Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has urged Nigerians to leverage the strength of culture and tradition to promote sustainable peace and national unity.Keyamo made the call last Friday at the grand finale of the 2025 annual Gbaraun-Egbesu Ibolomobo-Ere & Amaseikumor festival.
The festival was held at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.
The funfair and carnival-like ceremony attracted Nigerians from across ethnic and regional divides to Oporoza Community to celebrate with the peace-loving people.
Sons and daughters of the Gbaramatu kingdom within and in the diaspora, dressed in traditional colourful attires danced along with the masquerades to the admiration of the visitors.
Keyamo, while chatting with newsmen on the significance of the celebration, said that festivals such as the Amaseikumor were a unifying factor in the country
“You can see how people from diverse backgrounds gathered here at Oporoza to rejoice with our brothers and sisters.
“So, Nigerians need to utilise culture and tradition to sustain our unity and peaceful co-existence,” he said.
The minister, who likened the Amaseikumor festival to the Argungun festival in Northern Nigeria, commended the people of Gbaramatu kingdom for sustaining the ancient festival.
“Amaseikumor festival represents the people of Niger Delta.
“We must do everything as a people to preserve our culture and traditions, this is our identity as a people,” Keyamo said.
Also speaking, Mr. Alhassan Yahaya, National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom for the Amaseikumor festival.
According to him, the festival is a way of preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.
Yahaya encouraged other ethnic groups and tribes in the country to showcase their cultures to the world in such a fashionable manner as the Gbaramatu people.
“Nigerians should promote things that will bring unity to the country.
“May God grant the people of Gbaramatu Kingdom the grace and strength to preserve their culture through the Amaseikumor festival,” he said.
On his part, Mr. Sheriff Mulade, National Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), called for peace and unity among the various ethnic groups in the country.
Mulade, who is an indigene of Gbaramatu kingdom, said that the essence of the Amaseikumor festival was to promote peace among the Ijaws and Nigerians.
The environmentalist urged political figures to take advantage of the festival and promote peace in their respective domains.
“It is important for us to work as a people in unity because there will be peace across the Niger Delta and Nigeria at large,” Mulade said.
Recall that Amaseikumor festival which came into being at about 14 AD is one of the ancient traditional celebrations handed down by the Gbaramatu ancestors and is celebrated by the people annually.
The festival means so much to the people, as it provides good life, peace, unity, prosperity and protection to the people.
Beyond that, the Amaseikumor festival is believed to be an ancient deity that emanated from the river and it is being celebrated by the entire Gbaramatu kingdom in accordance with rules and regulations.
It is, however, worthy to mention that the week-long event witnessed many activities including traditional dances from the various communities in the kingdom as well as provision of free medical services among others.
Dignitaries from all works of life attended the grand finale of the annual festival.
Among those present were: Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development and Hon. Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency.
Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, member representing Warri Federal Constituency, Hon. Ben Etanabene, member representing Sapele, Okpe and Uvwie Federal Constituency and several other serving lawmakers were also present.
Also in attendance were several serving Delta and Bayelsa States Houses of Assembly lawmakers and other top government functionaries.
Present also, were royal fathers including: Benjamin Ikenchuku, the Dein of Agbor, King Monday Whiskey, the Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom, Emmanuel Sideso, Abe 1, Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Orodje of Okpe Kingdom, Maj.-Gen. Felix Mujakpero (rtd) and King Godwin Ogoifo, Pere of Olodiama Kingdom in Edo State and several other traditional rulers.
