Burna Boy, Soso Soberekon Unveil Scholarship Scheme for 500 Niger Delta Youths

Following the huge success of the Benikrukru Christmas Carnival in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, which featured global music star Burna Boy and was packaged by leading entertainment promoter Soso Soberekon for Dr. (Mrs.) Esther Mathew Tonlagha, founder of the EMT Foundation, a major follow-up initiative has been announced with a strong focus on education and youth empowerment.

The new initiative, tagged From Carnival to Classroom, will provide scholarships to 500 Niger Delta youths currently enrolled in tertiary institutions and facing serious financial challenges with the payment of school fees. The scholarship scheme is designed to ease the burden on indigent students and ensure that financial hardship does not cut short their academic pursuits.

The initiative comes in response to the massive support and participation recorded during the Benikrukru Christmas Carnival, which attracted youths from across the Niger Delta region and drew national and international attention. Organizers say the overwhelming turnout and positive reception inspired the decision to channel the success of the carnival into a lasting social impact project.

By linking entertainment with education, the scholarship scheme reflects a deliberate effort to give back to the community, particularly to young people who represent the future of the region. It also underscores a broader commitment to social responsibility, youth development, and human capital growth in the Niger Delta.

The scholarship initiative has been widely described as timely and thoughtful, especially at a period when many students are struggling with rising educational costs. It stands as a notable example of how cultural and entertainment events can be leveraged to drive meaningful and sustainable community development.

Further details on the application process and implementation of the scholarship scheme are expected to be released in due course.

Ayakoromo Community 40Th Annual Convention Comes to an End with Sworn-ln of New Executives, Adoption of Convention Resolutions

Francis Tayor

The historic Ayakoromo Community 40Th Annual Convention has come to an end with Swearing-ln of the newly elected organs of the community to pilot the affairs in the next two years.

The Sworn-ln ceremony was held at the community Town Hall on Wednesday December 31, 2025 during the grand finale of the 40th annual convention amidst the Executive Chairman of Burutu Local Government Council, High Chief. Dr. Julius Takeme among other government officials.

It will interest the public to note that Ayakoromo Annual Convention is the highest decision making organ in the community whereby resolutions of the convention are adopted and used for the smooth running of the community day to day administration.

The newly Sworn-ln community leadership include; 

Mr. Ebikeniye Princewill Brakala_Chairman,

Mr. Bar Bibowei_ Vice Chairman,

Comrade Paul Kemezi_ Youth Leader,

Comrade Preye Lokiri_ Community Liaison Officer CLO,

Mrs. Brenda Angodideke_Woman Leader,

Mr. William Demebide,

Community Chief Adviser, 

Mr. Amadeinmo Arogbo_ Representative of eldest man among others.

Reacting to the development, the executive chairman Burutu Local Government Council, Dr. Julius Takeme congratulated Ayakoromo Community for peaceful elections and successful annual convention.

He charged the community new leadership to foster peace and unity while serving the interest of the people, and promised to work with the new leadership in order to attract development to Ayakoromo.

Takeme further commended the Ayakoromo Annual Convention Planning Committee ably chaired by Chief. Manager Seigha among other notable leaders for the colourful event, adding that he was pleased with the manner of coordination and orderliness through out the 3-day.

However, immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, the community wine and dine together in the eve of new year as the Ayakoromo born ljaw owigiri high life music maestro, Gen. Best May alias JFred musically entertained the participants with good melodies till dawn.

The Mercy That Interrupts Bloodlines: A Man, a Memory, and the Mercy That Must Come_By William Z. Bozimo

Some homes raise children right, while others exhaust them quietly. Some roofs do not leak rain; they leak silence. Some walls do not echo just laughter; they rehearse secrets too heavy for a child’s spine. This is the reality that we rarely title correctly, even when some of us can relate to it on reflection. We sometimes call it culture, spiritualize it as a ritual for ungodly gains, or outrightly excuse it as tradition. But in all honesty, it is a wildlife disguised as a family where inheritance soon becomes silence.

The first betrayal is not the abuse, it is the normalisation of such an act. In dysfunctional abusive homes; and in some cases polygamous settings, evil rarely arrives wearing horns. It mostly comes with routine. A youngster soon learns early that: pain has a schedule, the authority is indisputable, silence is survival, and boundary is negotiable. The worst atrocities are not always violent, some can be systematic in identity. Such an act not only stays in their childhood, but it matures with them into adulthood.

