Ologbotsere, Iyatsere, Go Home And Settle, Says Itsekiri Protesters

By The9jaTrend

Hundred of Itsekiri including old and young today stormed the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Police Zone 5 office in Benin City, Edo state capital where they protested the continued police involvement in the crisis rocking the Olu of Warri stool and requested that the police should allow all the chiefs go back to Warri and resolve the issues amicably.

With several placards with inscription - "We Say No To Destruction Of Our Heritage", "Peace Must Reign In Warri Kingdom", "Itsekiri Is Our Own And Not Yours", "Atabrata/Oji Please Go Home And Settle - Itsekiri", Itsekiri Is Tradition & Tradition Is Itsekiri", Ologbotsere & Iyatsere, Go Home And Settle", the protesters said the continued insistence that police should resolve the issue was a let-down on the custom and tradition of Itsekiri people.

One of the leaders of the protesters, named David Iwere said: “We are here as Itsekiri, we are tired of our matter being in the socio media all the time, what is happening in Itsekiri has never happened before, we are here to appeal to the AIG to send all the chiefs home and give them a time to come back and report the settlement they have reached.”

Also speaking to newsmen was Mrs. Okhere Amaju who said “We are here as  a group, we want peace, we are tired of crisis, we have come to appeal that they should take the matter back home and we can settle ourselves. Itsekiri issue is not for the police, we are a people with culture and tradition, we need to go and resolve our issues at home, we need peace in Itsekiri”.

Corroborating the position, Samuel Khalil appealed to all the chiefs and the ruling house to give peace a chance while on his part, Scott Anwani said, “We have gone round to most of the chiefs in Warri Kingdom and other stakeholders who are involved in all these issues, we have met one on one letting them know why we must ensure that there is peace in Itsekiri nation.

"They are our leaders, we are not supposed to be divided; the Ologbotshere, the Iyatsere, the Uji, Uwangue, the ruling house, the chiefs, they should all come to a round table and resolve this matter and make peace so that we can be happy."

In his response, the Zone 5 Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Tijani Momoh assured the demonstrators that their request would be conveyed to the AIG and whatever directive he gives would be communicated to them.