His nomination as the 4th Ologbotsere of the Warri Kingdom in 2017 was one the Itsekiri people never took calmly. It was greeted with protests that rocked the foundation of the kingdom for days.

Ayiri’s nomination was said to have been rejected for reasons bothering integrity and loyalty to the cause of the ethnic nationality.

The protesters vowed to defend the ancient prestige of the kingdom than to live to see it taken over by personalities that are not worthy of leading it.

One of the leaders of the protests then, Weyimi Agbateyinero, asked then Olu to reconsider his stance and appoint qualified persons taking into cognisance the tradition and belief of the people.

“Persons so nominated in the selection and nomination of Ologbotsere fall short of all known traditional standards and requirements paraded by previous occupants of such chieftainship in terms of age, integrity, intellectual capability, status, etc,” Agbateyinero reportedly said.

Four years down the road, fears nursed by the protesters have come to pass; not only has Ayiri desecrated the tradition of the Itsekiri kingdom, but he also went further to use his title to arrogate and allocate to himself, the entitlements of the people.

As the name signifies, Ologbotsere is the traditional Prime Minister of the kingdom, who has as one of his functions, to preserve and protect the traditions of the people.

The question begging for answers right now is, with the aforementioned shortcomings of a man, who will take him seriously for haven suddenly realised the need to preserve and protect the traditions he has so desecrated?

Perhaps, he is in another round of his voyage to destroy what the people have seen as reasons to change for the better.

When the opportunity came to give him a piece of their anger, the people who had waited patiently for years and armed with his actions and tendencies unbecoming of the Ologbotsere position didn't waste any time when the opportunity presented itself the people showed him the way out.

Now, Ayiri, has resorted to all forms of tactics, using the crude way of name-calling and pulldown syndrome, including casting aspersions on the person of the Olu designate.

Nobody, certainly not Prince Tsola Emiko is going down with Ayiri for all the atrocities he has committed over the years against the Itsekiri nation since he was erroneously gifted with the title of Ologbotsere.

Perhaps, he needs to be schooled that a man whose providence has entrusted unto the people cannot be said, not even on assumption, to be an interloper in the sense that he was born of a Blue Blood.

Royalty flows in him (Emiko), not only was his father preceded over the affairs of Warri Kingdom as the 19th Olu, but his grandfather was also.

Lately, Ayiri suddenly saw the need to be protective to adhere strictly to the traditions of the people he has desecrated, even with the recent naming of the Olu designate.

Once beaten, twice shy, it is a popular adage well known to those that have taken caution as their watchword. The Itsekiri are now well aware of Ayiri’s antics to fall for it again.

It is time he needs to realised that the people are fed up and tired of his shenanigan and economic strangulation of the same people and culture he pretends to defend.

Perhaps, Ayiri needs to be told that he can only be taken seriously now if he starts accepting the fact that the people have made their choice and voice known on Prince Tsola Emiko as the Olu designate.

WARri