More posers, intrigues over missing Itsekiri royal crown
By Gabriel Omonhinmin
The drama and intrigues surrounding the missing royal crown, beads and other ancient artifacts stored in the inner sanctuary of the Warri Palace, which were allegedly stolen after the demise of the immediate past Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikonwoli, are yet to abate.
The Nigeria Police Force Zonal Headquarters in Benin City that waded into the matter is yet to unravel the mystery surrounding the theft.
Palace Watch can now report that it was the Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe, who signed the petition and reported the case to the police which is currently investigating the matter.
On Friday, April 30, 2021, all the major actors linked to the alleged theft, who are also at the center of the Warri crisis alongside some senior members of the Ginuwa ruling house, were seen at the Nigerian Police Zonal headquarters in Benin City for some more interrogations over the missing items.
Chief Ayiri Emami, the Ologbotsere (Traditional Prime Minister of the Warri Kingdom), who had earlier appeared before the police in Benin City on April 24, 2021, was again seen among the chiefs and nobles present at the zonal headquarters in the Edo State capital on that day.
Chief Macgrew Richmond, who was asked by the Nigerian Police in a letter dated 28th April, 2021, to report in Benin with the sons of the late Ogiame Ikenwoli, was also sighted at the zonal headquarters last week Friday exchanging pleasantries with the Warri Chiefs and Nobles when he arrived at the place, at about noon, not accompanied by Princes Oyowoli and Omasholi Emiko as directed by the police.
The Chiefs and Princes who Chief Macgrew met on arrival at the Nigerian Police Zone 5 office in Benin City, were Chief Emami, the Ologbotsere; Chief Barrister Ariyo, the Egogo of Warri Kingdom; Chief Atserunleghe, the Iyatsere; Dr. Prince Andrew Ayu, Head of the Ginuwa ruling house; Prince Yemi Emiko and others, who are major actors in the crisis.
They were already seated in one of the offices at the Police Zonal Headquarters in Benin City, after which, Chief Macgrew was led to another room by Superintendent of Police, David Okoro, who is the officer in charge of Anti-Vices at the Zone 5 Headquarters in Benin City, who was on duty, for the interrogation.
Chief Macgrew was later made to write his statement, where he stated all that he knew about the crisis rocking the Warri Kingdom after which he was granted bail signed by one of his brothers at about 4.46 p.m. on that day on self-recognition.
All the actors in the alleged theft and crisis were again asked by the police to report to the Zone 5 Headquarters on Wednesday May 5, 2021 for further interrogation and a possible reconciliation of all the warring factions.
When Palace Watch contacted Chief Macgrew to find out details of his interaction with the police on the Warri kingship crisis and the missing crown, the following dialogue ensued:
Palace Watch: Chief, I’m told you have just met with the Nigerian Police at their Zonal Headquarters in Benin City, how did it go?
Chief Macgrew: “Palace Watch, how did you get my number? Well, if you must know, I have met with the Nigerian Police that invited me in the first instance, if you want the details of my interactions with them, please contact the Nigerian Police Zonal Headquarters office in Benin City.
If they will oblige you with the details you require. You see, I am just one out of the other many Chiefs in the Warri Kingdom. I have nothing personal in this matter. As a proud Itsekiri Chief, whosoever is made the Olu of Warri is my king. I have no other option than to pay obeisance to him on the throne.
Whatever it will take to make Itsekiri kingdom a great, respected and better place for all, a place better than where we meet it, is what I am after. As this particular crisis rages, I belong to no camp, I am on my own. All that I stand for is the truth.
Whenever, the history of this particular period is to be written, it will be well noted that I played the role expected of a Chief of my standing. No double dealings, no half-truth.”
Earlier on that day, Chief Ayiri Emami, who has not been picking Palace Watch calls, surprisingly called. And the following dialogue ensued:
Chief Emami: Hello, are you the person writing Palace Watch?
Palace Watch: Yes, I am.
Chief Emami: when are you going to stop writing this stuff?
Palace Watch: Are you asking because what I have been writing so far is not the truth? Or don’t my reports capture or reflect all that have been happening in your kingdom?
Chief Emami: Hmmm!!! (No reply. Then a short silence).
Palace Watch: Anyhow Chief, I am not going to stop writing about the Warri chieftaincy crisis until a new Olu of Warri is crowned. Chief, I have been asking you for a one-on-one interview, why are you refusing to grant me an interview?
Chief Emami: Again, a long silence. After which, he said, “Text me your name. I want to use it store your number on my phone.”
Palace Watch obliged him, and texted the name and organization to Chief Emami, which, he acknowledged via a text message.
Our source who is obviously irritated by all the happenings in and around the Warri Palace said, Chief Emami, Chief Atserunleghe, Prince Yemi Emiko, Chief Macgrew, the sons of the former Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, who are yet to report to the Nigerian Police, Zone 5 office in Benin City, alongside other Chiefs and persons so far invited by the Nigerian Police are being grilled over the sudden disappearance of the 378-year-old crown of the Olu of Warri kingdom.
