“As an Ijaw man, wherever you are, whether you believe or you don’t believe, the Amaseikumor is with you,” proclaims Chief Ebi Bebenimibo, the Pere Kekerewei of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, during a chat with PENGlobal Entertainment, as the annual Amaseikumor Festival enters its second day.

The celebration of the festival begins in the morning with the Ogele procession, a ceremonial activity engaged in by young men clothed in white linen, lined up in double queue, as they make their way from the traditional worship center through the town of Oporoza (venue of the festival) and then back again.

Speaking on the significance of the Ogele, Chief Bebenimibo hinted on the significance of the exercise and why it is observed as part of the ceremonies marking the festival.

“The Ogele is part of the process of the Amaseikumor Festival. Whenever we are holding the festival it is Ogele that will start the process. The Ogele is part of our culture and tradition.

“As an Ijaw man whenever we are observing our tradition we must start with Ogele. The Ogele stands for many things, traditionally and religiously. It is a symbolism of happiness in being alive and to praise the gods of our land for keeping us to see this year’s festival.

“The Ogele is followed with prayers at the end to thank the gods for making us to see today and also to see next year,” he added.

Speaking further, the Pere Kekerewei appealed to all to not misconceive the Amaseikumor festival but to accept it as an heritage bestowed on the Ijaws as a way of worshipping their Maker the Almighty God, just as he called on all to shun evil vices in the world.

“My message is simple. This is our culture and we have to embrace our culture. Our culture is part of our life. This is how we worship Jehovah the Almighty God. We are not worshipping any other thing except the God that created the Heavens and the Earth; and it is God that gave us this process that this is how, traditionally, we are going to be worshipping Him.

“Importantly we have to hold the rules and laws of our land. We should not go out of the rules and laws of our land especially now that we are in a global world and a lot of vices are around which we have to avoid.

“Because of worldly pleasures we should not embrace anything that comes our way. We have to stand by the rules and laws of our land and live according to them,” he counseled.

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