Osamuta Honoured as Akarai-Obodo Hosts Grand Ijele Festival

Akarai-Obodo/Nigeria: Dignitaries from across Nigeria gathered in Akarai-Obodo, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, over the weekend for the 2025 Ijele Festival, a revered cultural celebration aimed at fostering peace, unity, and development in the community.

This year’s edition was particularly special as the people of Akarai-Obodo hosted a Special Homecoming in honour of their son, Hon. Prince Emeka Osamuta, lawmaker representing Ndokwa East Constituency and Deputy Majority Whip of the Delta State House of Assembly. The event was a tribute to his unwavering commitment to the prosperity of the community.

Hon. Osamuta, who was the focal point of the celebration, was joined by his wife, Doner, in welcoming top government officials, political figures, and business leaders to the expansive Akarai Primary School field, where cultural performances, including masquerade displays, enthralled the audience.

Among the notable guests were Delta State Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme; Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor; members of the State Legislature; commissioners; special advisers; local government chairmen; and political stalwart Chief Godswill Obielum.

The festival showcased the community’s deep cultural heritage through arts, crafts, and dance, narrating the history of the ancient Akarai Kingdom and the significance of the Ijele Festival in promoting love and unity. However, beyond the colorful spectacle, the event also served as a platform for the people to voice their developmental challenges.

The President-General of Akarai-Obodo, Mr. Emeka Onyeme, alongside Hon. Justice Adolphus Enebeli, Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission and a prominent son of the community, highlighted the dire need for infrastructure development. They called for the construction of the only road linking Akarai-Obodo to neighboring communities, including Akarai-Etiti, Umuti, Onogbokor, Iyede-Ame, Azagba, Umuolu, Onyiah, and Aboh, the local government headquarters. They also urged the Delta State Government and corporate organizations to provide essential social amenities, particularly telecommunication services, as the community remains largely disconnected from the rest of the country.

Deputy Governor Onyeme, visibly impressed by the over two-century-old festival, commended the Akarai people for their steadfast support of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He noted that their loyalty had contributed to the emergence of Prince Osamuta as a state legislator. He assured them of the government’s commitment to mobilizing resources to develop the area, including the construction of access roads to connect Akarai-Obodo to other parts of the state.

Hon. Osamuta, the chief host of the festival, described Akarai-Obodo as an oil-rich and agriculturally viable community with untapped opportunities. He expressed deep appreciation to the Deputy Governor, the Speaker, and other dignitaries for gracing the festival. He reiterated the urgent need for infrastructural development, particularly good road networks, to accelerate socio-economic transformation.

The lawmaker emphasized that the construction of the Akarai access road would unlock economic opportunities and improve connectivity for the people of Ndokwa East. He reassured the community of his continued support for Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s administration, stating that Ndokwa East remains firmly committed to the PDP.

Speaking on the significance of the Ijele Festival, Osamuta noted that the cultural event symbolizes peace, progress, and unity, dating back to the era of their forefathers. He explained that the week-long celebration culminated in the grand appearance of the Ijele Masquerade, the largest of its kind in Africa. The dance of the Ijele Masquerade, he added, underscores the uniqueness of the festival, attracting visitors from neighboring communities and kingdoms.

Participants described the 2025 edition as extraordinary, as it marked the homecoming of Hon. Osamuta, an illustrious son of Akarai-Obodo. Many indigenes, both at home and abroad, returned to partake in the festivities, celebrating their heritage and paying homage to the revered Ijele Masquerade.

The festival concluded with a vibrant procession of men, women, and children, adorned in traditional attire, dancing through the streets of Akarai-Obodo, reaffirming the enduring cultural pride of the kingdom.