Itsekiri Public Affairs Committee (IPAC), United Kingdom has declared that royals and a freeborn cannot be fight over the the ethnic nationality’s throne.

Therefore, it stressed, the ongoing faceoff emanating from the declaration of their Olu-Designate, Prince Tsola Emiko, was unnecessary distraction.

The group drew the attention of the general public on the issues between the suspended Ologbotsere, Ayiri Emami, and the royal family, and addressed the issues of the provisions of the1979 edict, the position and duties of Ugbajo Ojoye Ojisan, “Prime Minister” as well as the Benin and Yoruba influences on Olu selection which it said were clear on the path to toe, by relevant traditional institutions in the kingdom.

IPAC UK, in a statement titled, ‘No royal tussle between the suspended Ologbotsere and the royal family,” signed by Adrain O. Edema, expressly stated that the Ologbotsere is a chieftaincy title and not royalty.

It further stressed: “The suspended Ologbotsere is a freeborn Itsekiri, and not a royal, so there cannot be a royal tussle between a freeborn and a royal.

“The ruling house and the Ugbajo Ojoye Ojisan working in close co-operation constitute the Kingmakers in Itsekiri Customary Law. 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.

The Ugbajo Ojoye Ojisan duties fall under one of these stages. They are not responsible for selecting or appointing a king.

“There is no office of prime minister in Warri kingdom; and there is no 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. And the chiefs are just title holders appointed by the Olu for reasons best known to him.

“On the vexed issues about the Yoruba or Benin influences, these two do not have such influence on the selection of an Olu, because Itsekiri is an ethnic nationality in its own right. We are 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.

“The Ife oracle mentioned by the Itsekiri has nothing to do with Ile Ife, because Ife or Ominigbo is an oracle system used by the Itsekiri.”

Also, a public commentator (anonymous) said: “The Olu-designate debate on social media is a typical representation of the Nigerian sociopolitical and economic debate; and in particular, the case against Ayiri can be likened to some of the prejudice and accusations against Buhari.

“I doubt if Ayiri or anyone insisting on following laid down enacts/laws are seeking to be Olu because of their ‘unpopular’ view or past history.

culled from THE DAILY TIMES