The Monarchs from the North, South-West, including the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olowo of Owo and a representative of the Ooni of Ife; the Eze Arochukwu, who led the traditional rulers from the East; and traditional rulers from Delta State graced the occasion.
The Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwatse III, has called on the Itsekiri people and Nigerians to embrace unity, rethink outdated approaches and deliberately build a future anchored on purpose, excellence and collective responsibility.
The monarch made the call in his “Speech from the Throne” during activities marking the fifth anniversary of his coronation, an elaborate celebration which attracted eminent traditional rulers, political leaders, government officials, military commanders, diplomats, captains of industry and other distinguished personalities to Warri, Delta State.
The anniversary celebration, which highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the Itsekiri people, also provided an opportunity for the monarch to reflect on his five-year journey on the throne and to set out a vision for the future of the Warri Kingdom and its people.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu; the Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa; Senator Joel-Onowakpo; the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; representatives of the Delta State Government and the Federal Government; service commanders; and traditional rulers from different parts of Nigeria.
The gathering also witnessed an impressive display of royal solidarity, with monarchs from the North, South-West, South-East and Delta State joining the Olu to commemorate the milestone.
The Olu specifically acknowledged traditional rulers from the North led by the Emir of Zazzau, who represented the Sultan, as well as the Emir of Kano; monarchs from the South-West, including the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olowo of Owo and a representative of the Ooni of Ife; the Eze Arochukwu, who led the traditional rulers from the East; and traditional rulers from Delta State.
In his address, the monarch expressed gratitude to God for the grace and accomplishments associated with his five-year reign, describing the outpouring of goodwill and support as an indication of the need for renewed unity around the throne and the greater responsibilities entrusted to the traditional institution.
“We are deeply inspired by the kindness that God has shown us which calls for all of us to reunite, rally around the crown and the greater purpose we have been entrusted with,” he said.
Atuwatse III stressed that the traditional institution must look beyond ceremonial functions and become an instrument for unity, development and inter-generational responsibility.
He said the crown was “not merely an ornament,” but “a carried responsibility to be stewarded, a legacy to be protected and a purpose to be fulfilled together.”
According to him, the strength of a people should not be measured by those excluded, but by the number of people who can be inspired, empowered and united around a common purpose.
“Our strength is not found in the numbers we exclude, but rather in the multitude that can be inspired, empowered and brought together for a common purpose,” the monarch said.
He therefore urged his people to put past differences behind them and build bridges rather than walls.
“We cannot allow past distances to prevent future unity; we must rightly build bridges where necessary and not walls,” he declared.
‘If our future must be different, the way we do things must change’
A major thrust of the Olu’s anniversary message was a call for a mindset change in the approach to culture, tradition, leadership and development.
The monarch argued that while traditions remain important, societies must be willing to examine inherited practices and adapt them to meet the demands of the future.
He drew a distinction between tradition and culture, explaining that culture represents the way people do things while traditions are practices inherited from the past.
According to him, the past cannot be changed, but the future can be deliberately shaped by the choices people make in the present.
“God, in His omniscience, does not allow any man to go back into time to make amends. This means, we cannot change the facts from our history, we cannot change past traditions or rewrite our past.
“While we cannot change our past or deny the reality of the present; it is this same God who gives us the power to shape the future in the way we want it.”
He challenged the Itsekiri people to critically examine their present circumstances and make decisions that would produce a better future for generations yet unborn.
“If our future will be different from our past, our traditions must evolve into a culture that helps us create our future,” he said.
The monarch, however, cautioned against discarding the heritage of the ancestors, urging his subjects to honour and respect those who came before them while recognising that the needs of the future may require new approaches.
He said: “We appreciate the efforts of our ancestors for the way they did things, as that was relevant then and has brought us thus far.
However, if we want to go further into a future that is aligned to our destiny, then we must do things in a different way from how we did things in the past.”
He places challenge as yardstick for direction
The Olu further challenged his people to place purpose above sentiment in determining the direction of the kingdom.
He described tradition as an important aid to purpose, but insisted that tradition should not become an obstacle to progress.
“Purpose has to do with direction,” he said, stressing that purpose helps individuals and communities maintain focus on their actions, aims and long-term goals.
