Okolede Festival: Diri Calls for Peace, Unity Among Communities.
... Oforji, Ingobere, Others harps on unity and cultural revival
Governor Douye Diri has enjoined the people of Bayelsa State to renew efforts to revive the positive aspects of their traditions and culture in order to prevent it from going into extinction.
Governor Diri represented by the Deputy Governor, Pastor Peter Pereotubo Akpe made the call on Saturday, June 13, 2026 at the grand finale of the Ekpetiama Okolede New Yam Festival in Gbarantoru, Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.
He expressed concern over the fast declining Ijaw language and traditional farming, which forms an integral part of the Izon cultural heritage due to preference for foreign ways of life
The Bayelsa Governor listed training of Ijaw language teachers, compulsory learning of the language in public primary schools across the state as part of deliberate efforts made by the ASSURED Prosperity Administration to prevent the Izon Language and Culture.from going extinct
He commended the Ekpetiama people for sustaining the age-long yam festival,and urged them to promote farming, and other agricultural activities in order to contribute meaningfully to the realization of his administration’s policy objective of ensuring food security in the state.
The Bayelsa helmsman also urged communities contending with chieftaincy crisis, particularly Agudama-Ekpetiama, Tombia and Akaibiri to embrace peace and unity for the common good of the people.
His words: “Our people are unique and wonderful. Our culture is also unique. Even our dance and several aspects of our lives are unique. But unfortunately, many aspects of our culture are going extinct.
“Most of us cannot even speak our Ijaw language very well. Some of us see this as great challenge. That is why as members of the state House of Assembly some years back, we made effort to enact a law to ensure that Ijaw language is taught in all our public primary schools.
“But the effort of government will be wasted if we don’t start from our homes and villages. If a language is not spoken, you will forget it. So let us all make deliberate effort to keep our language alive because language is powerful.
“On behalf of the Governor, I want to appreciate the King and people of Ekpetiama for sustaining this Okolede Festival over the years, which is celebration of farming and harvest.
“I want to also use this opportunity to encourage you to remain united and live as brothers and sisters. Let all the communities in this kingdom where we have chieftaincy crisis like Agudama, Tombia and Akaibiri sink their difference for the sake of peace and progress.”
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Bayelsa House of Assembly and Chairman of the Occasion,RT. Hon. Abraham Ingobere, described the Okolede Festival as a celebration of identity and encouraged the Ekpetiama people to sustain their cultural heritage to ensure stability and sustainable development.
In their separate goodwill messages, the member representing Yenagoa/Kolokuma-Opokuma Federal Constituency, Hon. Oforji Abonzibe Oboku and the Pere of Kabowei Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, King Shadrach Erebulu, extolled the leadership and people of Ekpetiama for maintaining Okolede as a unifying factor.
In his remarks, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom and Chairman Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, His Royal Majesty, King Bubaraye Dakolo, hinted that the festival provides a platform for his people to collectively appreciate God for blessing them with bountiful harvest every year.
King Dakolo used the occasion to thank Governor Diri for the construction of infrastructural projects, appointment of Ekpetiama sons and daughters to position of trust in his administration, saying that the measures taken were impacting positively on the lives of the people and appealed for the construction of a befitting auditorium for the Gbarantoru Community.
On his part, the Amananaowei of Gbarantoru, His Royal Highness, Chief Igonia Dakolo, expressed joy over the impressive attendance and thanked everyone for finding time to grace the festival.
Highpoint of the event was the breaking and eating of new yam by the Ekpetiama Monarch shortly after its presentation by women of the Kingdom led by his wife, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Timinipre Dakolo.
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