laws”.

    Eyengho said: “I am sure that the general public must have noticed the dignified deafening silence of Ologbotsere Ayiri Emami since his purported suspension by a section of the Ginuwa I Ruling House.

    “This silence is certainly not a mark of weakness but an opportunity to give those involved enough time to retrace their steps, swallow their prides, apologise to him and the Itsekiri for their illegal action, in the overall interest of the Itsekiri and as the only sure way forward.

    “The Ologbotsere will simply be asking the court to interpret within the framework of the 1979 Edict as it concerns Warri Kingdom and other relevant extant laws whether the Ginuwa I Ruling House has the power whatsoever to suspend any or the least Chief of Warri Kingdom not to talk of the number one Chief in terms of hierarchy, the Ologbotsere of Warri.

    “He will also ask the court to determine whether the same Ginuwa I Ruling House has the power to empower the current Iyatsere of Warri and number two in the hierarchy, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe or any other Chief for that matter to perform any or all the functions of the Ologbotsere, while he is still alive, hale and hearty.

    “These are some of the basic questions Ologbotsere Ayiri Emami shall be asking the court for interpretations and definite pronouncements”.

    He went further to say: “May it also be put on record that we are not unaware of the new trend of hired armed thugs and hoodlums invading court sittings in Warri and chasing out judges, lawyers etc from court premises.

    “Because of the nature of this impending case, we are not ruling out the possibility of the same set of thugs storming the court in an even more violent manner when we appear.

    “It is then we shall know whether the police, DSS and other security agencies are all on AWOL (Absent Without Leave) to the detriment of law abiding citizens, particularly those whose only offense is seeking justice in the law court.

    “Specifically, may we seize this opportunity to call on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to beef up security around the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami for obvious reasons.

    “We cannot afford to take chances or underestimate the extent to which those against extant laws can go in achieving their targets.

    “The Itsekiri are people known to follow the law at all times. We rely on the law and decided cases in all our internal and external issues. The Itsekiri have never been known to be part of illegality of any kind.

    “Therefore, we cannot afford to approbate and reprobate on this and other matters. This is the stand of the current Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami whose only crime was to err on the side of the law by advising ab initio that the extant law (1979 Edict) as it concerns the successor of the 20th Warri monarch, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, be followed, stricto senso.

    “However, we take solace in the fact that at the end of the day, the truth can never be buried in perpetuity and justice shall prevail in this matter”.

     

  • Olu of Warri: Why bitter rivalry is befalling choice of successor to Ogiame Ikenwoli

    Olu of Warri: Why bitter rivalry is befalling choice of successor to Ogiame Ikenwoli

    The intrigues and bitter rivalry attending the struggle over the choice of the successor to sit on the exalted throne of the Olu of Warri in Delta State following the demise of His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli is generating serious tension in the Itsekiri nation.

    Unlike in previous cases where differences were settled in inner circles among contenders, the division this time around has been blown open among the contenders and power brokers in Itsekiri, particularly the Olu’s Advisory Council headed by the now suspended Ologbotsere of Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami and the body of Princes who share influences over who becomes next Olu.

    Although the demise of Ogiame Ikenwoli has not been officially announced since he reportedly joined his ancestors on December 20th, 2020, the process to select his successor has been enmeshed in crisis from the very beginning.

    The battle to select a consensus candidate for the throne heightened on Monday following reports that the choice of a section of the Ruling House, Prince Tsola Emiko, was reportedly disqualified by the Chief Ayiri-led Olu’s Advisory Council.

    Following reports of Prince Tsola’s alleged disqualification, Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh, Head of the Royal Family, announced the suspension of Chief Ayiri as the Ologbotsere and Head of the Olu’s Advisory Council.

    The suspension of Ayiri as Ologbotsere, was almost immediately dismissed by some members of the Ginuwa ll Ruling House who described the development as affront on the Itsekiri Nation.

    Prince Tsola Emiko, son of Ikenwoli’s predecessor, Atuwatse ll, is one of the preferred choices for the throne despite his alleged disqualification in 2015 because of the amended customary laws regulating succession to the Olu of Warri throne.

    Prince Tsola was allegedly disqualified from succeeding his father because his mother is of the Yoruba ethnic group. The 1979 edict states that a candidate to the Olu of Warri throne must have his mother as an Itsekiri or maternally from Edo State (Benin Kingdom).

    “Succession is limited to Olu’s Company (Otolu’s) i.e descendant of the last three Olus. The descendants of the other Olus who had previously reigned are known and referred to as Omajaja Company.

