Olu from Warri receives award in Great Britain: His wife is committed to reshaping cultural values

The Queen of Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III, has stated that the need for the black continent to continue to spread positive cultural and traditional values ​​in order to reshape the identity of the continent is sacrosanct and cannot be overemphasized.

She said her husband, Ogiame Atuwatse III, the Olu of Warri, had taken remarkable positive steps since ascending the exalted throne of his forefathers in changing negative traditional connotations that portray others as inferior, adding that one’s identity must be preserved with dignity and pride.

Olori expressed this when she delivered a keynote speech on the theme ‘Africa’s Sustainable Future: Redefining its Global Identity’ at the 14th African Achievers Awards (AAA) in the UK Houses of Parliament, stressing that the stories we hear and tell about ourselves have far-reaching implications.

She noted that to address some of these challenges, His Majesty Ogiame Atuwaste III and herself founded Elevate Africa to play their part in translating African ideas into solutions for the continent and the world, and called on other changemakers to come together and speak with one voice.

She said: “I am here to share my thoughts with other lovers of our great continent. My husband and I share your passion, so it seems appropriate to start by telling you about something he did a few years ago.

“As King of the Warri Kingdom, he was long burdened by the fact that certain traditional terms of identity had taken on negative connotations that promoted segregation. So he boldly changed these long-used terms to ensure that everyone was seen and identified as freeborn. He also explained why it was important to redefine our common identity and his words still resonate in my mind. He said:

“A few weeks ago, during a speech in London, I said that sometimes my heart stops when an African country is mentioned in a film or show.

“I brace myself and wonder if it will be another negative portrayal. Unfortunately, some Africans and the rest of the world have repeatedly produced the results of these seemingly ‘prophetic’ narratives.

“But when someone mentions ‘the city of love,’ Paris immediately springs to mind. These examples may seem insignificant, but they are a stark reminder of how powerful identity and narrative can be.

“We need to come together, trade together, work together on solutions and speak with unity on the world stage – we need to stop saying what Africa does not want and start talking about who we are and what we want for ourselves and our continent,” she added.

Among the highlights of the well-attended event was the presentation of the award in the Leadership and Community Development category to the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, by the Rt Hon. Baroness Verma, Member of the House of Lords, London.

The Honourable Baroness Verma, in her brief remarks, expressed her joy that Africans have taken on the responsibility of shaping the continent by telling their stories the way they should be told and not the way others want to see them.

Award winners include Visu Thembekwayo, Founder/CEO of MyGrowth Fund Venture Partners South Africa and Caleb Muftwang, Governor of Plateau State in the category (Excellent and Outstanding Leadership), while Dr. Rex Idaminabo is the organizer of the Africa Achievers Awards.

Others include Moses Bliss (Excellence in Contemporary Music category), Abena Opong-Asane, Minister for Implementation in the United Kingdom, and Sam Shivute, Chairman of the Namibian Revenue Authority and Member of Parliament for the Mafinga constituency in Zambia.

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