It could just begin with a look held too long, a touch explained away, and a night that becomes a memory no morning can cleanse. The child is then taught the most complicated lesson of all: “You must never say what just happened to anyone.” In some broken polygamous homes for example, love is not multiplied, it is simply rationed. Affection becomes a currency, while the children become the collateral. The women compete, while the men dominate; and the innocent disappear between two hierarchies.

Where power is unchecked, bodies become territories. If accountability is absent, abuse becomes tradition. So the children grow up believing that authority cannot be questioned, and that pain is deserved. They also feel that God is watching but unmoved. Child abuse not only robs their innocence, but it also mutes their mouth; making it difficult to speak. Then they grow up and are not able to explain why so much anger lives under their skin, and why intimacy with just anyone feels unsafe.

Such individuals may become successful in life and respected. However, they remain internally homeless. The tragedy is that they survived the house, but the house did not let them go. And without divine intervention and healing by God’s mercy, one or all three things often happen: they become emotionless, alive, but absent. They also become angry and fight ghosts that no one else can see. Lastly, they become the echo; repeating what wounded them, while they constantly hate themselves for replicating that same pattern.

This is how bloodlines bleed without any visible wounds. This is also the sad reality of how generations inherit silence instead of surnames. The most destructive lie whispered to abused youngsters is this: “If you survived it, it wasn’t that bad.” But survival is not proof of health, and scars that do not bleed still ache. Many individuals do not know they are wounded; they only know they are tired. And yet, mercy interrupts history and some people wake up to the truth, no matter how late it took them to realise the facts.

The worst thing that can happen to a person from a complex background is not that they were violated, but that they were never told the truth about it. But the most powerful thing that can happen to the victims is realizing that they were never the problem. Once this is known, then the wilderness loses its power, the house collapses, and history eventually meets mercy. A healed individual interrupts cycles, and names what others hide. Such a person is not weak. They are proof that mercy can rewrite bloodlines, trauma is not destiny, and EL-ROI still delivers individuals from houses that were never homes.

Abusers are often once abused, even though it doesn't excuse their behaviour. While silence becomes a plot, pain seeks expression. Some even turn to addiction, reckless behaviour, or suicide. This is not a weakness, it is untreated anguish exceeding human capacity. It is not because they are evil, but because untreated trauma re-enacts itself. This is how some generations are destroyed except by divine help, mercy, truth, therapy, and a safe community.

One of the most tragic outcomes of an abused person is their inability to form a healthy relationship. Love may feel suspicious, suffocating, and dangerous to them. They may also crave closeness yet sabotage it, fear commitment, and confuse control with care. Marriage, parenthood, and friendship become battlefields instead of shelters.

✍🏽 William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keeper

Ayakoromo 40Th Annual Convention Day-2: Community Administrative lssues, Constitution Review and lnterpretation takes Center Stage

Francis Tayor 

The peace loving people of Ayakoromo community both home and abroad in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, has once again converged on Tuesday 30th December, 2025 at the community Town Hall in order to deliberate on critical developmental issues affecting the community.

The Day-2 of the convention mainly focused on community administrative matters as well as interpretation of some silent areas that demands explanations in the community constitution.

It is worthy to note that Ayakoromo annual convention is a tradition of the community people coming together once in a year in order to access the progress of the community in terms of development as well as setting new agenda ahead of the next year.

This years convention was unique and spectacular as it slightly deviated from the former procedure as Convention Planning Committee was set up to manage the activities of the three days programme.

Feelers at the convention described the 40Th annual convention as one of the best so far organized in Ayakoromo ranging from the easthetic arena decoration, provision of adequate daily launch refreshment for participants as well as cultural troupe dance display entertainment among other interesting side attractions.

The Convention was well coordinated by the central working committee ably chaired by High Chief. Manager Seigha, the Esonmowene-owei of Ogbe-ljoh Warri kingdom alongside Dr. William Apiakise, Sir. Clement Moni, Hon. Godwin Edumogiren, Hon. Paul Kurugbe, Engr. Henry Yeaigagha, High Chief. Hon. Yerin Ekpedibo Yerin, Mrs. Eunice Angozi, High Chief. James Egberibo, Dr. Ekanpou Enewaridideke, Barr. Otu Akanyo, Hon. Joe Izon-owei Pouyebo, Comrade Austin Ozobo, Hon. Tony Dauyebo, Comrade Oyinbi Onduku, Mr. Ebikabowei Kedikumo, Mr. Asiayei Enaibo David, Comrade Jerome Demebide, Prince Kelvin Perekeme, Hon. Timiebi Angodideke, Barr. Preye Onduku, Mr. Ayakpo Bayoko, Dr. Ahmed Saibakumo, Comrade Timi Coleman, Mr. Matthew Apiakise among others too numerous to mention.

