Mixed feelings as Itsekiri ends king’s burial

By Daniel Gumm

WARRI—THE Itsekiri nation buried their differences and gathered to give a befitting burial to their departed monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse II, the Olu of Warri, at Ode-Itsekiri, their ancestral home, Delta State.In what was more of a carnival, sons and daughters of the land, both at home and in the diaspora, reverted to their traditional way of dressing to signal the end of the mourning period for their king, who departed this world September 3, 2015.

Immediately after the demise of Ogiame Atuwatse II, the 19th Olu of Warri, the people turned their clothes inside out as a mark of mourning.
But the situation came to an end on November 20, 2015, when a vigil which also coincided with the final burial rites was unveiled at Ode-Itsekiri, popularly known as Big Warri.

Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, the Igba of Warri Kingdom, described the event as a unifying factor for the Itsekiri people, saying that the crown was the only thing that holds the Itsekiri people together.

She said: “I can tell you that when it comes to the Itsekiri crown, we are one united people. We may quarrel among ourselves and have our differences, but when the Olu tells us to come together, we obey. When he tells us to stop fighting, we stop immediately. So you can see that is the beauty of an Olu in Warri Kingdom.”

Noting that the celebration was a day of mixed feelings, she said the Itsekiri nation was happy that the selection process of the Olu-designate was done smoothly and peacefully without any hitch.

On his part, Prince Yemi Emiko, a prince of the Warri Kingdom, and younger brother of the late Olu, said the significance of the occasion was that Ode Itsekiri community, the venue for the traditional rites, is the traditional headquarters of the Itsekiri Kingdom, noting that that was where the real Warri started before they began to migrate to other communities now called Warri.

Saying that though it was not possible to have a united Itsekiri nation just like every other nation, Prince Emiko stressed that there was no division among the Itsekiri people, adding that the crown makes the Itsekiri a unique people.

He assured the people that the Olu-designate was going to provide the necessary leadership needed to move the kingdom forward, adding that leadership was key for any king, who wants to rule people well.

Robinson Ariyo, who also spoke to newsmen during the occasion, noted that the crown was the magnifying and unifying factor that unites the Itsekiri people, adding that irrespective of the political divisions and interests, the crown was a unifying point.

He said that Warri Kingdom, which has been around for over 500 years, has a rich cultural heritage, adding that witnessing the burial of an Olu was an experience that cannot be taken for granted because it does not happen often.

Also speaking, Chief Charles Ikomi, the Ero of Warri Kingdom, said the crown was the only thing that unites the people of the kingdom, adding that they have only one crown that is recognised in the kingdom.

The Olori-Ebi of Warri Kingdom, Chief Andrew Ayu, on his part, said the Itsekiri people were proud of their crown and ready to give their blood for the crown.