Obiaruku Ikenga Festival: Community Promises Peaceful Celebration

Community elders in Obiaruku, Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, has said that their 2018 Ikenga Festival, which comes up next week, will be a peaceful one, as they called on tourists and the general public to attend the programme where they can watch the people showcase their culture.
They made this disclosure in a security meeting conveyed by the Executive Chairman, Ukwuani local government, Ogbuefi Chukwudi Dafe at the council’s secretariat.
The Chairman who is also the Obi-Obiaruku, appealed to the Onotu-ukus, Onochi-Ezes and the youths to put their heads together to make the 2018 Ikenga Festival a peaceful celebration.
Also, they said that during the festival, carrying of arms of any kind is highly prohibited except by recognized traditional warriors and their offspring.
They said further that all Ikenga festival activities would be restricted to only the old road as the New Sapele/Agbor, Dafe Road and Almona Streets will be used by visitors and other road users.
Meanwhile, Ogbuefi Chukwudi Dafe has waded into the boundary dispute between Umuaja and Obi-Obeti in the area with a call on them to embrace peace, put aside pride and live as brothers that they are.
In line with his peace and security agenda for the Ukwuani people, the chairman promised to lead and sponsor the peace process between the two communities since both communities are ready to broker peace.
He therefore appealed to both communities to swallow their pride and give peace a chance.
“We must swallow our pride and think peace before our ego. We don’t want more deaths.” he said.

By John Onos