By Adeniyi Ifetayo
In October 2024, Her Majesty Olori Atuwatse III became the first African Royal woman to receive the Freedom of the City of London. In the grand Guildhall, before British dignitaries and African well-wishers, she accepted the rare honour with poise.
But for the Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, it was more than ceremonial. It was a call to continue uplifting communities, particularly across Africa.
Born Ivie Okunbo to the noble family , Olori Atuwatse III hails from one of Nigeria’s most respected families. Her father, the late Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo, was a business magnate and philanthropist.
Raised in a life of comfort and influence, she chose the path of service. She earned a law degree from the London School of Economics and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2010. Her early ventures, such as co-founding a fashion label in the UK and pioneering a breakfast delivery service in Lagos, reflected both creativity and entrepreneurial flair. But marriage to Prince Utieyinoritsetsola Emiko in 2014 marked a turning point in her journey.
When her husband ascended the throne as Ogiame Atuwatse III in August 2021, Olori stepped into a role steeped in centuries of tradition.
Yet, she was never content with a symbolic presence. From the outset, she used her platform to advocate for vulnerable populations especially women, children, and underserved communities across the Niger Delta.
Her primary avenue for impact is the Royal Iwere Foundation, a vehicle for social intervention projects that target health, education, and economic empowerment.
Through Royal Iwere Foundation, she brings medical care, skills training, and educational outreach to hard-to-reach riverine villages in the Warri Kingdom. These communities, often lacking basic infrastructure, now benefit from periodic visits that deliver hope, healing, and opportunity.
At the heart of her mission is the empowerment of women. The EstablishHER program, founded under her guidance, offers grants and mentoring for female entrepreneurs across Nigeria.
Olori personally engages with the recipients, offering advice and inspiration. Her belief is firm: when women are empowered, communities thrive. This is evident in her advocacy for girl-child education, where she not only provides scholarships but actively visits schools to encourage and inspire students.
Yet, despite her embrace of modern strategies, she remains rooted in tradition. As Queen Consort, Olori Atuwatse III takes part in age-old Itsekiri ceremonies, often adorned in coral beads and traditional fabrics.
Locals call her “Mama Iwere,” and not just out of courtesy. In a kingdom once defined by hierarchy and distance, she has built an image of warmth and accessibility. She has been spotted reading to children under trees, distributing sanitary products to girls, and encouraging local artisans to pursue global markets.
Olori’s influence has extended far beyond Warri. Her recent tours to the United States and United Kingdom were not only diplomatic they were deeply personal. In cities like Atlanta and London, she met with African diaspora communities, forging new alliances and exploring ways to connect global Africans to their roots.
At a town hall in Georgia, she remarked, “African royalty often feels mythical, but we are real and we’re ready to collaborate.” Her ability to connect with people, across status and borders, has made her a new kind of monarch one as comfortable in a palace as she is in a classroom or conference hall.
Together with her husband, she also co-founded Elevate Africa, a program designed to nurture young leaders with funding, mentorship, and access to global networks. By supporting innovation, the Olori sees herself as investing in the future of the continent. She once stated, “Progress is not a betrayal of heritage it is the highest expression of it.”
In a country where traditional institutions often clash with contemporary values, Olori Atuwatse III represents a rare bridge. She is deeply spiritual, openly Christian, and often speaks about how faith grounds her in both purpose and patience.
Behind the scenes, she juggles the demands of motherhood and monarchy with remarkable composure. As the mother of three, she speaks candidly about raising children in the public eye and the quiet strength required to lead a life so visible yet so personal.
Olori Atuwatse III is redefining the possibilities of modern royalty in Africa. Her reign is not defined by spectacle but by substance. Her impact is not measured in titles but in lives touched. Whether advocating for gender equity, revitalizing local heritage, or engaging the African diaspora, she moves with grace and determination.
In doing so, she has carved a new path one that honours the past while embracing the promise of the future. Through it all, she remains a Queen in service, not just to a throne, but to a people.
Every 22nd May is your day set aside to celebrate your birthday as you have become a gift not just to Itsekiri nation but the continent of Africa especially Nigeria. Hearty congratulations to a social entrepreneur, builder, support system, forward thinking, Queen Consort of Warri kingdom, Olori Atuwatse iii, the wife of Olu of Warri kingdom.
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