OzikoroThe Oloye and Olareajas: The Hierarchy of the Military-Administrative Chiefs
The Itsekiri political system developed a sophisticated hierarchy of governance that combined military authority, administrative control, and ritual responsibility. Central to this structure were the Oloye (titled chiefs) and the Olare-Aja (senior lineage heads), who formed the framework of traditional administration under the Olu of Warri. While the Olu functioned as the supreme…