His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, has stated that he is incapable of engaging in polygamy, citing his preference for harmony, family life, and personal equilibrium over the expectations that society frequently places on traditional rulers.
In a recent interview with BBC News Pidgin, the monarch revealed this and discussed the public’s response to a widely shared video of him riding a scooter on a recently built road in Warri, Delta State.
Responding to public admiration and recurring questions about his marital status, particularly why he has only one wife despite his royal position, the Olu of Warri was unequivocal. “As you see me as I sit down here, I get two aspects of my life, the public face and the private face,” he said. “Once I commit from this chair, I am not that kind of social person that interacts freely like that. I am in my house and I like my peace mind. Simple truth.”
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The Olu of Warri clarified that it is crucial for him to prioritise his own family because his duties as a traditional ruler already put a great deal of strain on his time and energy.
“I have a wife. I have children, and I spend time trying to manage the family, invest in their lives too because the whole world is demanding their dad’s time,” he said.
“Because you’re a king, you’ll always have meetings. President will call you, Governor will call you. So sometimes when you go home, you just want to enjoy your own family,” he stated.
He added: “Because you can’t spread all of your energy, so that when you want privacy, you can get it, cool down, relax, pour into my family, so they can also pour into me. If you want to multiply yourself, I don’t know. God did not give me that grace.”
The Olu of Warri claims that there is little opportunity for growing his family structure since he must balance leadership responsibilities that require frequent interactions with governors, presidents, and other officials.
The Olu also emphasised the value of personal leisure, particularly in light of the demands of leadership.
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He underlined that although he continues to be engaged and visible in public life, he purposefully keeps his private life modest.
The monarch emphasised that he is still at ease with his identity and urged the public to see his acts as a part of a balanced existence rather than a break from royal decorum.
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