Sixty years before his selection as the 20th Olu of Warri and head of the Itsekiri nation on Saturday, September 19, his birth had made him a front runner for the position. Being the first male child born to his father, the then Olu Erejuwa II, many thought he was a natural choice, but the Itsekiri have their ways of choosing their monarch.
His father named him Abiloye (born while on the throne) because he was the first son to be born after Erejuwa II’s enthronement. He also called him Ikenwoli (king has come) because he though he was naturally designated to succeed him as king.
However, when he was overlooked in the selection process in 1987 leading to the crowning of his older sibling, Prince Godwin Toritseju Emiko as the Ogiame Atuwatse II, Ikenwoli accepted the choice of his people with stoic equanimity and bowed to the wish of the oracles.
Today, the dream that seemed aborted in May 1987 has come true. The man who has had to wait 28 years to fulfill destiny will be crowned, breaking a 200-year-old father-to-son Itsekiri succession tradition. It is in the story of people like the new Itsekiri monarch that the novel saying ‘delay is not denial’ has found real life expression. He could have lived his life into ripe old age and not be the Olu, which his father and his destiny, had purposed him for. The circumstances surrounding his eventual ascension may make the topics of destiny and supernatural predestination more interesting to study.
There are Itsekiri authorities that have come out to debunk the story of the new king being sidelined for his brother after the passage of their father in 1987. In this view, due process never gave the Olu’s throne to Ikenwoli at that material time. as a matter of fact and records, he was not part of the process in line with the process of choosing a replacement for a departed Olu.
The Secretary of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought (ILT), Edward Ekpoko, said: “It is not known in Itsekiri tradition that the first male child on the throne must succeed the father, no. Any male child of the deceased Olu that is chosen by the oracle will be qualified to succeed the late Olu. Twenty-eight years ago he was not presented as a candidate for the throne; so when you people begin to talk of 28 years ago, he could have been the Olu because he was never presented by the family to the Olu Advisory Council.
“The conditions are that names must be submitted to the Olu Advisory Council before the oracle is consulted on the choice of his name. so the issue of whether he could have been there 28 years ago does not even arise”, he said.
However, the position of Ekpoko and other prominent Itsekiri leaders do only a little detraction to the interesting story of the 20th Olu of Warri. Being a quiet and unassuming personality, not much is available to the public about the personal life of the new Olu. The little that the public know about the man who was hitherto known tovery close circle of friends as ‘Baba Jakes’ bespoke graces and candour.
“Although he could have used his position to further his personal interest, he chose a Spartan lifestyle with his wife and three children. Today, as he is assuming the office of the Olu of Warri, one of the most guarded and protected thrones anywhere in Nigeria, but not much will change about him,” one close source told our reporter.
One of those well acquainted with the new Olu in his growing years, Mr Amorighoye Sunny Mene, gave a little insight into the personality of the Number One Itsekiri citizen.
“It’s important to note that the new Olu went through tutelage under his father, Erejuwa II. He’s very grounded in the affairs of the office he’s about to take on. He is somebody who has listening ears and anybody who listens more than he speaks tends to exercise wisdom.
“We were in the University of Benin together, where he read Business Administration. so you can say he’s well educated. He’s a thorough person who carries everybody along; he’s in touch with his siblings, his friends and everybody. I fervently believe that he’ll make Itsekiri nation very proud. As a personal conviction, I believe his reign will usher in prosperity for Itsekiri nation”, Mene said.
As the new Olu takes the throne, his people have set tasks before him; things they will be looking up to him to bring along to them. One of the palace chiefs, Chief Ayirimi Emami, told our reporter that one of the tasks before the new Olu was the unity of the Itsekiri people.
“With unity, we can achieve whatever we set our minds and hearts to as a nation. We are a very unique nation; no matter the task before him, the council of chiefs, everybody in the land are behind him. So we are most certain that he would succeed.”
For Ekpoko, “The institution of the Oluship is a symbol of unity to the average Itsekiri man. that’s why we always say among Itsekiri ‘one people, one language, one king.’ This is very rare among other people, may be apart from Benin; I don’t think there’s any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria that has one traditional ruler like the Itsekiri. So, it symbolises the unity of the Itsekiri people and that is what we want him to sustain – the unity of Itsekiri people and peaceful coexistence between the Itsekiri people and their neighbours. Those are the things that are most important to us; also peace and security in Warri”, he added.
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