Olu of Warri rescinds decision on Ogiame title

By The Rainbow

The people of Itsekiri kingdom in Warri, Delta State, have finally had their way in compelling their respected monarch, Atuwatse II, to rescind his earlier decision to drop the title, Ogiame, following his deepening faith in Christ Jesus.

The news was broken by a member of the traditional council, Chief Charles Ikomi, thereby laying to rest the four-day protest.

The report of his recantation of his earlier pronouncement was arrived at on Tuesday afternoon after series of jaw jaw between chiefs of the kingdom and their king in the palace.

It will be recalled that for four days, starting from last Saturday, sons and daughters of Iwereland had laid siege to the palace of the king, demanding that he should rescind his renunciation and denunciation of the deities and dropping of Ogiame title on September 4.

The carnival-like protest took a new turn last sunday when masquerades that hardly emerge from their grove except during their ancestral festivals, took over the gate of the palace while the aggrieved people went feasting, dancing and denouncing their king.

But Immediately after the announcement of the recantation of the monarch on Tuesday, amid heavy security personnel, the people turned out in their thousands jubilating over the reinstatement of the Ogiame title of the monarch, which they insisted, harbours the existential nuances of the ethnic line for over 500 years.

In a case of hosanna today, crucify him tomorrow, the ecstatic crowd, made up of women, youths and the aged, trooped into the palace, praising and praying for long life and prosperity for the Ogiame who they regarded as God's sent to Iwereland.

The occasion, which looked like a reenactment of the monarch's coronation anniversary, also witnessed canon shots booming from every part of the palace ground with Itsekiri women dancing in their traditional attire.

One of the traditional chiefs of Iwereland, Chief (Mrs.) Rita Lori-Ogbebor, who was overjoyed, commended the Olu for listening to the voice of his people.

The Irojowo of Warri kingdom said, 'As you can see for yourself, the joy and happiness being demonstrated by all Itsekiri sons and daughters, who are here today to hear this good news; for us, we regard the Olu as next to God. Today's happiness is likened to the day we all migrated from the great Benin kingdom.

'As Christians, we have always joined our great king to worship God at any time he is in the church. In fact, there were a lot of misconceptions in the statement as published in the newspapers. What I want to say is that the Olu and his people have reconciled and we thank God Almighty for making it possible,' Chief Lori-Ogbebor stressed (Tribune).