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The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has stepped in to pay the outstanding tuition and clearance fees of Itsekiri students who graduated from Novena University, Ogume in Delta State under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), but were denied their certificates due to the failure of successive PAP administrators.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by Collins Edema, the monarch’s sole representative to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and its Joint Venture Partners.

Edema explained that the intervention reflects the Warri monarch’s enduring passion for the growth, development, and empowerment of Itsekiri youths. “The Office of the Sole Representative of His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri to NNPCL, wishes to inform all Itsekiri students who are beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, and who have graduated from Novena University but have been unable to obtain their certificates or proceed for the National Youth Service Corps due to outstanding tuition and clearance fees, that His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, the Olu of Warri, has graciously approved an intervention to resolve this matter,” he stated.

According to him, a structured process has been put in place to facilitate the payments. “In line with His Majesty’s passion and unwavering commitment to the growth, development, and empowerment of the Itsekiri youth, a structured process has been established to address these outstanding obligations. Immediately after the close of data collection, payments for tuition and clearance fees will commence in batches until all affected students are cleared,” Edema added.

The monarch, he said, remains committed to ensuring that Itsekiri youths enjoy unhindered access to education, empowerment, and opportunities to thrive.

Meanwhile, the monarch’s wife, Olori Atuwatse III, has called for greater inclusion of women in political, economic, and traditional leadership across Africa. Speaking at the 2025 Women Allying Women Conference in Cape Coast, Ghana, an initiative of her organisation Elevate Africa, she stressed that women’s innate skills and influence are essential to shaping the continent’s future.

Delivering her keynote address, Olori Atuwatse III said: “In the modern era, royalty demands complementary leadership from both men and women in building thriving societies. It is time for constitutional reform to include more queens, mothers, and female traditional leaders in local and traditional councils.”

She highlighted that women’s leadership qualities, often displayed within homes and communities, consistently reflect empathy, fiscal discipline, and strategic foresight. However, she lamented women’s limited presence in politics and business.

Describing Women Allying Women as a platform for collaboration, the Olori said: “The home is not just a domestic space; it is a microcosm of society. We are the generation that not only climbs the ladder but steadies it and guides other women up. When we set the temperature of nations, incredible things will happen.”

The event gathered female leaders from across Africa for discussions on empowerment, leadership, and cross-border collaboration. The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mrs. Maame Houadejote, praised the conference as a “game changer,” noting that it also boosted Cape Coast’s economy while showcasing it’s rich cultural heritage

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