By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
For the people of Warri and Itsekiri Kingdom, it’s a new dawn as the newly crowned Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty (HRM), Ogiame Atuwatse 3, Tsola Emiko, in his first pronouncement on Saturday, reversed the age-long curse said to be placed on his ancestral kingdom in particular and Nigeria in general many generations ago by former Oba of Bini Kingdom.
He also said that from today going forward, he pronounced forgiveness and healing over the land.
Speaking to his subjects and guests at the colourful coronation ceremony held at Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral Headquarters of Itsekiri Kingdom, the new Olu of Warri traced back the curse placed on his people centuries ago and declared that by the power, spiritual and temporal, conferred on him as the new king, “I hereby reserve the old curse placed on the kingdom.”
According to him, there was a time in history of the kingdom when there was misgivings between the former Olu of Warri and former Oba of Bini Kingdom that led to the latter to curse the stool of the former.
Said he: “In the name of the Most High God, I welcome you all. By the power spiritual and temporal power conferred on me as the new Olu of Warri, I hereby reserve a curse placed over Warri Kingdom, Nigeria, Africa several decades ago and from today (Saturday) I release forgiveness, peace and healing over the land”.
The 37-year-old new king also declared prosperity over his people and promised that his reign will lift the Youth while women empowerment will be a priority even as he pledged to rule with the fear of God.
“I will like to invite every Itsekiri by birthday or marriage; through father or mother, in Nigeria, Africa or diaspora, come with your expertise and your ideas, let’s work together to create prosperity for us all”, HRM said.
Speaking further he said: I say to our women from today you will no longer be invisible in the affairs of this kingdom. Women’s empowerment will be a top priority.
The Olu of Warri however heaped praises on the two most important persons in his life today, his mother and wife just as he used the occasion to rename their designations in the kingdom with his wife becoming the new Olori Atuwatse 3.
The newly coronated king, started his Inaugural Speech with hymnal tones, singing songs of praise to God Almighty and acknowledging that Jesus Christ is the Lord who made his coronation on Saturday, August 21, 2022, possible.
The coronation of the new Olu of Warri came after 90 days of strict traditional isolation and culminated with the official installation at Ode-Itsekiri in Warri which was attended by high and mighty including the representatives of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Others are first class traditional rulers in Nigeria led by co-Chairman of Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council and the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll; representatives of Omo n-oba Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba of Benin; Governor of Delta State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and Deputy Governor of Edo state, Comrade Philip Shuaibu.
