*Monarch prays for peace, unity

*As women group assures of sustaining Ijaw culture in the UK

By Chancel Bomadi Sunday

The ancient Seigbein Cultural Festival of Kabowei Kingdom in Patani Local Government Area, Delta State, weekend, came to an end in grand style amidst Ijaw cultural displays at Patani, the kingdom’s seat of power and headquarters of the council area.

The twenty-day cultural festival, which is fast becoming a tourist attraction in the riverine Delta and Bayelsa States, was also attended by Ijaws in the diaspora and other Africans, who came from the United Kingdom, UK and the United States of America, USA.

The festival, which featured Ijaw cultural activities such as cultural dance, music displays, Owigiri Love Boat, Reggae Love Boat, processions and among others with the full presence of political leaders and traditional rulers from various kingdoms both within and outside Ijaw land.

The Pere of Kabowei Kingdom, HRM (Barr) Shadrach Peremobowei Erebulu, Aduo III, speaking on the importance and significance of the age-long festival, said the 20-day festival comprised a 12-day period of solemn ceremonies.

He said: “Seigbein Cultural Festival is one of the very ancient festivals in Ijaw land, which is a unifying festival celebrated annually. Over the years, the festival has been increasingly celebrated and well attended and it’s gradually becoming a tourist attraction to riverine Delta and Bayelsa States, where the kingdom sits.

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“The Seigbein Festival runs for 20 days with the first 12-day period dedicated for solemn ceremonies, which is a period of reflections, after which we have another eight days of all-round celebrations of our culture. Today, the grand finale, is one of those days.

“Culture is one of the means to promote peace and co-existence among a people and the Seigbein Cultural Festival is one of them. Our tradition as Africans, as Nigerians and as Ijaw people is based on peace and unity and this festival is an avenue for peace and unity, as you can see the people gathered here from over 22 communities and from the diaspora.

“My advice is that, every African, Nigerian and Ijaw in particular should hold dear our cultures and traditions that were passed down to us by our fathers. The Ijaw culture is not fetish, our culture is unique and that culture should be separated from religion.

“Religion is your belief in God and your worship. On the other hand, culture is your identity as a people, therefore, do not throw away your culture under the name of religion”.

However, the president, Ijaw Women Association, IWA, United Kingdom, UK, Mrs Vivian Zoradey Ogbomah, who flew in with some members of her group for the Seigbein Cultural Festival, expressed heartfelt joy over the array of the Ijaw culture, where some members also received chieftaincy titles.

Mr Ogbomah said: “We are here today to celebrate the Kabowei Seigbein Cultural Festival and we’re delighted to behold our culture back home, it’s interesting to be part of it.

“As a group, our contributions towards the well-being of the Ijaw people both in the diaspora and back home have been recognized. We, in our little ways are making a big difference for the Ijaw people and Nigeria as a nation in the United Kingdom. Now, our members are being conferred with chieftaincy titles by the king in appreciation of the efforts of IWA.

“One important thing we do as a group is to sustain the Ijaw language in the diaspora because language is the backbone of any race. So, this association has a programme where our children over there are taught with the Ijaw language. Yes, we have an Ijaw Class where our children receive Ijaw language tutorials.

“We’re certainly doing a lot and we want a situation where, for example, I told my daughter, bo fīyaī fī, she would be able to know that I’m telling her to come and eat”.

In the same vein, the vice president of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, UK, Chief (Deaconess) Oki-Akinlade, who was conferred with the chieftaincy title, Bekebenemo-arau in the Diaspora of Kabowei Kingdom, and Hon (Dr) Antonia Garner, who was conferred with the title, Garen-ere of Kabowei Kingdom, said they felt honoured to have received the chieftaincy titles.

“We feel proud of moving Ijaw forward and we feel proud of moving this great nation forward to carry on with our cultures. We carry out various advocacies for young women and we’ll always do what we can to support our Ijaw people”, the group said.