He explained that “this particular crown was given by a Portuguese merchant to the eighth Ogiame Oyenakpara-Omonighenren, Dom Antonio Domingos, who reigned for 10 years, from 1643 AD to 1653 AD. He added that this ancient crown was carted away from the Warri palace alongside very expensive traditional beads and other important historical artefacts.
This heinous crime was committed after the passage of the immediate past Olu of Warri by an unknown person. This type of act has never happened in the history of the Itsekiri people. This is why the Nigerian Police must work very hard to unearth the people behind this crime.”
He stressed, to further buttress the seriousness of this crime against the Itsekiri people, that some elderly women in the Kingdom, recently stormed the Warri Palace, stripped themselves naked and rained curses on the persons behind the abomination.
Our source continued: “The bizarre nature of this theft shows that it’s an insider’s work. The strong room where these items were kept is the same place where the remains of the late Olu of Warri are embalmed.
The door leading to the place, where the body of the late Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, is still being kept, was not broken into.
How come the strong room, in the inner sanctuary after passing where the body is laid, is where that is broken into? This leaves room for questions and more questions.
“On the 20th of December, 2020, when HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli suddenly took ill and died at a private hospital in Warri, the Iyatsere, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe and Prince Yemi Emiko, were the only two persons, who brought the body to the palace.
They were the ones who laid the body, where it has been kept ever since. Moreover, it is only four persons according to the information flying around the Warri Palace, who had the keys to this inner sanctuary of the Palace.
Those keys we are now told, have been retrieved from them by the Nigerian Police, who are presently investigating this case. At no time, has the Warri Palace and our collective heritage have been so desecrated, as is being done now.
The Nigerian Police are professionals, they must do all within their powers to get to the bottom of this matter, in the interest of the generality of the Itsekiri people and nation. As this is very worrisome, it is recklessness taken too far.”
Our source then referred us to the Itsekiri Historical Front, citing a material, which he says further buttresses the point he has been making that the Olu’s throne is from father to son.
He gave a run-down of the Olu of Warri hereditary chart as follows: “I’m constrained to go into this depth and details because a lot of wrong is presently being committed in the kingdom, which our ancestors are not happy about. If this is not checked now, it will later in the near future become an ‘abbatoir’ to the Itsekiri nation as a whole.
“The undermentioned are the kings and dates they occupied the revered throne of the Olu of Warri Kingdom. Beginning from 1480 AD to date, twenty Kings have so far occupied this exalted throne. From Ogiame Ginuwa 1 to the last Olu, Ogiame Ikenwoli.
They are as follows:-
1- Ogiame Ginuwa 1 reigned for 40 years (1480 AD to 1520 AD)
2- Ogiame Ijijen-Ogbowuru reigned for 18 years. From 1520 AD to 1538 AD
3- Ogiame Irame reigned for 32 years. 1538 AD to 1570 AD.
4- Ogiame Ojoluwa reigned for 10 years. From 1570 AD to 1580 AD
5- Ogiame Esigie reigned for 17 years. From 1580 AD to 1597 AD
6- Ogiame Atorongboye reigned for 28 years. From 1597 AD to 1625 AD
7- Ogiame Atunwatse 1 – Eyeomasan Dom Domingos reigned for 18 years. From 1625 AD 1643 AD.
8- Ogiame Oyenakpara-Omonighenren Dom Antonio Domingos he reigned for 10 years. From 1643 AD to 1653 AD
9- Ogiame Omoluyiri-Mathias Ludivico reigned for 20 years. From 1653 AD to 1673 AD
10- Ogiame Abejoye-Mathias Luigi, reigned for just two years. From 1673 AD to 1675 AD.
11- Ogiame Ikenjoye-Ludivico Domingos reigned for 34 years. From 1675 AD to 1709 AD
12- Ogiame Omagboye-Agostinho Sebastian Octobia reigned for 21 years. From 1709 AD 1730 AD.
13- Ogiame Ikengboye –Dom Agostinho reigned for 5 years. From 1730 AD to 1735 AD
14-Ogiame Atogbuwa reigned for 25 years. From 1735 AD to 1760 AD.
15- Ogiame Erejuwa 1-Sebastian Manuel Octobia he reigned for 35 years. From 1760 AD to 1795 AD.
16- Ogiame Ikengbuwa-Eyeolusan-Joao (meaning John) reigned 53 years. From 1795 AD to June 14, 1848.
There was an interregnum of 88 years, June 14, 1848 to February 7, 1936. Before a new king was crowned in Itsekiri kingdom.
17- Ogiame Ginuwa 11, Emiko Ikenbuwa, who reigned for 13 years, from February 7, 1936 to January 8, 1949 was again enthroned in the Itsekiri kingdom.
18- Ogiame Erejuwa 11, Wilson Ayonronmitsigbesimi Emiko, who reigned for 35 years, ascended the throne from March 24, 1951 to December 17, 1986.
