The city of Warri, Ode-Itsekiri and other towns and villages occupied by the Itsekiri people of Delta State are in festive moods.   A new Olu has just been enthroned; the old one joined his ancestors about three months ago. There must be no vacuum, the King is gone, and a new one is crowned: all hail the King!

The Olu of Warri is an institution, He is revered and the custodian of all of Itsekiri customs and tradition. He is the unifying force for all Itsekiris; after God is the Olu. His word is law and ineluctable. As soon as a person is crowned King, he becomes a deity, he no longer operates in human realm as his word is assumed to be from the gods. That is why the occupant of the throne is carefully chosen and groomed, for if the deity is compromised by human sentiments, the result can be catastrophic. An Olu must be unbiased, selfless and transparent to all of his subjects; this way the deity is kept alive.

And so, when Omoba Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko was chosen by the oracle to become the next Olu, there was much excitement in the air both from the high and lowly placed individuals. He had been earmarked for the stool at an early age. A graduate of business administration and the third Itsekiri Olu that is a university graduate and also the 20th monarch. In addition to all of these, he has a charismatic disposition and open to all and sundry. Also, he is properly grounded in the Itsekiri customs and traditions.

So, it is a new dawn for the Itsekiri nation, a people with very rich traditions, culture, elegance and swagger. When you hear ‘Warri no dey carry last’, the Itsekiris are a very integral part of the show.

They are also a very hospitable people with great traditional delicacies – ‘Igba gba fo fo’ and the rest. They are also enlightened, wise and smart in the affairs of the world. Although their population is small compared to their fellow Niger Delta neighbouring ethnic groups, they have always found ways to maintain their relevance and at most times, to be on top of situations. They have formed alliances and partnership with bigger nations like the Yorubas and this has helped them under different circumstances. Their women are known for their industry and diplomacy. The Itsekiris were one of the foremost tribes to get in touch with the Whiteman and his civilization and they have pressed on this advantage till date.

But, the times have changed, competing neighbors are catching up and the challenges of change are hitting home: of environmental pollution, of youth restiveness, of demanding corporate social responsibility from big businesses and government institutions operating in the region, of resource control, of the total unity of the Itsekiri race, of the peaceful co-existence with neighboring ethnic groups and many more. The task is herculean. The Olus of the old generations did not experience it this way but the immediate past Olu had serious challenges in these areas. How will Olu Godfrey Ikenwoli Emiko fare?

The greatness of a leader is manifested in the manner he or she handles the complexity and inevitability of change. Pope Francis was recently in a Muslim mosque inside the Central African Republic preaching peace and unity amongst religions. Nelson Mandela had to reach out to Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a Zulu tribal lord, for peace to reign in the South African election that brought Mandela to power.

Great leaders understand the peculiar nature of man, his individual, cultural and spiritual differences and must be able to accommodate this in the scheme of things. The ability to extend a hand shake across borders is a key issue in leadership. Understanding the position of the opponent is not a sign of weakness, it is a great strength when every party reaches out for compromise to the benefit of all. That is the challenge the Olu faces with in his relationship with his Ijaw, Urhobo and other Niger Delta brothers. His ability to achieve peace for the region will place him on very high esteem.

The Olu must also work to reclaim the pride and unity of the Itsekiri people which has been affected by internal wrangling caused by resource control fights and other factors. He must discourage situations where a few prebendalists take control of the wealth that belong to the whole community and appropriate it to themselves. This has been a big cause of conflicts in the land. A recent example is the endless communal crises in Ugborodo between brothers. Let the resources be for the common wealth and let the people benefit from such in a just and equitable manner.

In this regard, he will need the support of his Chiefs. Like him, the Chiefs must be credible, enlightened and be adaptable to modern trends. This is the time for high level intelligence; of credible people, not sycophants and necromancers.   People who have achieved their wealth and substances through transparent and honest means, the ones who will be able to say the truth as it is without minding whose ox is gored. Such are the type he should surround himself with. It is observed that there are still a couple of vacancies to be filled in the Chieftaincy chambers; he must use the criteria set above if he is to succeed.

The Olu should play the part of a servant-leader, uniting various competing interests both within and outside the region. He can do this by encouraging inter-youth games  inter-cultural competitions. This could help to create job opportunities for the teeming youths, so that the issue of youth restiveness can be reduced to the barest minimum.

He must demand for corporate social responsibility from private and government concerns operating within the region and ensure that his people benefit maximally from these gestures. He must also influence the provision of infrastructures to Warri and neighboring towns. Presently, the roads are in a bad state due to lack of maintenance. Also he must ensure that qualified indigenes enjoy good positions in their work places.

He is a well grounded man, therefore must rule with minimal force. The era of autocracy is gone. His crowning has been met with little or no opposition. Let his reign usher in peace and tranquility to the Itsekiri nation and their Niger Delta neighbours.

Sunny Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.