According to him, excessive attachment to sentiment at the expense of purpose could result in the repetition of old outcomes.
“If we accord more sentiment on tradition and not enough focus on purpose, we will keep producing the same result of old. We risk preserving the past at the expense of the future,” he warned.
He called for courage, humility and determination to examine existing practices honestly and identify areas requiring improvement.
The monarch also urged the people to replace a culture of complaints and comparisons with one of creativity and solution-driven action.
“We must develop new habits that focus more on creating and less on complaining. Complaining and comparison does not create the solutions we need. Instead, this keeps us stuck,” he said.
Oborevwori praises the reign of Atuwatse III for restoration of Warri’s glory
Speaking at the anniversary celebration, Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, described the five-year reign of Atuwatse III as a period of renewed glory, peace-building, uncommon leadership and remarkable progress for the Itsekiri people, Warri and Delta State.
The Governor, who was represented at the event, said the Olu had demonstrated exemplary leadership and shown strong commitment to peace and development.
He described Atuwatse III as “a cerebral monarch, a peace-builder and an exemplary leader, a man of grace who leads from the front.”
Oborevwori said the monarch’s passion for the progress of Warri extended to the entire state, adding that Atuwatse III had shown consistent support for the administration.
“I want to place it on record that the Olu has taken more than a passing interest in my administration. You have shown your love and support for this administration,” he said.
The Governor recalled the Olu’s endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration during the Itsekiri nation’s interaction with the government, describing the gesture as courageous, particularly given the monarch’s traditional responsibility to all.
He also commended the monarch’s interest in infrastructure development, recalling his presence during the inspection of the ongoing Ode-Itsekiri Road project.
According to Oborevwori, the road, which includes more than 15 bridges, has been completed and would soon be commissioned.
He noted that the Olu had helped draw attention to the infrastructure transformation by personally visiting and showcasing sections of the completed road.
The Governor particularly recalled a video of the monarch riding a scooter on the completed road, describing the gesture as remarkable because it demonstrated that an area previously perceived by many as difficult to access could now be reached through the new infrastructure.
Oborevwori said the fifth coronation anniversary was therefore more than a traditional celebration, describing it as a reflection of five years of impactful leadership and partnership in the development of the state.
Governor urges Warri communities to protect peace
The Governor used the occasion to appeal to the different ethnic nationalities in Warri to preserve the peace that has characterised their coexistence.
He stressed that the various groups had lived together for generations and urged residents to resist actions and statements capable of threatening the fragile peace and unity of the area.
Oborevwori called on the people to shun inflammatory rhetoric and divisive tendencies, stressing that peace remained essential to the continued development of Warri and Delta State.
A celebration of culture, tradition and royal unity
Beyond the speeches, the fifth coronation anniversary was marked by a colourful celebration of Itsekiri culture and tradition, with cultural displays, royal processions and other activities showcasing the heritage of the Warri Kingdom.
The presence of traditional rulers from across Nigeria added a significant dimension to the event, underscoring the solidarity among Nigeria’s traditional institutions.
The convergence of royal fathers from different geopolitical zones also reflected the Olu’s emphasis on building bridges across ethnic, cultural and regional boundaries.
The monarch’s fifth anniversary thus became both a celebration of his journey on the throne and a platform for articulating a broader vision of traditional leadership, one that combines respect for heritage with the courage to embrace change.
Five years of a new royal vision
Atuwatse III’s fifth year on the throne has been characterised by an emphasis on cultural renaissance, unity, development, youth engagement and the repositioning of the traditional institution as a partner in modern governance and community development.
His anniversary message appeared to encapsulate that philosophy: honour the past, confront the realities of the present and deliberately build the future.
For the Olu, the survival and prosperity of the Itsekiri people cannot depend solely on inherited traditions. It must also depend on the ability of the present generation to interpret those traditions in ways that advance the collective purpose of the people.
As he concluded his address, the monarch called for continued unity around the crown and prayed for divine guidance and blessings for the people.
The fifth coronation anniversary, therefore, ended not merely as a royal celebration, but as a renewed call for unity, cultural evolution, purposeful leadership and collective responsibility, values the Olu believes will determine the future of the Warri Kingdom and its people.
