Why I Won’t Marry Beyond One Wife ~ Olu Of Warri

Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has said he does not have the capacity for polygamy, noting that he prioritises peace, family life, and personal balance over societal expectations often placed on traditional rulers.

The monarch made this known in an interview with BBC News Pidgin.

While 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 who interacts freely like that. I am in my house, and I like my peace of mind. Simple truth.”

He naratted that his responsibilities as a traditional ruler already place enormous demands on his time and energy, making it important for him to focus on his immediate family.

“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.

According to the monarch, juggling leadership duties that involve constant engagements with presidents, governors, and other leaders leaves little room for expanding his family structure.

“Because you’re a king, you’ll always have meetings. The President will call you, the 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 further stated that personal time was sacred, especially considering the pressures of leadership.