19- Ogiame Atuwatse 11, CON. Barrister Godwin Toritseju Emiko, who reigned for 28 years, ascended the throne on May 2, 1987 to September 3, 2015.
20- Ogiame Ikenwoli-Godfrey Ikonwoli Gbesimi Emiko reigned for five years before his passage on December 20th 2020. He ascended the throne of Warri on December 12, 2015.
Our source noted: “in all this, the critical point to note is that the Itsekiri throne is from father to son. No brother, cousin or nephew to a sitting king has ever ascended the Itsekiri throne as it is presently going to be done.
What shall we tell generations of Itsekiri people coming after us, that went wrong? Why did we as a people make this unpardonable mistake? And how will the Itsekiri coming after us take this great infraction?
“The reason this crisis will not end any time soon is the fact that the Iyatsere, who is presently in charge of all the affairs in Warri Kingdom, after all that he had done so far alongside some Chiefs, and the risk he has personally taken to date, will not be foolish to give up his present position as the case is now.
The Iyatsere that we all know, will never allow an Ologbotsere, whom he can’t predict his next move, once he surrendered power to him, mid-way to assume his position.
As the Ologbotsere might seize the opportunity to reverse all the grounds they have already been covered, citing the 1979 edict that gives him all the powers as the most senior Chief in the Warri Kingdom, to do whatsoever he wishes to do.
Hence, the ding-dong we are presently witnessing. It is no longer the interest of the Itsekiri people. It is now the personal interest and egos of two selfish Chiefs, who are the warriors in this matter.”
Another strange developments, our source stressed in this case, is the externalization of a matter that was supposed to be an Itsekiri internal affair.
The source said: “As we speak, rituals and rites are presently being conducted at the Ooni, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II Palace in Ile-Ife, in support of an Olu-designate’s reign in faraway Ile-Ife.
Information reaching us says he has even visited Ile-Ife, where all manner of spiritual rites is being performed for him. It is a clear indication, that the Ooni of Ife, who is a king in another kingdom, is being encouraged daily to dive into the Itsekiri customs and traditions, which is not supposed to be.
He is no doubt allegedly, working with the Ooni of Ife, on how to have a crisis-free reign when he eventually ascends the throne. This is an assault on our pride, our customs and tradition as Itsekiri people.”
Palace Watch immediately reached out to the Ife palace, where Moses Olafare, the Media Director to the Ooni, reacted in this manner: “The allegation, that Olu-designate of Warri is with us here in Ile-Ife or has visited Ile-Ife since he was picked is not correct.
It is reckless for anybody to allege, that the Ooni is meddling in the internal affairs, custom and tradition of the Itsekiri people.
When the kingmakers in Warri wanted to announce the passage of HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli and the persons to succeed him as the Olu of Warri, an invitation was sent by the Warri King Makers to the Ooni, inviting the entire Yoruba nation to the August occasion.
The Ooni as a mark of respect for the Itsekiri people, sent two Obas from Yoruba land to witness the occasion. The Ooni or the Obas, who represented him at that occasion did not participate or help to pick the Olu-designate.
The Ooni, therefore, did not help to pick a king for the Itsekiri people. Why should anyone say the Ooni is meddling in Itsekiri internal affairs? And since this very announcement, nobody from Itsekiri land has visited Ile-Ife.
“They say the new Olu-designate is seeking spiritual fortification from Ile-Ife. What is wrong with that, if even it is the truth? That is personal, which the Olu- designate reserves the right to.
“We have seen situations like this before. And it will continue to happen. Even twenty years after Prince Tsola Emiko has ascended the throne as Olu of Warri, people who are presently opposing him will not give up, they will always look for any opportunity to bring him down.
Our advice here is for him to be focused, ignore such people and continue on his ascension to the throne of Warri, strive to do his very best and work for the well-being of his people. Majority of the Itsekiri people have spoken, the minority will continue to grieve and have their say, this is the way things are.
Even the Ologotsere, who hitherto led the opposition camp in this matter, having realized that he has lost out, information reaching us here now revealed, he has decided to team up with the Iyatsere group for the betterment of the Itsekiri nation.
They are now working together for the general good of the Warri Kingdom, except that most people are not yet aware of this fact.
“After ascending the throne of Warri, if Prince Tsola Emiko as an Olu of Warri, if he chooses to pay us a Royal Visitation, the Palace in Ife will be very pleased to receive him.
The present Oba of Benin and the immediate past Olu of Warri paid us this courtesy visit. The Ooni on his part reciprocated this royal gesture.
“The people saying that the Itsekiri and the Yoruba or Ile-Ife have no connections, don’t know what they are talking about. In one breath, they are saying the Itsekiri are related to the Oba of Benin, if I may ask, is the Oba of Benin not from Ile-Ife?
Moreover, the majority of the people, Ginuwa 1, met on ground in Warri when he relocated from the Benin palace to Warri, were all Yoruba-speaking people. Any surprise, that there is a lot of similarity in the dialect spoken by the Itsekiri people with the Yoruba language?”
