“We have much to celebrate,” Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby. Bill Anoatubby uttered those words to a packed Ataloa Theatre at the East Central University on June 26. Emotions ran high with guests feeling emotions like sadness and pride.
Bill Anoatubby stepped down as Chickasaw Nation Governor after almost 40 years in office. He passed the proverbial baton to his son and Lieutenant Governor, Chris Anoatubby.
Theformergovernorspoke to the guests about how the Chickasaw Nation has seen tremendous growth during his terms. He also said he was confident that his son would continue to come up with great ideas to keep the growth going.
“In each position along the way, he has helped improve and advance our ability to enhance the overall lives of Chickasaw citizens,” Bill Anoatubby said. “He knows our programs, because he helped create some of them, and he helped implement many of them. He understands the needs of our people, because he has worked tirelessly to meet them for nearly30years,andheknows how our tribe operates.“He has the education, the experience, and he is well-prepared to lead this great Nation into its next chapter,” Bill Anoatubby continued.
Bill Anoatubby thanked everyone who assisted him during his tenure as governor. He also showed great emotionwhenhespokeabout retiring.
Thenewgovernor’sswearing in ceremony began with the Chickasaw Community Choir singing the opening hymn. After the opening hymn, the Chickasaw Princesses performed and then, the National Anthem was played.
After Bill Anoatubby’s goodbye speech, they did the ceremonial swearing in. Chris Anoatubby gave his inaugural speech and spoke about family and roots.
“Community, culture, faith and family – our tribe is firmly rooted in a foundation of core values, with a strong tradition of service,” he said.
The new governor said that the former governor’s words “echo a sense of purpose possessedbytheChickasaw Nation’s greatest tribal leaders and that he has embodied throughout his life.”
He also reflected on how there are no words that could sum up his father’s tenure as governor.
“As the longest serving leader in Chickasaw history, words feel inadequate to describe the far-reaching impact of Governor (Bill) Anoatubby’s leadership,” Governor Chris Anoatubby said. “He established a strong and sustainable economic foundation that enabled us to fund tribal operations and create new opportunities for Chickasaws” He ended the speech with a promise to his people.
“Today,itiswiththatsame spirit of duty and a profound sense of gratitude that I commit myself to honorably serve the Chickasaw people asGovernoroftheChickasaw Nation, and to strive to build upontheworkandprogressof thosewhocamebefore,sothat itmaybenefitthosewhocome after, just as Chickasaws have always done,” he said.