However, the grand finale of the convention holds tomorrow December 31, 2025. The final Day-3 of the convention is majorly focused on adoption of the convention resolutions, swearing in of the new incoming leadership of the community, award presentation, musical entertainment among other activities.

Some dignitaries expected at the grand finale include; Dr. Baraduce Angozi, former governorship aspirant Delta State, High Chief. (Engr). Kestin Pondi, MD Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited and the Owena of Ozoro Kingdom, Hon. Dr. Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu federal constituency, Chief Dr. Julius Takeme, the Executive Chairman Burutu LGA Delta State, High Chief. Benjamin Ekeremor, High Chief. Boro Opudu among others.

Jolomi Kelvin Congratulates Kestin Pondi on Owena Of Ozoro Kingdom Chieftaincy Title

Mr. Jolomi Kelvin, Pointman of the Anti-Oil Theft Awareness Campaign, has congratulated Managing Director High Chief Kestin Pondi on his chieftaincy title OWENA OF OZORO KINGDOM, conferred by His Royal Majesty, Barr. Anthony Efetobore Ogbogbo, the Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom.

In a congratulatory message, Jolomi described the title as well-deserved, citing Pondi's contributions to the people of Ozoro over the years. 

He praised Pondi's philanthropy, noting that he has helped countless individuals in Ozoro and Isoko, regardless of tribe or religion.

Jolomi also commended the Ovie of Ozoro Kingdom for recognizing Pondi's efforts, stating that the title is a testament to his goodwill. 

He expressed excitement on behalf of the people of Ozoro, saying they have done well to honor Pondi.

The congratulatory message followed a recent award ceremony where Jolomi was honored with an award of recognition for his exemplary and relentless effort in the sensitization campaign against crude oil theft for Tantita Security Services Nig Limited by Maracana Fc in Uvwie Local Government. 

Other awardees included the Executive Chairman Uvwie Local government Hon Anthony Ofoni JP, Uvwie Area commander DCP Aliyu Shaba, D.P.O Ugborikoko Police Station Uvwie, CSP Temi Agbede Zuokumor.

Jolomi noted that Pondi has never discriminated against any tribe and finds joy in helping people, adding that his chieftaincy title is a recognition of his selfless service to the people of Ozoro and beyond.

Ayakoromo 40Th Annual Convention: Manager Seigha sues for unity towards community development, appreciates sponsors

Francis Tayor

The Chairman Planning Committee of the 40th Ayakoromo Annual Convention 2025, High Chief. Manager Seigha, has called for unity among Ayakoromo illustrious sons and daughters towards attracting meaningful development to the growth of the community.

Chief. Seigha, who is the Esonmowene-owei of Ogbe-ljoh Warri kingdom make the remark on Monday December 29, during presentation of his welcome address at the 2025 Ayakoromo historic 3-day annual convention.

Seigha emphasized that with unity, love and mutual respect for one another, Ayakoromo would be an enviable place for investment, thereby increasing the economy of the community.

He thanked Ayakoromo community for adopting the new innovation introduced to organize the annual convention, noting that change is constant towards progress and development.

He further appreciated Ayakoromo sons and daughters as well as friends and well wishers who supported this years convention with finance and other kind donation, praying God to replenish their pocket for their kind gesture, the statement added.

It will interest the public to note that Ayakoromo Annual Convention is an avenue to gather all sons an daughters of the community, both home and abroad in order to deliberate on critical issues towards the growth and development of the community.

Meanwhile, the day 1 of the Ayakoromo 40th annual convention featured men and women Ogele dance competition, star beer drinking competition, Ogunsei among other activities to portray the rich culture of the Ayakoromo mein ljaws of Burutu LGA of Delta State.

Akubiri quarters took first for the ogele dance competition and went home with one hundred thousand naira (N100, 000). Followed by Assesabiri quarters with N70, 000, Tamoukunu quarters emerged third with N50 while Emekpo took fourth with 30k prize respectively.

However, tomorrow 30th day-2 of the convention would focus on discussion, debate and review of the various addresses and motions presented by the various organs of the community.

Opinion: HOW NIGERIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS_By William Z. Bozimo Writes from UK

Nigerians don't observe Christmas, they celebrate and announce it with loud music escaping from windows, generators humming like unwilling mass chorus leaders, and neighbours arguing about who cooked the most delicious meal last year. Christmas in Nigeria begins long before the 25th of December. Roads grow restless, and Markets thicken with urgency. Voices rise, not in anger, but in anticipation. 

