By Magnus Emuji
KWALE/Nigeria: A community leader in Onicha-Ukwuani, Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State, Ogbuiji Augustine Chukwuma, has called on the people of the clan to use the 2026 Ukpalabor Festival to strengthen unity, preserve their cultural heritage and promote peaceful coexistence.
Chukwuma, the Onochieze to the Okpala-Uku of Ike-Onicha and a retired Permanent Secretary in the Delta State Civil Service, made the call in a goodwill message to the people of Onicha-Ukwuani as the community commenced activities for this year’s annual festival.
He described Ukpalabor as an important cultural occasion that provides an opportunity for the people to celebrate their heritage while reinforcing the bonds of peace, love and togetherness among the five communities that make up Onicha-Ukwuani: Ike-Onicha, Amorji, Ibabu, Eweshi and Ugiliamai.
According to him, the festival should go beyond celebration and serve as a reminder of the values that have traditionally defined the people, particularly hospitality, peaceful coexistence and communal solidarity.
Chukwuma encouraged residents to demonstrate the spirit of brotherhood by sharing food and farm produce with one another and extending the gesture to visitors and strangers during the celebration.
He urged the people, particularly the younger generation, to recognise the importance of preserving their customs and traditions and transmitting them to future generations.
While calling for peace during and after the festivities, Chukwuma appealed to residents to avoid actions that could undermine the peaceful reputation of Onicha-Ukwuani.
He also renewed his appeal to the Delta State Government and the leadership of Ndokwa West Local Government Area to intervene over what he described as the continued presence of herders and cattle in parts of the community’s farmlands.
Chukwuma alleged that herders and their cattle had returned to the affected areas on August 5, following earlier efforts by the state government and the local government authorities to get them to leave.
He said the development had heightened apprehension among residents and affected farmers’ ability to access their farmlands.
The community leader further alleged that women in the area were particularly vulnerable to security threats around the boundary between Ike-Onicha and neighbouring Ogbagu-Ogume, adding that the situation had discouraged some residents from going to their farms.
He appealed to the relevant authorities to sustain efforts aimed at restoring the confidence of residents and ensuring that farmers could safely return to their fields.
Chukwuma, however, acknowledged the earlier intervention by the Delta State Government and Ndokwa West Local Government Council in addressing the presence of the herders, expressing appreciation for the steps taken so far.
He said continued government attention was necessary to prevent the situation from escalating and to protect the farming activities on which many residents depend.
The community leader also used the occasion to express gratitude to God for the gift of life as he marked his birthday.
He pledged to continue contributing to community development and humanitarian initiatives, saying he would rededicate himself to activities that promote the welfare and progress of the people.
As the Ukpalabor Festival continues, Chukwuma urged the people of Onicha-Ukwuani to make peace, unity, hospitality and cultural preservation central to the celebration.
