Appointment Of Business Tycoon, Ayirimi Emami As “Ologbotsere” By Olu Of Warri Sparks Protest In Delta 

Chief Ayirimi Emami

Sought-after Ologbotsere title which is to be bestowed on popular Warri business tycoon, and All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, Chief Ayirimi Emami on Tuesday triggers protest from hundreds of youths at the Olu’s palace in Warri, Delta State.

The youths who were allegedly sponsored by Emami’s archenemy, Mr. David Tonwe, a Security Adviser to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and key players in Ugborodo, want the Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli to rescind his decision to install Emami with the revered title of Ologbotsere (prime minister).

The traditional title which is highly sought-after like the Iyatsere, Uwangwe, and Ojomo’s titles are specially reserved for royal families in Warri Kingdom.

Emami, alongside two others who reportedly went through all the selection process by the family were forwarded to the Olu who BigPen Online learnt has the sole right to appoint or reject from the list of candidates forwarded to him by the original owners of the title.

BigPen Online was told that the last Ologbotsere that Itsekiri nation had was Late Chief O. N. Rewane. Before Rewane, the title was once ceded to Late Chief Mayuku of the Dudu branch of Obonteghareda.

During Rewane’s selection process, it was agreed that the next Ologbotsere owing to a compromise that led to Rewane’s emergence must come from Ajuwaoyiboyami branch of the royal family which Emami belong to.

Our source disclosed that after the nomination and selection process through the immediate family (known as Iya), the Head of the Ologbotsere family, Pa Higson Oporokun supervised the other processes which produce the two candidates.

Our source disclosed on Tuesday that Chief Eyewouma who is also adjudged as a credible candidate was Ayiri’s main challenger for the position. They both went through the nomination and selection process that followed series of meetings held both in Warri and Sapele by the Ajuwaoyiboyami branch and the larger Ologbotsere family.

The source however, disclosed that having know that among the two candidates presented by the Ologbotsere family headed by Pa Higson Oporokun, Emami is most likely to be pick by the Olu, some elements who are not happy with the selection process apparently mobilise youths to stage protest against Emami’s candidature.

Meanwhile, in a short telephone conversation with one of our reporters, Emami who admonished his supporters and well meaning Itsekiris to remain calm and go about their normal businesses, insisted his loyalty to the Olu of Warri, remains unflinching amid pockets of blackmail against him.

According to him, “power belongs to God and no amount of blackmail against me will stop my loyalty towards the Olu of Warri as well as my resolve to always protect Iwere Nation and work for its development”.