CHIEF ARTHUR PREST: “ MOTION TO CHANGE OLU OF WARRI’S TITLE DEFEATED”
Opposing the motion, Chief A. Prest, Central Minister of Communication said that the objection raised by the mover of the motion were futile.
Said Chief prest: “It cannot be denied that the Itsekiri founded the kingdom of Warri and that the Urhobo or Sobos as they were then called, who lived in that kingdom were vassals of the Olu of Warri. Evidence of this is so conclusive that no further proof is required.
“The urhobos have maintained that they immigrated to Warri from Benin. They have never denied that they were vassals of the OBA of Benin. They do not deny the fact that the first OLU of Warri was the eldest son of the OBA of Benin. The logical conclusion to these admission is so obvious that it needs no comment from me.
“The Itsekiri kingdom was founded in the 15th century by Ginuwa 1, the eldest son of the OBA of Benin .
“History records that when the Itsekiri invaded this part of the country there were no Sobos in what is now known as the Warri Division.
“Talbot in his History of Southern Nigeria records that the Sobos lived further inland in the Warri province and were under the OBA of Benin or the Olu of Warri.
“Hubbard in his History of the Sobo of the Niger Delta records that ‘A migration occurred probably late in the 18th century when the Agbarha people who lived 23 Miles east of Warri in the middle of the Sobo country crossed the Warri River and by negotiation with the Olu of Warri obtained land from him, built a village of their own which they named after home town Agbarha. This is now one of the quarters of Warri township.
The infallibility of my friend, the Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe, is no doubt an accepted doctrine of the party to which the Hon. Mover of this motion belongs, and I can do no better than quote an extract from the “ West African Pilot” written by Dr. Azikiwe on the 14th of May, 1940:
“His Highness Ginuwa II is Olu of the Itsekiri speaking people, who lived on Itsekiri land, on a section of Warri Township. If the matter is discussed in details, it will be found that a definite title is necessary, in which case, the Olu of Warri seems to be more historical and correct . When we speak of the OBA of Lagos we refer to the paramount Native Ruler of Lagos township, although Lagos is peopled mainly by Yoruba speaking peoples and Lagos is part of Yorubaland. So too, in the case of His Highness Ginuwa II the Olu of Warri is the paramount Native Ruler of Warri, although Warri Township is peopled mainly by the Itsekiri speaking people and Warri is part of Itsekiri land.”
“But unfortunately for my friend, he refuses to believe that he and his people are now free and independent. This inferiority complex is to be regretted, but no one can cure it excepting himself. Once again l will try and drum into the mover’s ears what was stated in this House by the Hon. The minister of local Government, that is, that the mover and his people are not subjects of the Olu of Warri:
“But like the foolish woman of Bottles who complained to the local council that she could still see the bathing pool with her telescope after it had been removed to another site, the Hon. Mover still complains not only that they could still dream the name Warri, but, they still dream if it, even though they have become independent, their kingdom separated from that of the Itsekiri and the name of Warri province changed to Delta Province. This is most unfortunate.
“When the acknowledged leader of the urhobos, Chief Mowarin met the minister of Local Government over the issue of the title of Olu of Warri, he demanded that if the title of Olu of Warri should remain, the name of the Province should be changed.The Regional Government, although quite wrongly in my personal opinion, acceded to this request, no doubt to bring peace and harmony to the Province. Now, having discovered their folly in suggesting the change of name, which has obviously removed the remaining particle of identity with the name Warri, which they coveted so much, like the foolish woman of Bottle they now complain that the name of the Olu of Warri must be changed.
“It is most interesting to note that they have even now abandoned this ground, and like the drowning holding to the last straw, they now demand that if the name should stand at all, the Olu should be called Olu of Iwere and not Olu of Warri. Unfortunate, however, the mover of this motion is not in a position to dispute the historical fact that the word WARRI is an anglicized form of IWERRE. But still, he insists dictatorially :”I will not allow you to spell Your name WARRI, you must spell it IWERRE, ‘I would ask Hon. Members to note carefully- they do not claim this change of spelling because the word WARRI is an Urhobo word – thanks to history and privy council – but because, so l presume, the sound is irritating to their ears. Truly the sierra Leonians are correct when they say “ Warri worries” . This name has really worried my poor friends – what a pity.
“Thank God there is now at least one tribe who is no longer worried by the name and with the permission of this House, l will read a Publication which appeared in the Daily Times dated January 31,1953,written by an Honourable member of this House, whose tribe in the Delta Province was until recently also worried : “ we accept the change – Otutu.’
“I can only hope that sooner or later, the name Warri will cease to worry my friends and neighbouring tribe who still live in the shadow of fear and suspicion accentuated by inferiority complex.” ( culled from Daily Times February 7,
1953).