Follow Us on Google
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
On the final day of the Okolode New Yam festival (Aya buru fi uge), the aroma of roast yams is usually the first sign that welcomes you to Gbarantoru community in Ekpetiama Kingdom, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The whiffs of smoke, creating an alluring spectacle in the sky tell the whole story that the aroma of this particular species of roasted yam was distinct. So also was the unmistakable excitement in the community further pronounced by the array of beautifully dressed women dancing in rhythmic steps towards the palace of King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, who incidentally has clocked 10 years on the throne of his forefathers.
In several places in West Africa, Nigeria inclusive, yam is the king of crops. It is a versatile crop that confers profound respect and prestige. The symbolic honour yam accords to people is not different in Ekpetiama. Here, Dioscorea Alata, the winged yam, popularly known as water yam, is the most cultivated species. The place of honour Dioscorea Alata occupies in Ekpetiama cannot be downplayed. According to the organisers of the 2026 Aya Buru Fi Uge with the theme: ‘’Our Culture, Our Pride’’ yam is not just food; it is a symbol of hard work, provision, and continuity. For them, the Okolode festival is a living archive of Ekpetiama heritage, which ensures the new yam celebration links those living in the present with the ancestors.
Every year, the Okolode celebration is spread across all the eight communities that make up Ekpetiama Kingdom with activities such as masquerade displays that do not just entertain but tell moral stories; traditional dances performed by age-grades demonstrating how Ekpetiama Kingdom values discipline, unity, and rhythm from youth to adulthood; exhibition of local crafts, attire, and cuisine, putting Ekpetiama artisans and cooks on the global stage and youth sessions where young people learn the language, proverbs and history that don’t make it to the text book. The week-long festival ends with a grand finale in one of the communities. The grand finale of the 2026 edition was in Gbarantoru.
The Chairperson of the Okolode 2026 planning committee, Hon. Comfort Canus, explained that the purpose of the festival is to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Ekpetiama Kingdom, which reinforces unity among the people.
‘’The theme of this year was deliberate. In a time when globalisation pulls everyone towards sameness, Okolode 2026 is a declaration: we will not forget our names, our dances, or our way of welcoming guests. Culture is not a museum piece. At Okolode, it pays school fees, boosts local business, and gives young people a reason to stay connected to home. It draws visitors, creates jobs, and reminds Ekpetiama sons and daughters abroad why they still answer when the home call comes.
‘’Ekpetiama Otu Buru Fi Uge- Our gathering carries weight- and that weight is pride. pride in a culture that survived, adapted, and still knows how to celebrate a good harvest with dignity,’’ she said.
The Amananaowei of Gbarantoru, His Royal Highness, Chief Igonia Dakolo, noted that the prevailing peace in the Kingdom was a major factor in the impressive attendance. According to him, the Okolode festival has continued to be a rallying point for the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom.
The Pere of the Kabowei Kingdom, HRM Peremobowei Shadrack Erebulu Aduo III, visibly impressed by the cultural display, commended the people for keeping the flame of tradition alive.
The monarch, who disclosed that there is verifiable evidence of the medicinal value of Dioscorea Alata, commended the people for keeping to the tradition of farming despite globalisation, and urged them to sustain the cultural values the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom are known for.
‘’This is not my first, nor my second time being in this great kingdom to celebrate the Okolode Festival. People have said good things about the yam here. I want to advise that this culture and tradition you’re keeping to date, you hold it here and you pass it to the next generation. We are in a situation now where our sons, our daughters, or should I say, the Gen Zs don’t believe in farming, but with what we are seeing, the reverse is the case in Ekpetiama because of the level of harvest; it shows the people still hold to their traditional way of life, which is a good one. The yam from this place has been tested, and from what my colleagues told me, it is very medicinal and is very good for our health. So, this planting culture should be encouraged, and with the kind of King you have, I am sure in the next few years most of the people in this community will be industrially doing this and start exporting your products from Nigeria to other countries.”
The speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Abraham Ngobere, who was the chairman of the occasion, declared that Okolode Festival was more than a festival. According to him, the event is a celebration of identity for generations, which underpins the cultural heritage of Ekpetiama Kingdom.
Other News
Ngobere, while pointing out that the Okolode has been adjudged one of the best festivals attended in the world, implored the people to sustain their culture because of its intersection with development.
‘’Let me use this opportunity to encourage the citizens of this kingdom to continue to hold this tradition. Cultural values are what identify the people and their places of origin. Culture brought about development. You cannot separate culture from development. Culture is linked to sustainable development, and that is what we are experiencing here.’’
King Bubaraye Dakolo, Agada IV, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Kingdom, commended the Bayelsa State governor for the prevailing peace in Bayelsa State, which has ensured that the people gathered without fear of attack.
The monarch who expressed gratitude to God that his 1o years on the throne have been marked by peace, development, and environmental advocacy noted that despite the oil exploration activities in the area, the resilience of the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom has defied the harsh policies of the Nigerian government and oil companies.
Sergeant Werinipre Digifa, the commander of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, expressed optimism that the observance of the festival would be passed on to the next generation.
‘’ The Okolode festival has brought people from all walks of life. Farming has been very effective for our people. It has been a source of income that people have used to sustain themselves. We have been doing this for years, and we will continue to do it. We shall pass it to the next generation. We shall ensure our children know our culture and speak our language,’’ he said.
The deputy governor, Dr Peter Peretubo Akpe, who represented Governor Douye Diri, took the guests on a memory lane, sang folk songs, and raised an alarm that many aspects of the Ijaw culture, especially the Ijaw language, are dying. According to him, urgent steps need to be taken to arrest the situation.
‘’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 an effort to enact a law to ensure that the Ijaw language is taught in all our public primary schools.
“But the effort of 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.’’
Dr Akpe further advocated that the people of Ekpetiama Kingdom liaise with the state government to make Ekpetiama a medical tourism hub because of the medical value of the yam planted in the Kingdom.
‘’We have this yam, and several people have said this yam cures diabetes. That means it can be so cultivated, and this place can be a place of medical tourism because of the issue of bad diabetes. Today, Ekpetiama has the Commissioner of Agriculture in our government. I believe that working with him, we can go places with our yam, and have greater and better harvests. The government is ready to work with the people.’’
As the drumbeat faded and the dancing stopped, the memory of Okolode New Yam Festival 2026 will linger in the memory.