    “Ordinarily, succession passes to a son of a demised Olu, failing which it goes to a suitable member of the Otolus, provided that brothers are preferred to uncles, and uncles are preferred to grandsons and grandsons are preferred to other relatives within the Otolus. Females are absolutely barred,” Paragraph two of section eight of the 1979 Edict reads.

    On how a new Olu should be selected upon the demise of an Olu, the Edict reads further, “The Ologbotsere summons a meeting of the members of the Ruling House to the Palace (Aghofen) specifically to choose a successor. The meeting is presided over by the oldest man in the Ruling House, failing which by the Olare-Ebi or Olore-Ebi.

    “All the sons of demised Olu and members of the Ruling House below the age of eighteen are excluded from the meeting. To qualify, a candidate’s mother MUST be an Itsekiri or of Edo origin and his father Itsekiri.”

    Findings reveal that a section of the Ruling House is already making preparations to announce Prince Tsola as Omoba (Olu-Designate) next Monday.

    However, Okotie-Eboh, while announcing the suspension of Chief Ayiri, appointed the Iyatsere of the kingdom on acting capacity, saying, “The lyatsere, who is next in command, and in fact the most senior chief who accompanied Ginuwa I from Benin to found the Warri kingdom, is hereby appointed as acting chairman of the council of chiefs and the Olu’s Advisory Council.

    “He is to take over immediately and steer the remainder of the process to give us an organized, speedy closure. Enough of Ayiri’s drunken antics and scatter brain approach to our affairs. These are serious traditional and spiritual matters, not meant for people without any strength of character, nor the mental capacity.”

    On his choice of Prince Tsola against the amended edict specifying who should be selected as king, a Warri Chief, said the choice of the son of Atuwatse ll by some members of the Ruling House was affirmed by the traditional priest.

    But an Itsekiri palace chief who confirmed the brouhaha in Itsekiriland to reporters said, “The suspension is ultra vires the powers of the self-acclaimed Regent.

    “Furthermore, there is currently no Regency in Itsekiriland as the Olu has not yet passed on since there has been no formal announcement by the Ologbotsere whose duty it is or indeed any other traditional authority.

    “It is most indecent and ill-decorous to be making pronouncements relating to succession when no vacancy has been declared.”

  • Ayiri Emami suspended as Ologbotsere of Warri, Ginuwa 1 Ruling House appoints Atserunleghe to act

    Ayiri Emami suspended as Ologbotsere of Warri, Ginuwa 1 Ruling House appoints Atserunleghe to act

    There was a new twist to the ongoing controversies surrounding the revered Olu of Warri Stool, on Tuesday March 30, when the Ginuwa I Ruling House, announced the suspension of Chief Ayiri Emami as the Ologbotsere (The Traditional Prime Minister) of Warri.

    The ruling house made the disclosure during a press briefing held at the front of Olu Palace, Warri, asking The Iyatsere of Warri, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe to step in and act as the Ologbotsere.

    A statement released on Chief Ayiri’s suspension reads, “In the last couple of months, our dear pristine and ancient kingdom of Warri, has experienced an assault on all things dear it, ranging from the traditional, customary and even regal. This is what resulted in the unfortunate incident that happened in the early hours of this morning. We condemn this violence approach and call on our youths, to calm down and let us handle this matter from here on. This is what you get when so called leaders fail the people.

    Ayiri emami
    Ayiri emami

    “It is regrettable that our well respected age old throne of the Olu of Warri, has been subjected to strange and deliberate machinations by a cabal of a few rascals, led by Chief Ayiri Emami, who against all odds, advise and protests by the people, was fostered on Itsekiri as Ologbotsere, of the kingdom. What most Itsekiris saw at the time that led to the massive protests across the land, are the things manifesting now in very audacious, but sad circumstances. Since this self styled traditional prime minister was imposed on the kingdom, he has been riding roughshod on the people and desecrating all things dear to us.

    “The Itsekiris are a close knit, well organized people, with well defined succession processes to the throne of the Olu of Warri, which have been sustained over the last nearly seven centuries. Recently in 1979 a law was hurriedly put together by a hand few of our leaders to meet the exigencies of that time. This so called ‘edict’ annoying as it is, was never presented to the people to discuss it at a general assembly of itsekiris for purposes of ratification and general acceptance. But the last two Olus were crowned using this aberration, despite protests and court cases against the law each time.

