Over a month after the passing of Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, another prominent monarch, the Olu of Warri, Godwin Edomi, Ogiame Atuwatse II, has died.
He was said to have passed on in Lagos on Friday night of an undisclosed ailment.
Atuwatse became the paramount ruler of Warri in 1987.
According to an online news portal, TheWill, the monarch might have died from a brain injury he suffered after reportedly falling from the stairs of his Warri residence in Delta State.
TheWill reported that Atuwatse was due to have a surgery at Reddington Hospital in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he was rushed to, before he passed on.
It further said the late Olu’s body had been flown back to Warri for burial.
Palace chiefs are keeping sealed lips on the death of the monarch as none of them agreed to comment on the development.
In 2013, the Olu of Warri was embroiled in a controversy when he allegedly renounced the traditional title of Ogiame – a decision that sparked days of protest in front of his palace by his Itsekiri people.
After four days of protest by the people, the Olu of Warri, who is said to be a committed Christian inspite of his position, bowed to the wishes of his subjects.
The monarch during the height of the crisis, claimed that the title ‘Ogiame’ was associated with the ‘Sea goddess’ and his faith would not allow him have anything to do with the deity.
According to the tradition of the Itsekiri, the monarch’s transition would not be officially announced until after three months when a new king will be ready to take his place.
