The Monachy

Olu Atuwatse III

21st Olu of Warri, Olu Atuwatse III was born to Olu Atuwatse II and Olori Gladys Emiko-Atuwatse (Olori Atuwatse II) on 2nd April 1984. He succeeded his uncle, Olu Ikenwoli and is happily married to Olori Ivie Emiko-Atuwatse (Olori Atuwatse III) together they have three beautiful children.

2 April 1984

Ikenwoli I Godfery Emiko

20th Olu. Ikenwoli Godfrey Emiko born to Olu Erejuwa II and Olori Eyinagboluwade Emiko. He succeeded his elder brother and was married to Olori Mary Emiko. They had three children.

19 March 1955 – 21 December 2020

Olu Atuwatse II Godwin Toritseju Emiko

19th Olu. He was born Godwin Toritseju Emiko. He succeeded his father. He was a lawyer by profession and was a recipient of the Commander of the Niger (CON) award from the Nigerian Government. Atuwatse II died in a hospital in Lagos in early September 2015, after suffering a domestic accident. He was 70 years old, and was preparing to fly abroad to receive intensive medical care before his condition worsened.

2 May 1987 – 5 September 2015

Erejuwa II Wilson Ayoronmitsi Gbesimi Emiko

18th Olu. He succeeded his father. He attended a CMS missionary school at Ogbesse, thereafter he did business with United African Company rising to become a provincial cooperatives president. As Olu of Warri, he was appointed regional Minister without portfolio and president of the Warri Divisional Traditional Council.

24 March 1951 – 17 December 1986

Ginuwa II Emiko Ikengbuwa

17th Olu. He was a Nigerian traditional title holder and paramount leader of the Itsekiri. He was born Emiko Ikengbuwa. He succeeded his grandfather Olu Akengbuwa as Olu of Warri after an interregnum that lasted 88 years when Warri's political leadership was dominated by merchant princes.

Unknown - 1949 – 8 January 1949

Interregnum

After the death of Olu Dom Eyeolusan João Akengbuwa there was a dynastic crisis following the death of all the potential successors which was followed by a period of political Interregnum. His son Prince Oritsemone left Ode-Itsekiri during the period of the crisis to form the Usele Community. Queen Iye Idolorusan ruled the kingdom for a time in the nineteenth century, but seems to have never been formally designated a monarch.

14 June 1848 – 7 February 1936

Eyeolusan João Akengbuwa

16th Olu. He succeeded his father. He was the last ruling king of the Itsekiri and the last Catholic Olu.

1795 – 14 June 1848

Sebastião Manuel Octobia Erejuwa I

15th Olu. He succeeded his father.

1760 – 1795

Manuel Octobia Atogbuwa

14th Olu. He succeeded his father.

1734 – 1760

Agostinho Sabastião Octobia Akengboye

13th Olu. He succeeded his father.

1730 – 1734

Miguel Omagboye

12th Olu. He succeeded his father.

1709 – 1730

Sebastião II Akenjoye

11th Olu. He succeeded his father. As a prince he was known as Dom Ludivico Domingo.

1701 – 1709

Luigi Abejoye

10th Olu. He succeeded his father.

1674 – 1701

Matias Ludovico Omoluyiri

9th Olu. He succeeded his brother.

1654 – 1674

Antonio Domingos Oyenakpagha Obanighenren

8th Olu. He succeeded his father. On ascension to the throne he was named Obanighenren which translates to 'Prince/King with the golden skin'. He wrote a letter to Pope Clement X in 1652 which was delivered to the Pope successfully. He was educated at home and at an institute in Angola. Like his father, he married a Portuguese lady.

1643 – 1654

Domingos Atuwatse I

7th Olu. He succeeded his father. He was initially home schooled by his father and the Bishop in Ode-Itsekiri, which resulted in him being able to read and write in Portuguese. He was later educated in Coimbra, Portugal from 1600 to 1611. He returned as a graduate, making him the first graduate in Sub Saharan Africa. Olu Dom Domingos was the first to marry a noble Portuguese lady, that came with him in 1611.

1625 – 1643

Sebastião Atorongboye

6th Olu. He succeeded his father. He was born Prince Eyomasan. He was the first Catholic Olu, in fact every king after him until 1848 was so. He had a strong tie with King Philip II of Spain, who ruled Portugal at the time. This relation led to him sending his son to study in Coimbra, Portugal from 1600 to 1611. He and all future kings were awarded the title of Dom (D.).

1597 – 1625

Esigie

5th Olu.He succeeded his father.

1570 – 1597

Ojoluwa

4th Olu. He succeeded his father. During his reign, he commenced the process of integration of the Ekpen's/Ekpenede, descendants of Okere with the local population in the kingdom.

1550 – 1570

Irame

3rd Olu. He succeeded his brother. It is stated that he banished the three gods (Ibirikimo, Otueke, and Ike) and their worshipers from Ode-Itsekiri-Olu (Big Warri) because of their incessant noise-making. The gods and their worshipers moved to Orugbo which is a community about 3 km from Ode-Itsekiri-Olu.

1538 – 1550

Ijijen Ogbowuru

2nd Olu. He succeeded his father. He was the first King to reach Ode-Itsekiri (Big Warri) as his father settled down at Ijala community which became the burial place for all future Olu's.

1510 – 1538

Ginuwa

1st Olu. He was the eldest son of Oba Olua, the 14th Oba of Benin (r.1473–1480) and heir apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Benin until he migrated from Benin to Warri, where he was later crowned.