The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has explained why polygamy is not an option for him.
Mr Atuwatse married Ivie Atuwatse in 2014, and their union is blessed with three children.
His queen is a lawyer and social entrepreneur, as well as the daughter of the late Nigerian billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Idahosa Okunbo.
Speaking during an interview on BBC Pidgin, posted on the Facebook page on Friday, the Olu of Warri stressed that peace, family stability and personal balance guide his decision.
He said he deliberately prioritised harmony in his home over societal expectations tied to his royal status.
Polygamy
Responding to questions about female admirers and his decision to remain married to one woman despite traditional expectations for kings to have multiple wives, he said: “As I sit here now, I live two aspects of life: the public and the private. When I am not on the throne, I am not very social. I prefer to stay at home because I value peace, peace in my life. I have a wife and children, and I spend time managing my family so I can also invest in their lives.
“I do not want life to be complicated because I cannot spread my energy everywhere. When I am in my private space, I know I am private, calm, relaxed, and focused on pouring into my family, and allowing them to pour into my life. As for marrying many wives, I do not know; God did not give me that grace. That is the simple answer: God did not give me that grace.”
Mr Atuwatse added that he always ensured he spent quality time with his family.
He noted that his responsibilities as a traditional ruler already placed enormous demands on his time and energy.
“The whole world is already pulling on me as a king. Today I had a meeting with the governor, tomorrow I will get a call from the president, and all of that. Sometimes, when I get home, I just want to enjoy time with my family,” he said.
Scooter
Furthermore, Mr Atuwatse responded to public reactions following a viral video that showed him riding a scooter on a newly constructed road in Warri, Delta State.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that in December 2025, he was captured riding an electric scooter while inspecting the newly completed Trans-Warri–Ode-Itsekiri Road, a project executed by the Delta State Government.
He was accompanied by an official convoy of security personnel and government officials who followed closely behind him.
“I saw some of the comments about the video, and I laughed. For this position I occupy, it’s good to make out time to laugh at yourself, but let me start by saying, thank God I lived a good life as a child. I lived well, I ate well, I played well, I travelled well. I enjoyed my life. That’s how God do it.
“When you grow older sometimes, whether you are a Bank MD, a president, or a king, it does not mean that you should be serious all the time; it’s important to take time out to relax. So if you want to relax, but do not embarrass yourself, and I do not believe that I embarrassed myself by using the scooter on that day”, he said.
Renewed interests
He said that after the video went viral, several people commended him for effectively promoting his kingdom.
He added that he also received calls from interested individuals enquiring about available land for housing and other developments.
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Mr Atuwatse noted, “I saw that a new road was built, I wanted to do an inspection and I can sit in the car or walk, but I just decided to get a feel of the new road, and you know the road has not formally been opened, so there was no traffic, of course. So there were no safety issues because I was the only one on the road. There was no traffic to avoid. The road was very safe and okay to ride on.
“After the video went viral, people began to message me, and they said I didn’t understand what I just did. They said what I did looks like marketing. People started asking me to show access to available land or to build houses. Most of us have lived life abroad. You have a bicycle, you have a scooter. You enjoy these things in nature. Most of my playful activities are not on camera. I play inside my house; nobody knows what I do.”
