Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, has said the enduring values of faith, compassion, discipline and selfless service instilled in him by his late parents inspired the people-centred leadership philosophy that now defines his administration.

The governor stated this on Sunday during a memorial thanksgiving service in honour of his late parents, Elder and Mrs. Edet Okon Otu, at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Duke Town Cathedral, Calabar.

Addressing family members, government officials, clergy and other worshippers, Otu said he stood before the congregation first as the eldest son of his parents before being governor, noting that the principles they imparted continue to shape his approach to governance.

“I stand here today not as governor, but as your first child. I learnt from you that a man’s greatest worth is not measured by riches, but by the number of lives he touches. Your open-door policy has become our People’s First Agenda,” he said.

The governor paid glowing tribute to his late mother, whom he described as an exceptional educator who dedicated more than five decades to teaching and mentoring young people, and to his late father, whose generosity and compassion made their home a refuge for the less privileged.

According to him, the values of humility, integrity, service and compassion instilled by his parents remain the guiding principles of his administration and continue to influence policies aimed at improving the welfare of Cross River residents.

“Today, your classroom has become our learning ground. Your legacy lives on in every child we educate, every hungry person we feed, every applicant we employ and every life we uplift,” Otu added.

In his sermon titled “Building the Family for Tomorrow,” the Prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, His Eminence, Most Rev. Dr. Ekpenyong Nyong Akpanika, urged parents to deliberately raise children with godly values, discipline and sound moral character.

Drawing lessons from the biblical families of Eli, Hannah and Timothy, the cleric said wealth and social status could never substitute for responsible parenting.

He stressed that enduring legacies are built through integrity, discipline, commitment to God and the intentional nurturing of future generations.