The Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayirimi Emami, who is also the Chairman of Warri Council of Chiefs, has declared that it was foolery for anyone to drop the name of President Muhammdu Buhari in the ongoing controversy surrounding the Olu’s throne.
Chief Emami spoke in reaction to reports credited to Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, entitled: “President Buhari greets Itsekiri Nation on Olu-designate, mourns departed monarch,” on Tuesday.
Emami said at no time did he convey a General Assembly of the Itsekiri nation at Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral home of the Itsekiri people, to announce the purported demise of Olu, His Royal Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, or call a meeting to name his successor as stipulated by the 1979 Edicts governing the Olu’s throne.
He declared that the Itsekiri nation would not allow meddlesome interlopers change their tradition overnight or railroad them into going against the gods and ancestors of the land in a desperation to control the throne.
Specifically, he told President Buhari that processes and procedures for the enthronement of a successor to the throne were still ongoing, declaring that anyone parading Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko, son of the late Ogiame Atuwatse II, as Olu-designate, have no clue about the customary laws, norms and traditions of the Iwereland.
The statement reads: “My attention has just be drawn to a publication credited to Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, (Media and Publicity) entitled: ‘PRESIDENT BUHARI GREETS ITSEKIRI NATION ON OLU-DESIGNATE, MOURNS DEPARTED MONARCH,’ on Tuesday.
“And I want to state categorically clear as before that Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, has not joined his ancestor as being alleged. I have not convey any General Assembly of the people as tradition demands to state the contrary. So if His Royal Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli has not joined his ancestor, where does Olu-designate evolve from.
“Mr. President that I know will not delve into the customary issue of any ethnic group moreso when there appears to be unsettled customary discrepancies and contentions. President Muhammadu Buhari that I know does not involve in illegality. It has not come to when he will formally join the rest of the world to mourn and congratulate us.
“Anyone who want to use President Buhari’s name to draw ethnic and political colouration to the Olu throne issue should be wary of the danger of such actions. We are Itsekiri people and not any other tribe. We will not allow outsiders to come and dictate for us. We have our customs and traditions and the Nigerian constitution evolves from the peoples’ norm, values and tradition.
“I will formally issue a statement on this and will formally brief Mr. President on our tradition in a later date.”