The Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom and chairman of the Olu Advisory Council, Chief Ayirimi Emami, has concluded plans to challenge in court his alleged suspension by a section of the Ginuwa I Ruling House.
This was disclosed by the spokesman of the Ologbotsere Descendants worldwide, Comrade Alex Eyengho in Warri on July 5, 2021.
According to Eyengho, the Ologbotsere of Warri, Chief Emami, is taking this decision after wide consultations with critical stakeholders on the matter both home and abroad.
“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 pride, apologise to him and the Itsekiri for their illegal action, in the overall interest of the Itsekiri and as the only sure way forward,” Eyengho stated.
He said the Ologbotsere would 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 to perform any or all the functions of the Ologbotsere while he is still alive, hale and hearty.
Eyengho also expressed consternation over what he termed the new trend of hired armed thugs and hoodlums invading court sittings in Warri and chasing out judges and lawyers 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,” Eyengho said.
He called on the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to beef up security around the Ologbotsere “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,” Eyengho stated.