Bayelsa governor urges cultural revival and peace at yam festival

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has called for a renewed commitment to reviving the state's rich cultural heritage and the Ijaw language, expressing concern that these vital aspects of the Izon cultural identity are rapidly disappearing. Speaking at the grand finale of the Ekpetiama Okolede New Yam Festival in Yenagoa, the governor, represented by Deputy Governor Pastor Peter Pereotubo Akpe, emphasized the need to prevent cultural extinction.

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Our people are unique and wonderful. Our culture is also unique. Even our dance and several aspects of our lives are unique. But unfortunately, many aspects of our culture are going extinct. Most of us cannot even speak our Ijaw language very well. Some of us see this as a great challenge. That is why, as members of the State House of Assembly some years back, we made efforts to enact a law to ensure that the Ijaw language is taught in all our public primary schools. But the effort of the government will be wasted if we don’t start from our homes and villages. If a language is not spoken, you will forget it. So let us all make deliberate efforts to keep our language alive because language is powerful.

Governor Diri highlighted the declining proficiency in the Ijaw language, noting that many residents struggle to speak it fluently. He attributed this to a growing preference for foreign ways of life. To combat this trend, his administration has initiated deliberate efforts, including training Ijaw language teachers and mandating its compulsory learning in public primary schools across the state. He stressed that the government's efforts would be in vain without active participation from families and communities in preserving the language.

The governor commended the Ekpetiama people for upholding the Okolede New Yam Festival, a long-standing celebration of farming and harvest. He encouraged them to continue promoting agricultural activities, aligning with his administration's policy objective of ensuring food security within the state. He also urged communities, particularly those experiencing chieftaincy crises such as Agudama-Ekpetiama, Tombia, and Akaibiri, to prioritize peace and unity for the collective well-being and progress of their people.

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On behalf of the governor, I want to appreciate the king and people of Ekpetiama for sustaining this Okolede Festival over the years, which is a celebration of farming and harvest. I also use this opportunity to encourage you to remain united and live as brothers and sisters. Let all the communities in this kingdom, where we have chieftaincy crises like Agudama, Tombia, and Akaibiri sink their differences for the sake of peace and progress.

Abraham Ingobere, Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly and chairman of the occasion, echoed the governor's sentiments. He described the Okolede Festival as a significant celebration of identity and encouraged the Ekpetiama people to maintain their unity. Ingobere emphasized that resolving chieftaincy disputes is crucial for the advancement of the kingdom, urging all involved parties to set aside their differences for the sake of peace and development.

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The Okolede Festival is a celebration of identity and encouraged the Ekpetiama people to sus