The war between Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III and the derobbed Ologbotsere of Warri, Chief Ayiri Emami has taken a fresh dimension.
Members of the Ologbotsere family alleged that there is pressure on the 100-year-old Olori-Ebi (family head), Pa Jofotan Higson Oporokun to sign a controversial letter.
The family spokesperson, Mr. Alex Eyengho, in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, claimed that the pressure on Pa Oporokun is capable of causing a breach of peace in the areas, particularly as it involved upturning age-long order of affairs in the family.
“The Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants of Warri Kingdom are constrained to urgently draw your attention to a verifiable case of intimidation and harassment on the Olori-Ebi of the Ologbotsere Family, Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun.”
“The pressure is to compel him to single-handedly sign a letter scripted from the Palace of the Olu of Warri, to make it seem as emanating from the Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants.”
“This development does not just have the lace of impersonation, but it smacks of desperation by an illegitimate authority, to rewrite an obnoxious pronouncement likened to a policy summersault.”
“Correspondents from the Ologbotsere descendants usually have the imprimatur of approval from at least 10 of 12 stocks of the family, in order for it to be a family document, pressuring the Olori-ebi to single-handedly sign was out of order.”
“The family also disagreed with the position conveyed in the ‘stage-managed’ letter to the effect that the Ologbotsere title was a prerogative of the Olu of Warri, stressing that nothing could be farther from the truth.”
“Whilst we acknowledge that it is the Olu of Warri that confers Chieftaincy titles to deserving Itsekiri indigenes, and occasionally non-Itsekiris, it is laughable that the content of the letter which a particular Chief and other elements from the Palace, are intimidating Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun to sign (through phone calls pressures) that “All titles belong to the Olu of Warri.”
“It must be stated, clearly once more, that the Ologbotsere title belongs to the Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, and not the Olu of Warri. The Warri Monarch has the prerogative to install an Ologbotsere, based on the recommendation of the Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants.”
“Never in the history of Warri Kingdom has an Ologbotsere been disrobed, the holder of such title lives with it for a lifetime and there is nothing like former Ologbotsere.”
“Telling the world in the presence of the media that Ologbotsere title has been abolished and the name is now merely a nickname, only to backtrack and say that the pronouncement, which was widely reported in the media, was a misrepresentation, is the height of opaque leadership, devoid of proper understanding of Itsekiri heritage.”