IPAC: There’s No Tussle Between Suspended Ologbotsere And The Royal Family, Says Ayiri Is Not A Kingmaker

By Daniel Dafe, Abraka

Itsekiri Public Affairs Committee (IPAC) with branches in Nigeria, United Kingdom and the United States of America, has said that it is impossible for a tussle to exist between Chief Ayiri Emami and the royal family in Warri Kingdom over the choice of the new monarch.

In a press statement signed by Adrian O Edema, IPAC, UK; Jolomi Odeli, IPAC, USA and Aderojo Tuale, IPAC, Nigeria, the group noted that ”the Ologbotsere tittle is a chieftaincy title and not royalty.”

Adding: ”The suspended Ologbotsere is a freeborn Itsekiri but not a royal so there cannot be a royal tussle between a freeborn and a royal.”

According to the statement, ”The Ruling House and the Ugbajo Ojoye Ojisan working in close co-operation constitute the Kingmakers in Itsekiri Customary Law.

ALSO READ : Let’s Rally Round Our New Olu-Designate, Prince Tsola Emiko, Dr. Agbolaya Urges Itsekiri

”In Warri kingdom there are different stages to the crowning of an Olu. The Ugbajo Ojoye Ojisan duties fall under one of these stages. They are not responsible for selecting or appointing a king.”

IPAC said that ”there is no office of prime minister in Warri kingdom and that there is no one chief that is next to the Olu. If there is anyone next to the Olu, such should be the royal families. The chiefs are title holders. They are selected and given title by the Olu.”

”If the Ologbotsere office is that of prime minister, who are his ministers? Who voted him in, how come the Olu can choose not to have an Ologbotsere at any point of his reigns?

”In Warri we have The Olu and the Chiefs. The chiefs are just title holders appointed by the Olu for reasons best known to him,” the statement said.

”The Yoruba or Benin do not have any influence on the selection of an Olu.

Itsekiri is an ethnic nationality of its own. It’s not under any other ethnic nationality and as such no other ethnic nation is in position to influence the selection of an Olu of Warri,” IPAC opined.