Founder of GLOWA marked her 5th year of Queenship with Likpe Abrani Basic School

ADDRESS BY NANA KUGBEADZOR-BAKATEYI II, AT THE LAUNCHING OF HER 5TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF QUEENSHIP FOR LIKPE - GUDEVE COMMUNITY
AT LIKPE ABRANI/GUDEVE BASIC SCHOOL PREMISES - TUESDAY, 24TH AUGUST, 2021
Nana Chairman the Paramount Chief of Likpe Traditional Area,
Queenmothers of Likpe Traditional area
Divisional Chiefs of Gudeve and Abrani
All other protocols observed
Ladies and Gentlemen
My heart and soul are filled with great joy and I feel so honoured by your gracious display of love for me. Today marks a special day in my life as the Queen of Gudeve and what joy it brings to celebrate it with wonderful people like you.
I wish to share the first three versus of Ps. 126 to start with: “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.”
I know some of you are expecting me to let out the music part of me. Well, relax.
Nana Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, events of 16th August 2016 opened a new page in my life. I found grace and favour in the eyes of my own people. They honoured me, my family and generations yet to come with a traditional title, the prestige to be their Queen. I am very grateful to the Paramount Chief of Likpe, Queenmothers of Likpe, all Divisional Chiefs of Likpe, especially, Likpe Abrani and Gudeve for your support to me since day one. I am the queen I am because of you. And on this day, I stand in the midst of all these people and before God as my witness, to affirm my continuous allegiance to you as traditional authorities of Likpe and my resolve to remain faithful only to the purpose for which we are called as royals for the Likpe land.
To my subjects, thank you for your unalloyed loyalty, trust and cooperation. My reign is absolutely nothing without you.
Five years down the line, I have the course to celebrate not because I have achieved my ultimate goals as a queen, but to show my appreciation to you for standing by me this far. Chinua Achebe said “We do not ask for wealth because he that has health and children also has wealth. We do not pray to have money but to have more kinsmen. We are better than animals because we have kinsmen. An animal rubs its itching flank against a tree, a man asks his kinsman to scratch him.” this is to recognize and emphasize the key role of human and social networks in our individual successes; be it for wealth, fame or even health.
Nana Chairman, one major reason for pulling you here today is to share with you what I intend doing in my small way to impact lives of my dear people and even beyond and also establish that support base for the successful execution of the projects as outlined by the Anniversary Planning Committee Chairman.
Nana Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, I should also use this opportunity to share few achievements of my five years reign as Queen with you. By God’s grace and through your unflinching support, we have been able be come this far.
The journey has not been without challenges. Personally, I have had my fair share of life’s unfortunate twists of events. But as more as they came, you were there when I most needed help and comfort. One thing I have learned in life is what Oprah Winfrey stated as “Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don’t fight them. Just find a new way to stand.”
Nana Chairman, as an advocate for women empowerment and social justice, I find my positions as Director of Education and Queen as opportunities to reach out to more of my targets. I must state unequivocally that, I love all children as a director but my prime focus is on girls.
Nana Chairman, my 5th anniversary celebration is a yearlong celebration with planned activities, programs and projects. I wish to appeal to all of you and your allies to support the celebration with your skills, energy, good ideas, money and other resources. According to Joel Osteen, when you do the right thing with the right motives, there’s no limit to what God will do in your life.
May we continue to remain united for purpose as one people and as colleagues, friends and kinsmen because there is no other way to achieve greatness better than this.
Now join me to sing the song you have been waiting for.
The future is great for Gudeve but only in unity. The future will be greater for Likpe but only through unity and good leadership. The future looks promising for all of us but only by doing what is right for the benefit of all.
Thank you very much for coming. Thank you for being part of my journey. Thank you more importantly for becoming my associates for the achievement of greater things ahead.