Indications that the crisis rocking the Olu of Warri stool may soon be a thing of the past, emerged in Benin City on Wednesday, as the two parties in the enveloping crisis met with the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 5, Benin City, and agreed that they both sought peace for the ancient Itshekiri Kingdom.
The parties, one led by the Ologbotshere and traditional Prime Minister of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ayiri Emami and the Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe, both expressed commitment to everlasting peace as they emerged at different intervals from the parley with the AIG; an indication that the unveiling of Prince Tsola Emiko as the Olu of Warri designate, might have been fait accompli after all.
It would be recalled that the AIG Command had last week interrogated Chief Ayiri Emani for several hours over the invasion of the palace of the Olu of Warri, where it was reported that the 400 years old crown and the symbols of the Itsekiri monarchy were declared missing.
The transition of the immediate past Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, in December 2020, had created a succession tussle which eventually produced Prince Tsola Emiko as the chosen Olu-elect (Omoba) in Warri.
Scores of pressmen, who heard about the impending peace parley, had laid seige for the two most prominent Itsekhiri chiefs as early as 10.30am. While the duo arrived minutes after each other and spent close to four hours at the AIG Zonal Command Headquarters, they, however, declined to grant media interview.
Sources privileged to the details of the meeting, however, disclosed that the two parties agreed to work assiduously to ensure that lasting peace and communalism returned to the Kingdom
Ayiri, had after answering questions from the police last week, told journalists that he was “invited based on the incident in Warri and it happens to be the invasion of the Olu palace that was why I was invited and I told them I know nothing about that because I was not in town when that incident happened so I know nothing about it and I told them I know nothing about it.
“It is about that laid down procedure, which is one of the reasons why I am here and I have told the police. The police have questioned me on that issue, what led to the invasion; I have answered that and other issues I can’t divulge.
Alluding to his interest in ensuring peace had stated “The person in question (Olu designate) is my brother; he is my friend, so, I have no personal issue when you say Ayiri is not in support, whatever we are doing as Itshekiri, there are laid down procedure and that is what I am trying to do so it is not that I am not in support in whatever they are doing.
“I am not the one that reported this issue here, they reported and I have been invited and I came here and I have made my statement so it is left for the police to act not me. “I don’t have any issue with anybody; it is not about Ayiri it is about the people of Warri Kingdom, if they are happy, I am happy that is why I am the custodian.
“I don’t have any personal issues against anybody, if they feel they are happy, mine is to keep the heritage and that is what I stand for but if they are happy about it, I am happy,” he stated
The Iyatsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Johnson Atserunleghe, who came out of the Wednesday peace parley, followed by a handful of Palace chiefs, simply said: “it is all traditional matters and the peace of Itshekiri”, before he drove off.
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