For the record
Being keynote by HRM Dr Emmanuel E. Sideso Abe 1, Jp, OON, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom on the occasion of public presentation and launching of his biography, Saturday, February 14, 2026 at the Ovie of Uvwie palace, Effurun
1. Your Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Presidentand Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republicof Nigeria, 2. Your Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chief (Elder) Sheriff Francis Oborevwori, JP,the Executive Governor of Delta State, 3. His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, President ofthe Senate, National Assembly, 4.Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abass, Speaker, House of Representative, NationalAssembly, 5.Olorogun Hon. Barr. Festus Egwarewan Keyamo, (SAN), CON,Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development andChairman of the occasion, 6.Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, 7.Hon. Anthony Ofoni, Chairman, Uvwie Local Government Council, 8.Distinguished Legislators, 9.Respected Clergymen, 10.Your Royal Majesties from across the Country, 11.The Chiefs of Uvwie Kingdom and other Chiefs across the Country, 12.My dear Subjects of the Uvwie Kingdom, – 2 – 13.Distinguished Guests, 14.Gentle Men of the Press, 15.Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is with heart full of humility and gratitude to the Almighty God, the giver of life and wisdom, that I stand before you today.
I am particularly gladdened that at 83 years, I welcome you all to this milestone moment. The unveiling of ODYSSEY OF ROYALTY: THE REIGN OF ABE 1, OVIE OF UVWIE KINGDOM. THE PURPOSE OF THE ODYSSEY Why write an AUTOBIOGRAPHY? The Elders would say that until the lion tells his side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.
This book, Odyssey of Royalty, is my attempt to document the truth of our era. It is a record of the paths we have trodden, the storms we have weathered, and the triumphs we have celebrated together.
It captures the transition from a life of private service to the sacred responsibility of the throne. We are here today not just to celebrate the chronicle of my adventures and ventures but more significantly, to commemorate the terrific milestones of our collective efforts as a kingdom that is inspired and invigorated by great dreams.
When the idea of this book was mooted by the Center for Traditional Rulers Advancement lately, I was initially hesitant but later yielded, being mindful of the importance of genuine history, especially, when we tell our stories by ourselves, devoid of prejudice, fear or favour. Perhaps, there could be no better ways to preserve our core values, cultural identity, build critical thinking about our transformative experiences and inspire posterity towards greatness, than through such relevant, nonfictional and authentic publications.
The truth is that the potency of Providence can never be underestimated, when it comes to longevity and prosperity.
Right from the womb, God has a plan and destiny for every individual created. Divine favour, the extent of our willingness and submission to the divine guidance are consequential to achievable outcomes. – 3 – I have been highly favoured by Providence to have had a successful professional career at the MINT, spanning 30 years of dedicated and uninterrupted service.
My wife has also been equally favoured by God. She worked and retired from First Bank of Nigeria as the first female Deputy General Manager of the Bank. My youngest son, Ediri, is the first black head of surgeons at the Oxford University Teaching Hospital in the United Kingdom.
Time and space will not permit me to enumerate my achievements and challenges as the Ovie of Uvwie in the past 18 years but suffice it to say that it has been worthwhile. Whatever I have been able to accomplish as a monarch is a reflection of our robust socio-economic inclusivity approach, the organic solidarity and manifold resilience of Uvwie people in the pursuit of our shared goals.
As an experienced public administrator, I know the importance of agility in leadership and I understand the profound strength in empowering every team member to maximize their potentials.
My administration as Ovie started with almost a blank page. The terrain was tough to navigate. The task seemed daunting and cynics were at their best but we trusted in God with whom all things are possible. There were pivotal moments of prolonged debates and brainstorming for crucial decisions. From the onset, I chose to go by the road that was less traveled, mindful of the implications but I knew that taking risks and charting new paths, were very significant to justifying my election as a community leader. I opted to be a purposeful monarch, with laudable targets, unfeigned transparency, compassion, effective communication and courage for bold actions in the right direction.
The conception and translation to reality of the Ovie of Uvwie multi-million naira Magnificent Palace, in a record time, under my watch, stands out as a noble feat of our collective energy.
In the past 18 years, Uvwie has witnessed rapid economic growth, enhanced functionality and aesthetics of public spaces and facilities. We have incredible evidence of uncommon synergy, shared dreams and relative peace, in Uvwie, despite the threat of vicious miscreants and ruthless abductors in many parts of the country.- 4 – My profound gratitude goes to every Uvwie citizen, our friends and associates. You are the architects of this success. I earnestly imagine that our future is boundless, judging from what you have proven all the way. Thank you for being who you are – good people.
Today, I want to take a moment just say thank you to Uvwie people for the confidence reposed in me and for your unflagging loyalty and extraordinary commitment to the pursuit of Uvwie dream.
I had a multicultural upbringing, which has helped me to see the beauty of diversity, from my birth place in Uvwie, Delta State, to schooling in Ishan, Edo state and working for decades in Lagos and Abuja. Permit me to digress a little to discuss our national wellbeing. I sincerely commend the breathtaking efforts of the present administration in the country at evolving pragmatic policies to reposition the nation for greatness.
Nigeria, is a country blessed with abundant natural resources, talented and resilient people, anxiously anticipating when the light shall shine on the land. May the good Lord make his light to shine upon our belove country Nigeria and put to flight the brutal forces of darkness, endemic corruption, religious animosity, political inertia and tribalism, wherever they are situated.
We have come to a point in our national advancement that we must resolve to unite and produce a workable constitution that will give every Nigerian a sense of belonging and pride, guaranteeing justice and fairness. This is crucial and has acquired a sense of urgency. I know that a larger audience of friends and associates would have been here today, from all around, to felicitate with us, but for the sudden overpriced transport fares, particularly by some airlines operating in the country.
With the fearful trend of insecurity in the country, flying is now presumed safer than all other means of transport but the sky-high cost of flying seems even scarier than skydiving. I earnestly appeal to the airlines operating in the country to consider a downward review of airfares in the best interest of national development. However, some people said it was still cheaper to pay expensive airfares than to negotiate with kidnappers on the roads for payment of gargantuan ransom. That’s not funny. – 5 – Let me also say that the government alone cannot solve the problems of Nigeria. More than ever, traditional rulers and religious leaders need to join forces with the government to propagate the core message of unity and compassion, economic empowerment and upliftment of the masses.
As leaders, we are expected to be exemplary, shun self-aggrandizement, depravities and profligacy. I say to Nigerians, be strong and persevere. This challenging time shall pass sooner than we imagine. Every cloud has a silver lining, and it is always darkest at the hour before the dawn.
We shall overcome all these problems and Nigeria shall triumph.
I will not fail to use this opportunity to thank the Executive Governor of Delta State, Rt. Hon. Chief (Elder) Sheriff Francis Oborevwori for his infrastructural upgrade in Uvwie Kingdom. I must also appreciate you for the yearly support for the Uvwie Education/Scholarship Scheme, a project that was started by His Excellency, Senator Dr. Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa, CON, the immediate past Governor of Delta State. The support of the former Governors of Delta State, His Excellency, Chief James Onanefe Ibori and Dr. Emmanuel Ewetan Uduaghan to Uvwie Kingdom remain eternal in my heart. Thank you for listening.
LONG LIVE UVWIE KINGDOM ! LONG LIVE DELTA STATE !! LONG LIVE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA !!!
HRM Dr. Emmanuel E. Sideso, Abe I, JP, OON,Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom
