National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
By Ariwera Ibibo-Howells
Bayelsa Governorship hopeful and former commissioner for special project, Architect Reuben Okoya has called for more government support to enable communities of the state celebrate and cherish their cultural values and festivals.
Okoya made this call Saturday during the celebration of the yearly Okolede (New Yam) festival of the Ekpetiama Clan, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Speaking to journalists shortly after participating in the event at Gbanrantoru, the host community for the 2018 edition, the PDP stalwart noted that with adequate government support, cultural festivals would become tourist’s events as they have the potentials of becoming great money spinners, thereby raising the economic standards of the people.
Okoya, who hails from the clan, commented spectators and indigenes alike for gracing the occasion and maintaining peace, emphasizing that the Okolede festival is a unifying force for the Ekpetiama people and neighbouring clans.
Speaking as chairman of the occasion, former Nigerian Ambassador to the Scandinavians, Boladei Igala called on the people to maintain their culture, stressing that culture is universal.
The former Ambassador harped that culture is not only a unifying factor, but also serves as means of empowering the people through adequate Government support.
Meanwhile the Ekpetiama clan Monarch, HRM Bubaraye Dakolo has reiterated the importance of support from the Government and multi-nationals for the celebration and preservation of cultural values.
The monarch said over the years the Okolede festival have been enjoying government support for its continuance, emphasizing that the age long cultural festival if properly planned and given enough back up by successive administrations of the state would attract tourists to the area who would inturn patronize business in the clan and the entire states.
The annual Okolede (New Yam) festival of the Ekpetiama people is a cultural rite done to mark the harvest period of the water yam which according to observers and farmers our medium spoke with is rich in various vitamins, but has less sugar.
