The Ologbotsere chieftaincy title holder was never a western-style Prime Minister in the Itsekiri monarchy, a senior Warri Palace Chief, Mene Brown and a Prince of Iwere land (Warri), Prince Toju Emiko, said yesterday.
They described the practice of ascribing such importance to the Ologbotsere as a “misnomer of epic proportions”.
Both men and the Chairman, Itsekiri Renaissance Group, Mr Oti Ikomi, spoke to reporters in Lagos at a no-holds-barred conversation on the issues arising from the removal of Ayiri Emami as Ologbotsere of the Itsekiri kingdom.
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III disrobed Emami on October 5, 2021, saying the erstwhile holder of the title should no longer be addressed as such.
But Emami denounced his removal, describing it as of “no consequence or effect, telling The Nation that he neither recognised the monarch as the Olu nor the pronouncement.
Addressing the issues yesterday, both men re-emphasised the Olu of Warri’s supreme authority over the Itsekiri traditional chieftaincy institution, including the Ologbotsere title.
Chief Brown, the Ogwa Olusan of Warri Kingdom, said: “It is pertinent to debunk the false equivalence of comparing the Ologbotsere title which is a traditional title that exists within a supreme monarchical arrangement and the western democratic concept of the prime minister with executive powers to hire and fire ministers.
“In the Itsekiri monarchy, the Ologbotsere and for that matter no chief has such powers, so to describe the Ologbotsere as prime minister is a misnomer of epic proportions.”
He said there were facts that the only time an Ologbotsere crowned a king was at the coronation of Atuwatse II by Chief O. N. Rewane the then Ologbotsere of Warri.
“So the assertion that Olu’s have traditionally been crowned by the Ologbotsere is totally unfounded.”
The men explained that the Olu has “the first and final say” in all chieftaincy matters in the Itsekiri monarchy.
“Indeed, the Olu reserves the prerogative to initiate or create a title, give any title a family footing or not, if he so chooses.
“All titles that are family-based today were made so by the pronouncement of the Olu of Warri.
“In essence, the attempt to elevate the title or stool of the Ologbotsere beyond the authority of the Olu is an exercise in absurdity on the part of the misguided co-travellers of the deposed Ologbotsere.”
He also stated that the Ologbotsere family is yet to formally inform the family of the removal of Emami.
“I, therefore, call on the media to discountenance the false news being peddled that such a meeting has been held with resolutions reached and issued,” he added.
