5,000 women plan protest against Olu of Warri

No fewer than 5,000 women are expected to
storm the palace of the Olu of warri, Ogiame
Atuwase II, on Tuesday (today) to protest the
monarch’s decision to abolish some of the
ancient Itshekiri cultural practices.
Our correspondent learnt that the women
would be dressed in symbolic red attire as a
sign of danger for the monarch.
Atunwase II had last Wednesday declared in a
document titled, “The New Order of Iwere
Kingdom,” that the “Ogiame” title which had
been in existence for over 500 years would
cease to exist following the recent
consecration of the kingdom to God.
“Ogiame” means “King of the River,” according
to the history behind the Itsekiri throne.
He said, “I also repent for the name and title
of “Ogiame” that my ancestors and I have
borne, as it connotes our allegiance to
Umalokun (goddess of the river) and other
deities of the sea, all of which are false gods.
“Today, I renounce our allegiance to Umalokun
and other gods of the sea, land and sky. On
behalf of the royal bloodline, the throne, the
people of Iwere land, I publicly enter into a
new covenant with God.”
But, a former Commissioner in Delta State, Dr.
Alex Ideh, urged the monarch “to rescind and
recant immediately his declaration or abdicate
the throne.” He added that the monarch did
not consult the Itsekiri Traditional Council of
Chiefs and Ruling Houses before his decision to
denounce the title of Ogiame.
“Any action otherwise will make him (monarch)
face the wrath of the Itsekiri people. The issue
of religion being canvassed in the monarch’s
declaration are his personal views. He could
not railroad the nation to accept those views
or obliterate the history of the people,” he
said.
Also, Itsekiri Leaders of Thought in a statement
by its leaders, J.O.S Ayomike, Chief I.O Jemide
(Secretary) and eight others stated, “The part
of the (Olu’s) statement which alleges that the
Itsekiri religion is fetish and that the Itsekiris
are non-Christians is a misrepresentation of
the well-known documented historical fact that
Christianity actually started in Warri/Benin
region in the early 16th Century and about
eight of the 19 Olus got baptised as Christians.
“Itsekiri as a nation cannot be said to have
covenant with Umalokun. There may be
pockets of Itsekiri people who do. Everyone
has freedom of worship as it is done
everywhere. Religion is a personal matter.”