Who is after Olu of Warri?

The ascension of Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III, to the throne two years ago was greeted with much pomp and ceremony. His choice of the title, Atuwatse III, was very significant, as he promised to deliver on the dreams of the nation. Since his ascent, he has proved that he was indeed born and prepared for the throne by taking the kingdom to another level.

However, going by a quote by Paul Newman, which says, “A man with no enemies is a man with no character,’’ the youthful and handsome monarch’s character has continued to attract hatred from some disgruntled persons.

Last week, he suffered some media attacks, which many have said were sponsored by his naysayers, who alleged that he has been pencilled down for dethronement. But his loyalists were quick to come to his aid, saying the attack was sponsored by the enemies of Itsekiri progress.

According to them, “Our understanding of the ‘manufactured crisis’ purportedly ‘rocking the kingdom’ is untainted by sentiments or any hidden nefarious agenda.

“We are savvy enough to know that when an article contains quotes like, ‘Two years later, he sits precariously on the throne,’ and ‘To some, he seems more of a fashion model than a monarch,’ indicates in reality, that it is a badly disguised hack job commissioned by desperate elements shamelessly fighting against their fast-waning relevance within the Warri Kingdom.

“The lack of balance of the article and the shamelessly biased slant of the entire piece damages the editorial integrity of the so-called medium that published such a story. The simple truth is that no Itsekiri monarch in living memory has evoked the measure of fascination and goodwill that Atuwatse III has commanded since his magnificent coronation.

 “While the orchestrated campaign of calumny against his ascension to the throne may make for sensational media content to undiscerning non-Itsekiris, the only thing that resonates with the vast majority of Itsekiris in Warri and across the globe is the inspiring breath of fresh air that Atuwatse III represents for the kingdom. 

“We, therefore appeal to peace-loving Itsekiris and loyal subjects of His Majesty, our king, not to take the bait that these incendiary media provocations represent to pollute the atmosphere of renewed hope that Ogiame Atuwatse III’s ascension to the throne heralds. In the same vein, we are calling on the very few among us who have been misguided and have bought into the vile narrative of the discredited criminal political elite to retrace their steps.’’