By yorubablog

The newly crowned Olu of Warri, Olu Untieyinoritsetsola Emiko, The Ogiame Atuwatse III, is the 21st Olu of Warri. He is the son of Olu Godwin Toritseju Emiko, Atuwatse II who reigned between 1987 to 2015.

The colourful coronation was held at the Ode Itsekiri ancestral home in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Warri was originally called Ale Iwerre (Land of the Iwerre), it was the Europeans that corrupted it to Warri. The Kingdom was founded in the late 15th century by Prince Ginuwa, a Benin Prince, another account narrated that the prince was actually adopted by the Itsekiris to be their King, prior to that they lived independently in different communities that included Irigbo, Ureju, Omadino and Ugborodo. With the arrival of the prince and adoption of the monarchy. These communities coalesced to become a Kingdom.

Historically, the dominant and earliest group of Itsekiris are of Yorùbá stock from Ijebu-ode, Akure, and Owo, subsequent migration saw a smaller group of Igalas from the Nupe country, Aboh or Abo, some groups along the coast came in through Gulani/Amatu.

The Itsekiris have always identified more with the Yorùbas of Southwestern Nigeria, The likes of Chief Arthur Edward Prest (1906-1976), Chief Alison Ayida, Professor Horatio Oritshejolomi Thomas (1917-1979), Chief Festus Sam Okotie-Eboh (1912-1966) and Chief Alfred Ogbeyiwa Rewane (1914-1995) were all notable Itsekiris. That is why there is a strong resemblance between the Yoruba and the Itsekiri cultures.

Ọ̀okan ní wá!