Saraki, Tinubu, Okowa,Ooni,Grace Olu Of Warri’s Coronation

 Delta State yesterday wore coat of many colours as His Royal Majesty, Ikenwoli Gbesimi Emiko 1, was crowned the 20th Olu of Warri, after the demise of his predecessor, Ogiame Atuwatse II. At least two prominent traditional rulers from the Oduduwa dynasty have joined their ancestors this quarter -the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade, who died in a London hospital after brief illness and the Olu of Warri.

Politicians, industrialists, traditional rulers and religious leaders, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Lawal, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and the leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, graced the occasion.

Other dignitaries are former Vice President of Nigeria, Alex Ekwueme; Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu and ex-governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso. Also not left out was the newly-coroneted Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty Adeyeye Ogunwusi. At the event, President Buhari extolled the virtues of the Itsekiri people, noting that Itsekiri sons and daughters constitute a minute part of Nigerians that have returned the country’s stolen money.

The President urged the new monarch to emulate his predecessor, who he said “embraced peace at all times”, and made sure that all crises-prone issues were ironed out before they dovetailed into serious crisis. He said: “This kind of event sometimes happens once in a decade. We commend the late Olu for the quick resolution of crisis and we are grateful for the peaceful transition. Our prayer is that the new king should emulate the last.

“You have produced people that have helped to move the nation forward. The new Olu should not abdicate the responsibility to ensure peace.

Among all the scandals and pilfering, no Itsekiri son is involved. This is a testimony to your strength of character and integrity”. Governor Okowa charged the Olu of Warri to sustain the existing love and peace between the Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities in the state. The governor who prayed against a recurrence of the intra-ethnic crisis that rocked Warri some years ago, admonished the monarch to respect the custom and traditions of his people and conduct his affairs with honour during his reign.

He noted that since the death of the former Olu, there had been no wrangling or unnecessary bickering over who should succeed him. He described the newly coroneted monarch as a ‘worthy successor,’ urging him to fit squarely into the peaceful disposition of his predecessor. “You should make the peaceful co-existence of your people a priority.

We need to sustain the peace we already have and we hold the traditional institution as the custodians of peace. May your reign espouse righteousness,” Okowa said.

The Ooni of Ife, who performed his first official engagement since his inauguration lask week, expressed his joy as he traced the relationship between the Yoruba and Itsekiri people with great enthusiasm.

“It’s a new dawn for the Itsekiri and the entire Warri people, as it is a new dawn for Ile Ife and the Yoruba people. I am happy to be physically present and I thank the King of kings for making it possible. The relationship between the Ife people and Itsekiri people has come a long way and we thank the king of kings for crowning another king today,” the Ooni said.

Culled from new telegraph online.

Hmmmm i remember the history of the Itsekiri people.....