THE TITLE: “OLU OF WARRI” AND LATE CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO HISTORIC COMPROMISE IN RESOLVING THE ISSUE IN 1952.
A PRESS STATEMENT BY LATE MR. ALFRED OGBEYIWA REWANE, PUBLICATION IN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS ON THURSDAY 20TH MAY, 1993.
(PART 1 EDITED)
Recently, there have been misleading statements in the media and from neighboring tribes and elsewhere on the Official Title of the WARRI Monarch by persons who are either uninformed or deliberately mischievous about the OLU’s correct Title.
Perhaps not surprisingly, among the uninformed are to be found some ITSEKIRI young Men and Women in the professions, academia, business and the public service.
Some of these young people , anxious to know the facts would, at a social occasion, call one aside and quietly ask: “Uncle, is it true that prior to 1952, the OLU was called OLU of ITSEKIRI, and it was Papa AWOLOWO, then Premier of the Old Western Region, who changed the title to OLU of WARRI?”
Among the monolithic ITSEKIRI People , education of the younger generation on their past, their customs and traditions is a continuous process of socialization.
In the past, it used to be a pleasure and indeed a duty for the Elders to play the role of Teacher and Leader in this matter. Regrettably, there have been severe constraints on the Elders playing that role arising from the events in ITSEKIRILAND since the coronation on 2nd May, 1987 of the previous Monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse ||, OLU of WARRI.
However, in deference to pressure from the younger generation who are anxious to learn more about their past in other to fully appreciate the present, and also to set the records straight on the role played by the late Chief OBAFEMI AWOLOWO in the matter of the OLU’s Title, I have decided to issue this statement for the education of our young ones and for the enlightenment of the public at large.
HISTORICAL RECORDS
It was Professor SABURI BIOBAKU, as Chairman of the YORUBA Historical Research whose “Odu” Volume 4 is substantially devoted to the ITSEKIRI, who said that the history of the WARRI Monarchy and the ITSEKIRI People is one of the best documented in NIGERIA, beginning from the great YORUBA Migrations of the 12th Century.
But the History of the WARRI Monarchy itself began when, according to JACOB EGHAREVBA, the BENIN historian, the BENIN Crown Prince, IGINUA, who later became GINUWA |, OLU of WARRI, was mandated by his Father, Oba OLUA (about 1473), the OBA of BENIN, to go and found a KINGDOM in, and Reign over , the Riverine Areas.
Hence the OLU is called, “OGIAME”, which in EDO means “the King who reigns over Riversland”. GINUWA | founded the WARRI KINGDOM in 1480.
Thanks to the impeccable records kept by the early European Explorers, Missionaries and Traders who came to West Africa and interacted with the People , including the OLU and the ITSEKIRI People . It has long been recognized and acknowledged that the Official Title of the WARRI Monarch, from the founding of the WARRI KINGDOM in 1480, has always been OLU of WARRI.
There is abundant documentary evidence that in the 16th and 17th Centuries, the OLU had been known and referred to as the OLU of WARRI, ” WARRI ” being the KINGDOM over which the OLU Reigned.
The word “WARRI” derives from “IWERE”, the name by which the ITSEKIRI call their Homeland.
” OMIWERE” or “OMA-IWERE”, meaning the Son or Daughter of ” IWERE” Land, is the generic name for all ITSEKIRIs. IWERE is the Land and not the People .
Through the ages, the various Europeans with whom the ITSEKIRI interacted had employed varying corrupt versions of WARRI and OMIWERE, like “OYWERE” and “OERE” by the early Portuguese, “WARRI” by Captain John Adams in 1823, “WARI” in 1841 by the British Consul, John Beecroft.
John Adams and John Beecroft wrote during the reign of Olu AKENGBUWA (1795-1848), the last OLU before the “Interregnum of 1848-1936, and therefore, the immediate Predecessor of GINUWA || (1936-1949).
#The Following Historical Facts Are All In Support Of The Antiquity And Authenticity Of The Title
“OLU OF WARRI”.
(i) In 1607 the King of Portugal made a decree in which reference was made to the ” King of WARRI” and to “Prince DOMINGOS”, Son of the King of WARRI.
The Prince’s ITSEKIRI Name was EYEOMASAN. His Father Olu ATORONGBOYE (6th OLU of WARRI, 1597-1625) was the First OLU to be Baptized (as SEBASTIAN).
Prince EYEOMASAN, on being Baptized, was given the Name DOM DOMINGOS. He reigned as ATUWATSE | (7th OLU of WARRI, 1625-1643).
(ii) One John Barbot, a Dutchman, writing in the 17th Century about WARRI said:
“The Capital Town OYWERE, which gives its Name to the whole Country lies in River Forcado…….”
(iii) In 1682 Father Jerome Merolla da Sorrento wrote:
“Two Capuchin Missionaries together with Father Bonaventura da Firanze having just set foot in the KINGDOM of OUUERRI (WARRI). They were very courteously received by the King”.
(iv) P.A. Talbot wrote at page 320 of his book titled “The Peoples of Southern Nigeria”: 1651.
According to Urbanus Cerri, “the King of WARRI wrote to Pope INNOCENT X, asking him to send him Missionaries for his own good and that of his subjects”.
(v) A Frenchman known as Captain Landolphe writing in the 18th Century made references to the “OLU of WARRI” and said that in recognition of the trade potentials of both BENIN and WARRI KINGDOMS the King of France, LOUIS XVI by an “Arret du Conseil d’ Etat” of the 27th of May 1756 granted a charter to a Company known as the “Compagnie d’ OWHERE et de BENIN” (Company of WARRI and BENIN).
This was before and similar to the Royal Niger Company which had its charter from the British Monarch.
