AIM Congress: Olu of Warri Tasks African Leaders on Practical Governance
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has called on African leaders to turn tolerance from a political slogan into practical governance, saying shared experiences and inclusive community engagement are critical to achieving lasting peace and prosperity.
The monarch spoke at the AIM Congress 2026, themed “World Governments as Incubators for Tolerance and Shared Growth.”
He cited initiatives in the Warri Kingdom, including Ghigho Aghofen (Palace Watch), which brings different Itsekiri communities to the royal palace on a rotational basis while allowing the monarch to visit the communities and engage directly with their challenges.
“What sounds like a ceremony — is governance,” he said.
Ogiame Atuwatse also highlighted the Warri Unity Games, which brought major ethnic groups in the kingdom together through football, paintball, tug of war and other activities.
He said the games demonstrated that competition could be used to build rather than deepen divisions, noting that the Ijaw won the paintball competition, followed by the Urhobo, while the Itsekiri came third.
“The king’s tribe finished third at the king’s own games. And everyone celebrated together,” he said.
The monarch said the palace had also banned derogatory terms against other tribes, describing them as “wounds disguised as speech.”
He urged Africa to build platforms that allow its diverse peoples to “think together”, rather than insisting that they “think alike”.
“We are not asking Africans to think alike. We are creating the conditions for Africans to think together,” he said.
He commended the United Arab Emirates for institutionalising tolerance and coexistence through government, saying its model offered useful lessons for Africa.
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