Olori Atuwatse Ill, the stylish and outspoken wife of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse Ill, has once again captured public attention. She did with her candid comments on polygamy, marriage and her role as queen.
In a recent interview with BBC News Pidgin, the Queen of the Warri Kingdom addressed the long-running speculation about whether the traditional ruler would take additional wives. This is a practice still common among many Nigerian monarchs. Her response was confident and direct:
“First of all, His Majesty is not going to change his mind about polygamy, so let’s just settle that one right there. As for me, I’m like three women in one, so I’m more than enough for him,” she said in Pidgin. 
The comments come months after the Olu of Warri publicly stated that polygamy is not for him. In an earlier BBC Pidgin interview, the monarch said, “God did not give me that grace.” He explained that he values peace, focus, and quality time with his wife and three children. He chose that over the complications that multiple marriages can bring.
Ogiame Atuwatse III further described himself as someone who prefers a private, calm home life after the demands of the throne.
While polygamy has historically been common among many Nigerian traditional rulers, the last two Olus before Ogiame Atuwatse III are publicly documented as having one wife each.
SEE ALSO: Isbae U Explains Why He Created ‘Curiosity Made Me Ask’
Fashion and Personal Style
Olori Atuwatse III has long been known for her distinctive fashion sense. Her turbans and carefully chosen headgears are usually a spectacle, making her one of the most stylish traditional queens in contemporary Nigeria.
In the interview, she made it clear that her role as queen does not restrict how she dresses. She explained that her turban symbolises her crown, and she uses it to cover her hair in honour of her office as queen.
“My dressing is simply how I like it. A lot of people ask me, ‘Why do you cover your hair?’ My turban is my crown. That’s how I see it. So, whenever I’m in Queen mode, I like to cover my hair to show respect for the office I hold. And I don’t feel restricted at all, you’ve seen my style, right? I’m not restricted at all,” she said in Pidgin.
Revealing that she is the personal stylist of the king, she expresses herself freely through fashion, tagging her husband along, while still honouring the traditions of the Warri Kingdom.
The couple married in 2014 and have three children. Since Ogiame Atuwatse III’s coronation in 2021, they have projected a modern yet respectful image of traditional royalty.
About The Author
