By Archibald Etikerentse

The traditional Kurusu (cannon) and gun powders will this weekend boom intermittently. This is as we bid farewell to a jolly good fellow Chief Sunday Stephen Ejejigbe.

Warri kingdom is sending off one of its oldest serving Chiefs, who served four Kings (Olu) dedicatedly. He will be greatly missed especially for his wealth of experience, and his jokes which carried lots of humor.

I first meet Chief S. S Rone as a student in Hussey College Warri in the earlier part of 1970s as the Bursar to the school but wouldn’t say much of him at this period of our acquaintance save to say that he had a white Bicycle which he rode to and from work. It was recently learnt he was employed as a gardener but rose through the rank with hard work to become the bursar. He was a man of many parts who later became directors to several organizations. I can testify that Chief S.S Rone touched my lives positively as a chief in Warri kingdom. I recall the time he came to represent the king Ogiame Atuwatse II at the opening of my first art exhibition and launching of a Boat Museum which l held in Warri metropolitan area.

The date was 18th of April 2013, the occasion was World Heritage day or some UNESCO EVENT l had been waiting for an opportunity to showcase my drawing and illustrations on Warri kingdom’s history. As at 2013, I had put in about ten to twelve years of research into the project OVER 500 YEARS OF WARRI KINGDOM IN PICTURES. My ambition then was to introduce visual history into the body of Itsekiri history so that people who can’t read or write will understand the history others will understand better as their understanding will be aided with pictures. Visual Arts includes drawings paintings, Sculptures, crafts etc not excluding motion pictures of drama presentations. 

Before 2013, ninety eight percent of information on Warri kingdom’s history could only be accessed through reading in textbooks, the only Artworks available in those days were figurines in shrines scattered across the kingdom. In my efforts to change this narrative, I transverse the towns of Lagos, Benin Warri etc gathering information collecting pictures with which l published my first book Over 500 years of Warri kingdom in pictures which was launched on May 4th 2013. Two weeks after Ogiame Atuwatse II sent Chief Rone to open the exhibition in Ijala.

All was set and we informed the palace about our plans to host the first Art exhibition in Itsekiri history in no other place than Ijala. That we wanted to launch Ginuwa’s boat and Ogiame Atuwatse gave the museum his blessing. It was indeed a great achievement for a start. To have the Ogiame accepting to come to launch a boat Museums which we built in Ijala to commemorate the landmark of Ijala being the first Itsekiri town. Ijala was the first Itsekiri settlement where Prince Ginuwa the founder of Warri kingdom lived, died and was buried hence it has become the equivalent of Itsekiri Royal cemetery.

Today, l look back to thank God for using Chief S.S Rone who Ogiame sent to open that exhibition ten years ago . Gracefully dressed a monumental figure dressed in Chief’s garbs appeared and the day was set. Chief Rone accompanied with a deluge of reporters, chiefs and people in his entourage, prayers were held and l gave a short speech. The boat had a latch behind which was lowered, Chief Rone brought his knowledge of Itsekiri history to bear as he praised our efforts thereafter he cut the tape launching the Boat which was henceforth to become a monument within the museum premises to teach children and visitors to the museum. I was given the microscope to introduce the artifacts on display but my head was recalling all the struggles l had put in to arrive there ten years ago.

Chief Rone had always been supportive and gave me his genealogical tree of Dele- Oketa and Orugbo to be included in my compendium of Itsekiri history. He was also among the Chiefs that redeemed his pledge when I launched my book.

Some were born great, other had greatness entrusted to them but in  my opinions, Chief Rone gave birth to greatness. From the ashes of the Warri crisis we can say that indeed this Chief received grace from God to excel in life. Well over twenty five letters of condolence have been received from the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, State Governments, and Heads of government establishments over the loss of this Chief. Hotels in Warri will see an increase in trade as numerous sympathizers will throng the oil city to witness the funeral rites of Chief Rone. 

Chief Sunday Stephen Rone was born to Chief Rone Ejejigbe and Mrs. Otaniokwho Rone on the 2nd of July 1936 in Orugbo Town in Warri South L.G.A. His father Late Chief Rone Ejejigbe was from the Ejejigbe family in Orugbo Warri South LGA and Idaloketa Warri North L.G.A while his mother, Late Mrs. Otaniokwho Rone was from the Obarovbe family in Ovu, Ethiope East L.G.A, both from Delta State.

He had his Primary School education in Burutu and proceeded to Uromi in the then Bendel State now Edo State; where he passed his Standard Six Leaving Certificate Examination and later worked as a teacher. He is survived by his wives and nineteen children including Mr. Julius Rone, the Vanguard personality of the year, popularly called GAS KING.