THE RACE FOR CORONATION

 

I was thinking this morning... As Itsekiri sons and daughters resident in Lagos gathered at the Skyline Hall of Oriental Hotel Lekki, yesterday the 21st day of August, in the 21st year of the 21st century to be part of the coronation of the 21st Olu of Warri, I made sure not to pass on this glorious opportunity to witness a major milestone in Itsekiri history and a time where all Itsekiris from far and near look forward to a celebration of our rich cultural heritage.

I settled for the gathering in Lagos because it was the next best thing to being live at the venue at Ode-Itsekiri, in Warri. Moreover, with the Delta variant still very much on rampage, I am a lot more comfortable in a controlled environment than a huge crowd that could potentially be a super-spreader.

As the coronation is being live streamed from Itsekiri-olu (the Itsekiri term for Big Warri or Ode-Itsekiri), we were treated, at Lekki, to scrumptious traditional food in a nostalgic setting with Itsekiri dance steps and an exhibition of the rich cultural heritage of the Itsekiri nation. As the revered crown was raised, I pictured how it has moved from Ginuwa to Irame, Erejuwa to Ikenwoli, and now being placed on the head of Omoba Utienyinoritsetsola Emiko.

Suddenly, I was transfixed and the Hall transmogrified into a celestial realm where I saw in a flash that life is a race for coronation. By definition, a coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a crown upon a monarch's head. 

Right from when you are born, you begin a race to your coronation either in this life or in the after-life. Some enjoy the double honour of being coronated both in this life (business and career) and in the hereafter, while only very few enjoy the triple honour of being coronated in their career, community and afterlife.

What determines whether you get the crown on earth is grace and diligence, but to get the crown of life you need endurance and love of God. Many chase, fight and kill over the earthly crown at the detriment of the heavenly. What an error.

James 1:12 says 'Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord had promised to them that love him.' Tsola Emiko has received his earthly crown and shown that he is working towards the heavenly, what about you? The race for coronation is on. Run wisely!

Stay hopeful. God's got your back.

Happy Sunday.

......Just the thoughts of a certain Wey Mey