By Francis Sadhere, Warri

The Itsekiri Traditional Council of Kingmakers on Thursday announced the burial rites of the late Olu of Warri, Ogiame Ikenwoli, who passed on recently.

The council also said that the new Olu of Warri-designate, Omoba Tsola Emiko will be crowned and formally installed as the 21st Olu of Warri, on Saturday the 21st day of August, 2021 at Ode Itsekiri, the ancestral home of the Itsekiri people.

The announcement of both events was made by Chief Johnson Amatserunleghe, the Iyatsere of Warri kingdom, during a press briefing held at the Palace of the Olu of Warri.

According to the Itsekiri council of Kingmakers, the traditional burial rites of late Olu begins on Friday June, 18th with a Commendation Service in Warri, to be followed by traditional burial rites at Ode-Itsekiri the next day June 19th, 2021.

It added that burial activities will end on Friday July 2nd- a duration of 14days, noting that this phase will also bring to a dose the mourning period throughout Warri kingdom.

Coronation of Ikenwoli’s successor will be on August 2021beginning with a regatta on the Warri River from about 10 a.m. same day

“I believe some of you were at Ode-Itsekiri (Big-Warn) on the 5th of April, 2021, when I made the formal proclamation of the painful passing of Ogiame Ikenwoli You will recall that on that day, we also made a popular declaration of Omoba Tsola Emko, as the successor to the throne.

“This was after a rigorous process, which included a painstaking search within and amongst the descendants of the last three Olus, as required by tradition, custom and extant laws. This process also included several consultation and eventual confirmation by the Ifa Oracle, which is a sine qua non in the procedure for selecting successor to the revered stool of the Olu of Warri.” The Iyatsere of Warri kingdom said.