Christmas in Nigeria is not a surprise but an appointment everyone has been preparing for, even those who claim indifference. It originally begins with movement. People often travel as if they are summoned by something older than indulgence. Buses leave cities and Cars are fully loaded with bags, rice, and stories waiting to be told again. To embark on a journey home is not exclusively for logistics and obedience alone, it is a return. 

Christmas cooking in Nigeria is not culinary, it is philosophical. Rice is prepared as if guests might multiply unexpectedly. Chicken and beef are treated with full ceremonial respect, while Soups refuses portion control. Cooking Christmas meals is usually a combined effort and everyone is often involved; even those pretending not to know what to do. Christmas delicacies are not about taste alone; it is proof that the year did not defeat us.

In Nigeria, Christmas guests do not ask permission. Visitors often arrive unannounced and are fed anyway.

Hospitality is instinctive: sometimes reckless, but often sincere. Plus the Christmas celebrations suspend all suspicion briefly. Strangers will be seen calling each other brothers and sisters without first carrying out any background checks. Some relatives can also appear unannounced at your house because Christmas in Nigeria trusts that generosity, no matter how inconvenient, keeps society human.

Christmas in Nigeria is usually more cherished by children. New clothes are inspected and worn with pride, even when they are oversized. Nice shoes are tried on with exaggerated walking steps. The firecrackers, also known as bangers or knockouts in Nigeria announce bravery amongst minors, while adults complain about the noise, but secretly enjoy the fun because the children remind them of who they were before life introduced responsibility too early in their lives.

Churches fill up to capacity during the Christmas service. Some just go out of devotion, while others just attend out of tradition. Some people also attend church during the festivities because Hope has been misbehaving all year and it requires supervision. Carols rise with African rhythm, drums challenge the hymns, and praise dancers refuse composure. Nigerians worship as they live life: joyfully, physically, purposely unapologetically, and emotionally.

 And when evening comes, the noise softens as the generators are turned off briefly. The atmosphere becomes peaceful as family discussions begin. Old stories and plans that may or may not work out soon become the centre of their dialogue. Some reconciliation sometimes takes place at this point. The Christmas celebration in Nigeria is not just about how easy the year was, it is about the persistent decision to celebrate our survival with good food, enough to forgive the year for one day, 

Nigeria’s Christmas is not blind to hardship. There are empty chairs, unspoken worries, and prayers hidden inside laughter. But Christmas does not wait for things to improve, it insists on a pause and says: Eat first, Laugh small, and Survive today.

William Z. Bozimo

Veteran Journalist | Columnist | National Memory Keepe

AYAKOROMO ANNUAL CONVENTION 2025 COMMENCES TODAY DECEMBER 29Th: A NEW DAWN FOR AYAKOROMO COMMUNITY AND HER PEOPLE

On behalf of the Ayakoromo Annual Convention Committee, I am delighted to officially announce that the much-anticipated Ayakoromo Annual Convention commences today December 29, 2025. Already, the echoes of excitement are reverberating across our community; the media, youth, women, elders, cultural groups, and stakeholders are fully prepared to witness history in motion.

This year’s Convention is truly unique and innovative. For the first time since the inception of our Convention, an exciting range of cultural and recreational activities has been embedded into the programme to revive our communal spirit, promote unity, and celebrate our rich heritage. Attendees should look forward to:

● Colourful Cultural Dances

● The thrilling Ongusei displays

● The electrifying Agene Dance in the stylistic tradition of Tompolo / Late Jay Jay of Boukangha-Edumu, Akubiri quarters, Ayakoromo 

● Quarter-by-Quarter Ogele Dance Competition

● Tug of War

● Moderated Drinking Competition (strictly controlled, not to encourage abuse)

● A host of others

One of the most captivating highlights already generating excitement is the Events Arena;  beautifully decorated, well-structured, and aesthetically designed. It stands as a symbol of our rebirth and collective pride.

We are also pleased to announce that Lunch shall be provided once daily for participants throughout the Convention, beginning from the 29th to the 31st of December, as part of our commitment to welfare, comfort, and hospitality.

We remain deeply grateful to the Ayakoromo Federated Community for embracing the vision of the Constitution Review Committee and approving this Convention Committee structure in the newly reviewed constitution. This bold acceptance has paved the way for what promises to be a revived, re-energized, and more impactful Convention.

In line with our new direction, paper presentations shall now be professionally managed by the Rapporteurs. This approach will harmonize similar ideas, prevent repetition, ensure clarity, and guarantee effective time management, while still preserving fairness and inclusiveness.

