THE Olu of Warri
Kingdom, His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse II, (CON), Wednesday assured the
Itsekiri nation that no part of the kingdom would be ceded to anybody,
no matter the degree of violence visited on his people and communities.
He also charged the people to always remember who they were and be good
ambassadors at all times while making good contributions to the
improvement of their heritage and fortunes.
The royal father
gave the assurance and admonitions in an address to the Itsekiri nation
as part of activities marking his Silver Jubilee coronation anniversary
at Ode-Itsekir (Big-Warri), yesterday.
Ogiame Atuwatse II, who said his 25 years on the throne had witnessed
ups and down, however, thanked the Almighty God for seeing him through
the most turbulent years of his reign.
He said: “It is right and fitting for us to give thanks to God as we
appreciate all that He has given us and has done for us, all these
years.
In spite of the
strong wind of opposition which we did not initiate, God has preserved
us and has kept us going. We give thanks to Him.
“Although we had a lot of wicked acts of aggression and oppression
directed against us, we are still standing, not with our heads bowed in
shame and defeat, and loss of hope and credibility, but with the
confidence that God is with us, and God being for us, no one can be
against us and defeat us.
“The grip of
occultic and fetish forces has been loosed from Iwereland by the power
of God.”
He made reference to his installation of Dr. Mark O. Erumi as the
current Chaplain of Warri Kingdom and expressed the hope that the
kingdom would look forward to greater things from the Almighty God.
Concluding his address, His Majesty said: “There is also the need and
challenge to preserve our land and use same for the benefit of our
people.
“By the grace of
God, no part of our land shall be ceded to other people, no matter how
we may be attacked. We shall keep developing and preserving what God has
given to us, which our forefathers passed on to us. By the grace of
God, we shall pass the same to our upcoming generations.”
He charged the Itsekiri never to forget who they were and be good
ambassadors and contributors to the improvement of their heritage and
fortunes.
