PENGlobal Associates Limited

AMASEIKUMOR 2025: The Sidelines, Opportunities and Downside By Abai Francis

updated 24 Apr, 2025

The 2025 edition of the Amaseikumor Festival holding from Saturday, April 19 to Friday, April 25, 2025, in Oporoza community, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, have witnessed other participants whose presence goes beyond the cultural and religious activities marking the annual event that is taking on a global image.

These participants can be grouped into two categories by purpose—the commercialist (those who desire to satisfy needs of participants in return for a fee known as profit) and the philanthropist (who, like the first, solve a need but whose expenses have been paid for by their sponsors). But in all, nothing is ever free, everyone goes home with something.

The people of Oporoza, and in extension Gbaramatu Kingdom as well as traders from the urban centers of Warri and its environs have flooded the Amaseikumor Festival, which like every other festival, offers opportunity for commerce. Lining the streets of Oporoza are all kinds of entrepreneurs offering their wares across fashion, financial services, foods, among others, with the expectation of patronage from the surging crowd of participants at the festival.

For instance, an enterprising firm, KOSPatrick Enterprise offers financial and communication services to those who desire to withdraw or transfer cash from its Point of Sale (PoS), need foreign exchange, buy recharge cards, apply for registration for a National Identification Number (NIN) as well as offer other broader services in the likes of fabrication, supply of building materials among others.

Food vendors are also stationed offering variety of dishes and assorted drinks. Among the vendors is the BK Cocktail and Bar that provides various assorted cold fruit juice, varieties of drinks and cocktail among others to quench the thirst of participants at the festival.

Philanthropic organisations such as the Esther Matthew Tonlagha (EMT) Foundation; the Mom and Infant Care Network (MICN), and the Amaseikumor Medical Team among others, in collaboration with the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), have set up canopies for the provision of free healthcare services to participants at the festival, with an ambulance also stationed for cases of emergency.

Medical experts such as ophthalmologists and optometrists carried out surgeries on patients suffering from cataract, pterygium and glaucoma; while dentists extracted tooth that brought discomfort to patients. Others embarked on routine checks for high blood pressure, malaria, sugar level, and general body check up. Patients were also gifted free medicated eye glasses, free tooth brush and paste, including drugs.

Worth mentioning are the various media outlets that have also stationed their brands to get contents for their social platforms while creating awareness of the festival to viewers and readers online and offline. With majority live streaming the events, viewers that are not on ground are informed of the series of activities ongoing.

Already many commercialist are smiling to the banks as the patronage in the 2025 edition surpassed many of their sales projections. Indeed, the Amaseikumor Festival, as it grows bigger each year, is also empowering the commercialist who are already looking forward to the next edition as the programme draws to a close.

However, a downside of the festival is the failure of investors in the real estate or housing sector to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the annual Amaseikumor Festival as the issue of inadequate accommodations continue to linger. Each year, thousands of guests are left to sleep in any open available space due to the shortage of available lodge or guest houses. The lack of accommodation have also birthed other teething challenges, especially for women and young girls who become vulnerable targets for uncultured young men despite the message of purity being preached at the festival. It is hoped the issue of accommodation will be eased as the years go by.