Warri, Delta State | August 24, 2025
The fourth coronation anniversary of His Majesty Ògíamè Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, was marked this week with a series of colourful cultural and developmental events across Warri and Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral headquarters of the Itsekiri nation.
Festivities began on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, with a vibrant mini-regatta from Warri Boat Yard to Ode-Itsekiri. The royal red boat led a fleet of decorated vessels representing Itsekiri communities, sailing in unison as a tribute to shared heritage and unity. Upon arrival at Big Warri (Ode-Itsekiri), dignitaries, chiefs, and subjects paid homage to the revered throne and honoured the ancestral legacy of the kingdom.
On Thursday, August 21, 2025, the celebrations moved to the Aghofen Palace grounds in Warri, where traditional music, dance, and performances highlighted Itsekiri cultural heritage.
The following day, Friday, August 22, 2025, the palace hosted a round of homage-paying, the launch of Arabic Figures and Itsekiri by Lucky Ebojel, and a cultural drama presentation.
Complementing the ceremonies, the anniversary also featured a novelty football match between Super Eagles legends and young palace chiefs, a children’s language competition, and the commissioning of the Renewed Hope Mother and Childcare Hospital in Ugbuwangwe, underscoring the monarch’s commitment to cultural preservation, youth empowerment, and community development.
The week-long celebration drew large crowds of Itsekiri sons and daughters, dignitaries, and cultural enthusiasts, reaffirming the Olu’s role as a custodian of tradition and development in the Niger Delta.