Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has reiterated the need for continued peaceful coexistence in the state and charged Deltans, in particular, and Nigerians in general, to support constituted traditional institutions.

The Governor, represented by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, stated this during the 90th birthday thanksgiving service of His Majesty, Agbogidi Obi Chukwuka Anishi Okonjo, the Obi of Ogwashi Uku Kingdom, at St. James Anglican Church, Ogwashi Uku, on Sunday.

Okowa said that it is more preferable to celebrate people in their lifetimes than feast when they are no more, even as he congratulated the monarch and celebrant, as well as the people of Ogwashi-Uku.

Drawing from the sermon preached during the thanksgiving service, the Governor said that the need for peace in any society desirous of development cannot be overstated, just as he charged the people to support the monarch and continue to attract the blessings of God through his prayers.

“Today he is the monarch and he has the Staff of Office as the traditional ruler of this town and our prayer is for peace to reign but if there is anything that is not open for us to see today, we urge the Ogwashi-Uku people to give peace a chance,” he said.

While cutting his birthday cake in the company of his wife, HRH Prof. Kamene Okonjo, his daughter and former Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and her siblings as well as extended family, friends and well-wishers, the celebrant, HRM Obi Okonjo, said that he was surprised at the overwhelming show of love, stressing that he is not accustomed to celebrating his birthdays, even as he expressed his profound gratitude amid cheers and encomiums.

In her remarks, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala described her father as a man of excellent virtue, noting that he personified the ideal father and demonstrated wisdom through his advice and teachings, just as she said that he is a disciplinarian who is committed to proper parental upbringing of his immediate children and those under his care and tutelage.

Quoting her father, she said: “Material things are not so important, if you lose them, do not fret. As long as you have brains and you are willing to work hard, you will get them back. As long as you have a head on your shoulders, you have everything.”

In the same vein, the Chairman of Aniocha South Local Government Area, Hon. Isaac Anwuzia, described the King as an inspiration to the Ogwashi-Uku people, praying for more life so that the people can further enjoy his reign.

Similarly, the former Rector of the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Dr. Mrs. Edna Mogekwu, said that the Obi has impacted positively on the lives of countless number of persons, stressing that his life has yielded fruits, describing him as a righteous man who is passionate about the advancement of Ogwashi-Uku kingdom.

Speaking on behalf of the grandchildren, the third child of Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mr. Okechukwu Iweala, described his grandfather as a great teacher who always taught values that better shape the society.

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