    “Now we come to another cross reads. The Ginuwa I Ruling House, which is the only ruling house in the land, and which has EXCLUSIVE powers to nominate a successor to the throne, has been meeting in the last three months after a convocation of bonafide members of the house, to nominate a successor to the throne. In the end Prince Tsola Emiko, was picked as the most qualified person to sit on the throne at this time. This was done only after his name was submitted to the ruling house by majority of the descendants of the last three Olus, even in compliance with this vexatious edict

    “Only yesterday, Chief Emami, together with two of his known friends, who he has without any sense of decency brought into the Olu’s Advisory Council s temporary members, took an irrational decision declaring that they have disqualified Prince Tsola. The edict does not give them such powers; they have no right whatsoever to disqualify any candidate presented to them by the Ruling House. Their only prescribed function is to summon the elders wd senior officials of the ruling house, and in the presence of the Regent… one last time.

    “This singular illegal action of “disqualification” is now threatening the relative peace in Warri kingdom and almost tearing apart the very fabric of our existence.

    “Chief Emami has been carrying on with a bend and fiendish mentality bordering on suspected temporary loss of his right senses. At meetings of the council of chiefs, who have from time to time gathered to try and make him see reason, Chief Ayiri will shout down at both the very old and not so old, and use his thugs to threaten anyone who dared oppose his jaundiced views.

    “We have reached a tipping point in this matter, and before it further degenerates into mayhem, the following urgent actions are to be taking:

    “Chief Ayiri Emami, having exhibited actions and tendencies unbecoming of the position he occupies, and having proven himself unworthy of the Ologhotsere stool, is hereby suspended from the Warri council of chiefs.

    “He is to immediately step aside as the Ologbotsere and stop parading himself as such.

    “The lyatsere, who is next in command, and in fact the most senior chief who accompanied Ginuwa I from Benin to found the Warri kingdom, is hereby appointed as acting chairman of the council of chiefs and the Olu’s Advisory Council. He is to take over immediately and steer the remainder of the process to give us an organized, speedy closure. Enough of Ayiri’s drunken antics and scatter brain approach to our affairs. These are serious traditional and spiritual matters, not meant for people without any strength of character, nor the mental capacity.

    “I take these decisions as the Regent of Warri kingdom, duly elected by the entire Ruling House and officially presented to chief Ayiri and the Advisory Council on February 5, 2021.

    “We reiterate our loyalty to the Crown and commit to the Itsekiri PLC (people & crown) that we will not let them down in these very tempestuous times, and will continue to stand for all the values we hold sacred.

    “We again call on all our youths to remain calm, but resolute and trust that we will not betray them in this fight of good over evil.”

    Meanwhile, all efforts to get the suspended Ologbotsere to comment on the development were rebuffed. text and WhatsApp messages sent to Chief Ayiri, seeking his reaction to the suspension, though read, were not replied.

  • JUST IN: Olu of Warri, Uduaghan, Pinnick, Ayiri storm State House Abuja with demands

    President Muhammadu Buhari today received at the State House Abuja the Olu of Warri, HM Ogiame Ikenwoli and a delegation of Delta state indigenes including former Delta state Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

    Also on the entourage are the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, Chief Ayiri Emami, Chief Brown Mene, and others.

    Speaking with State House correspondents shortly after meeting with Buhari, the Olu said the essence of the visit was to intimate the President on the need to give attention to key projects of national importance domicile in his kingdom, that rottening away.

    “Our ports are not working,” he said, stressing that the Warri Port and Coco Port are “very good and solid” ports.

    “While other ports in other areas are working, ours are just left unutilised and so we want the ports to be activated so that they can start working, and that will mop up a lot of youths from the streets,” he further stated.

    Drawing attention of President Buhari to the gas city, which the king described as “a fantastic project,” he said, “The last president did the ground breaking before he left but since then nothing has been happening. We want the federal government to hasten action on it because that will mop up over 300,000 youth from the streets. When our youths are engaged, the restiveness will be minimised”.

    “We have the Escravos road, the railway that is going on now, we want it to come to the area. By that, the economic activities will thrive better and Nigerians will be happy for it,” he added.

    The Olu assured that Buhari will attend to his requests saying “he will do his best,” adding “His hands are tied because everybody demands his attention, that he will follow to ensure things are done”.

    The immediate past governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was part of the delegation also spoke briefly and said he was encouraged with the president’s response on the challenges presented by the Olu of Warri.

    “We presented the challenges of security, you know we are in an area in the Niger Delta where there has been a lot of insecurity challenges.

    “We also have challenges of ecological problems, we also have the problem of infrastructure development, problem of access to ports which is very critical. Delta has six ports and to be able to get to the ports there is a place called Escravos bar which has been very shallow.

    “Even the water channel is highly stilted and so he was appealing to the federal government to dredge the Escravos channels so that the bigger ships will be able to come into the ports of Delta, especially the Warri ports,” Uduaghan said.