Tension is currently brewing in Warri, Delta State, following alleged plot to attack some notable Itsekiri sons and daughters, particularly Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants by some unruly elements.
BIGPENNGR reports that the plot, according to Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, in a strong worded petition dated Wednesday, October 13, 2021 to the Inspector General of Police, was allegedly being hatched by some undisclosed elements from the palace of the Olu of Warri Kingdom.
The petition was copied the Executive Governor of Delta State, the Commissioner of Police, Delta Command and the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS).
Recall that following the purported removal of Chief Ayirimi Emami as the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, the Ologbotsere descendants, had last week Thursday rejected the pronouncement made by Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, on Tuesday in his palace through Chief Brown Mene.
It was gathered that the rejection of the Olu’s removal of Chief Emami and the abolition of the Ologbotsere title, which was reportedly reduced to a ‘nickname’, didn’t sink down well with some elements in the palace.
Sources said that following the development, the Olori-Ebi of the Ologbotsere Family, Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun has been put under intensed pressure by the elements from the palace to override the position of Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, who didn’t only rejected the Olu’s pronouncement but had passed a vote of confidence in Chief Emami as the subsisting Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom.
Spokesman of Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, Comrade Alex Eyengho, in a petition to IGP, said that there are verifiable case of intimidation and harassment on the Olori-Ebi of the Ologbotsere Family, Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun 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.
He said that the ‘scripted letter’ was geared to discredit the position of Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, maintaining, “This development does not just have the lace of criminality and impersonation, but it smacks of desperation by an illegitimate authority, to rewrite an obnoxious pronouncement likened to a policy summersault”.
Against the scripted letter which the Olori-Ebi of the Ologbotsere Family, Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun is being forced to sign singlehandedly, Comrade Eyengho disclosed that from time immemorial all “correspondences by the respected Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants, have always had the imprimatur of a representative from at-least ten (10) of the twelve (12) stocks that make up the family”.
He said that there was never a time only the Olori-Ebi of the Ologbotsere Family, Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun had signed any letter sent to the palace.
“Permit us to outline the stocks that are signatory to any letter emanating from the Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants thus: Egbeju Family, Iya Family, Uwangue Family, Ameren Family, Eyiogodeaghan Family, Iweroko Family, Ello Family, Edogiere Family, Menokaren Family, Omagene Family and Utasunwa Family.
While acknowledging that it is the Olu of Warri that confers Chieftaincy titles to deserving Itsekiri indigenes, and occasionally non-Itsekiris, the petition said that “It is laughable that the content of the criminally-worded letter which a particular Chief and other elements from the Palace, are intimidating Pa. Jofotan Higson Oporokun to sign (through phone calls pressures and person-to-person harassments since Friday October 8, 2021). “The letter claims that “All titles belong to HIS MAJESTY, OGIAME ATUWATSE III – 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.
“As you read this petition, it is important to alert the world of an impending plot to unleash mayhem on law-abiding itsekiri indigenes, particularly Ologbotsere Eyinmisan Descendants (who hold contrary view, regarding the current controversial traditional leadership) by elements from Palace of the Olu of Warri, anytime from Saturday October 16”.
