His Majesty Dr. Felix Enene Otuwarikpo, Lî Ny’údū Úpātá III of Úpātá Kingdom, has marked nine years on the ancient throne of the Úpātá people.
The anniversary, celebrated quietly across communities in Úpātá Kingdom, was used by the monarch to call for greater unity among Ekpeye traditional rulers and the people of Ekpeye.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Comrade Oyagiri Monday, the monarch stressed the responsibilities of traditional rulers in preserving peace, culture and tradition.
According to him, traditional rulers are not religious leaders but custodians of the legacies handed down by their ancestors, with a responsibility to ensure that such traditions do not become extinct.
The monarch said unity could be built on mutual trust and understanding, reciprocal relationships, as well as shared interests, values and aspirations.
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He further advocated tolerance and accommodation of differences in opinions and communal identities, urging traditional institutions across the Ekpeye ethnic nation to work together irrespective of such differences.
The monarch called on all kingdoms to adhere to and actively promote the principles of unity, stressing that Ekpeye, as an ethnic nation, should embrace the aspirations of its constituent kingdoms and continue to explore ways of forging, strengthening and sustaining unity.
He also commended members of the Úpātá Traditional Council, youths, stakeholders and the people of Úpātá Kingdom for their commitment to the development of the kingdom.
The monarch said their resilience reflected the kingdom’s development mantra: “Úpātá First, Úpātá Always.”
He added that the vision remained to build a kingdom that future generations would be proud of while preserving the values handed down by their forefathers.
