Ebenezer Adurokiya, Warri
The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has thanked God for what he described as five years of grace, mercy, protection and provision, while seeking divine guidance and vision for the next phase of his reign.
The monarch spoke on Sunday during a Thanksgiving Service at the King’s Dominion and the Olu of Warri Palace, which marked the climax of the 10-day celebration of his fifth coronation anniversary.
The anniversary, tagged “Global Homecoming: Celebrating Our Cultural Renaissance, Unity and Transformational Progress,” brought together Itsekiri sons and daughters from across Nigeria and the diaspora, as well as political leaders, traditional rulers and business leaders.
The palace was filled with worshippers dressed in colourful attires reflecting the cultural heritage of the Itsekiri people, as they offered prayers, praises and thanksgiving to God.
The Olu expressed gratitude for the past five years, saying every achievement recorded during the period was the result of God’s intervention.
“We thank God for five years of grace, His mercy, protection, provision and His tangible presence in our midst,” the monarch said.
“I want to thank Him in advance for the next five years. Every single thing we have seen in these last five years is the Lord’s doing.
“As we have surrendered ourselves to Him, the Lord will give us all correct visions so that we can see what is ahead of us.
“Any obstacle that will show itself before us will be a stepping stone to more glory.
“Thank you, Lord, for giving us this unique identity.”
The thanksgiving service, held on Sunday, August 23, served as the culmination of the 10-day anniversary programme, which focused on cultural renewal, unity and the monarch’s vision for the wider society.
In his sermon, Bishop Mike Laju described the thanksgiving as a significant spiritual occasion and linked the monarch’s reign to what he called an abundance of grace for the Itsekiri nation.
Drawing from Psalm 69:30, Isaiah 10:15 and Colossians 1:12, Laju said thanksgiving required an understanding of what God had given to individuals and communities.
“Ogiame, whom the heavens have raised to bring forth an abundance of grace to the Itsekiri Nation,” he said.
“The water that comes from this throne is good news to all of us. This thanksgiving is one of spiritual magnitude. The potency of spiritual things. A thankful person is a thoughtful person. It takes a person of light to understand thanksgiving.”
The bishop said thanksgiving represented a deep appreciation for God’s works and urged the congregation not to take blessings, substance and protection for granted.
“Thanksgiving is a deep-seated appreciation for the things God has done,” he said. “What you take for granted means a lot to some persons.
“We must thank God for His substance and protection. We should give thanks always. We need to give thanks to God even when we have so little.”
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