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By Christy Anyanwu
Warri Kingdom, Delta State, was agog with colourful parades, dances, fireworks and cultural entertainment as the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III and his wife, Olori Atuwatse III, welcomed dignitaries to the maiden edition of the Royal Iwere Christmas Carol and Ghigho Aghofen held at Aghofen, on December 17 and 18, 2021.
The Christmas Carol was a night of high praises, traditional renditions and deep ministrations. Guests and indigenes were thrilled with classic songs such as “Silent Night,” “Once in Royal David City,”
“The First Noel” and the Halleluyah choruses, all rendered with instruments and intonations that defined the rich cultural heritage of the Warri people.
Dignitaries included, former governor Emmanuel Uduaghan; founding pastor, Word of Life Bible Church, Papa Oritsejafor and founder, Restoring Issachar’s Generation (RIG), Apostle Tomi Arayomi.
There were paying of homage by the palace chiefs, ethereal renditions of carols by th
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e choir, reverberating recitation of the Itsekiri National Anthem and the spectacular fireworks display.
Ghigho Aghofen, now known as the Community-Watch Initiative, also attracted traditional rulers, captains of industry, government officials and well-wishers including, Ohworode of Olomu, Ovie Richard Layeguen Ogbon, Ogoni-Oghoro; U
duaghan; Senator James Manager; Apostle Arayomi, traditional rulers and high ranking government officials.
Ogiame said: “Ghigho Aghofen (now Palace Watch) is a new initiative and a legacy project, which forms part of our plans to establish Warri Kingdom asa centre of tourism and development in Nigeria. It is not about watching the palace but about the welfare of over 200
communities. Hence the immediate change of the initiative from Palace Watch to Community Watch.”
He also announced the establishment of the Royal Iwere Society, set up to coordinate and organise a central resource centre for all things Itsekiri—the history, the identity and the unique ways of the people.