As always, the climax of the Convention shall be the handover ceremony, where the outgoing Town Executives shall formally hand over to the incoming leadership. A true democratic and cultural tradition of Ayakoromo unity, continuity, and progress.

We call on all sons and daughters of Ayakoromo, at home and in the diaspora, to actively participate. Let us celebrate our culture, strengthen our unity, deepen dialogue, and build a renewed future together.

Ayakoromo shall rise. Our Convention lives again. Growth is assured.

God bless the Ayakoromo Federated Community.

ENGR. HENRY YEIGAGHA  (JP)

Acting Secretary,

Ayakoromo Annual Convention Committee.

THE FORGOTTEN WARRIORS OF THE CREEKS: HOW IJAW “GENERALS” ABANDONED THE OKAH BROTHERS AND THEIR COMRADES IN THE FIGHT FOR NIGER DELTA JUSTICE

In the oil-soaked swamps of Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where multinational corporations pump billions from polluted lands while host communities drink poison and breathe gas, the story of the Okah brothers stands as a brutal symbol of betrayal, selective memory, and the corrupting seduction of power. Henry and Charles Okah once central figures in the militant struggle that shook the Nigerian state now rot in distant prisons, abandoned by the very Ijaw “generals” who once shared their trenches, rhetoric, and risks. This is not sentiment. This is an indictment.

Henry Okah, widely regarded as a key figure in the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), has been locked away in South Africa since his conviction over the 2010 Abuja Independence Day bombings. He is serving a long sentence in a maximum-security facility under harsh conditions, far from home, family, and the creeks that defined his struggle. His supporters insist his prosecution was political, arguing that he was criminalised for confronting the oil-state alliance that has bled the Niger Delta dry for decades. Whether hero or villain, one fact is undeniable: he has been completely abandoned by the Niger Delta power brokers who once benefited from the same struggle he refused to renounce.

His elder brother, Dr. Charles Okah, remains imprisoned in Nigeria under even more disturbing circumstances. Convicted and sentenced to life, he has endured prolonged solitary confinement, deteriorating health, and repeated allegations of abuse and retaliation for speaking out against prison corruption. Reports of his critical health episodes have come and gone with barely a whisper from the Niger Delta political elite. No rallies. No pressure. No outrage. Silence.

And they are not alone. Other Ijaw fighters linked to the same struggle men branded militants, rebels, or terrorists depending on who is speaking remain forgotten in Nigeria’s prison system. These were not career criminals. They were products of a region pushed to desperation by environmental devastation, economic exclusion, and state violence. They took up arms while others issued press statements. Today, those others sit at the table of power.

The contrast is obscene. Former militant leaders who accepted the 2009 amnesty reinvented themselves overnight. Pipelines once blown up are now “secured” under billion-naira contracts. Men who declared war on the Nigerian state now pose for photographs with presidents and generals. They are celebrated as stakeholders, elders, even patriots. Yet not one has mounted a serious, sustained campaign for the release or fair treatment of the Okah brothers. Not one has risked political capital to speak their names loudly where it matters.

This is the part many fear to say plainly: the Okahs were discarded because they refused to sell out. They rejected an amnesty they believed addressed symptoms, not causes. They refused to trade struggle for stipends. In doing so, they became inconvenient reminders of a revolution that was supposed to change everything but instead produced a new elite guarding the same old system.

The Niger Delta struggle once forced Nigeria and the world to pay attention. Oil production collapsed, negotiations followed, and fear entered the corridors of power. Today, the creeks are quiet, but nothing fundamental has changed. Pollution remains. Poverty persists. Youth unemployment festers. What changed is who benefits. The silence around the Okahs exposes how far the struggle has drifted from its original soul.

This is a direct challenge to conscience and authority. The Nigerian state has pardoned and rehabilitated many who wielded violence when it suited political interests. The power of mercy exists. The power of influence exists. If former militant leaders can secure contracts and access, they can demand justice or at least humanity for those left behind. Anything less is complicity.

To the military leadership, to commanders who know the history of the creeks and the cost of renewed unrest: speak up. To President Bola Tinubu, who holds constitutional powers of mercy and understands political bargaining: history is watching. The continued abandonment of the Okah brothers is not just a personal tragedy; it is proof that the Niger Delta struggle has been hijacked.

You cannot celebrate the fruits of rebellion and condemn the roots. You cannot dine with power and deny the prisoners who paid the price. Free the forgotten warriors or admit that the revolution ended the day contracts began.

AYAKOROMO, WHERE TRADITION MEETS TOMORROW - GRAND 40th ANNUAL CONVENTION /CULTURAL ODYSSEY: A Jubilee of Heritage, Unity and Celebration

Along the languid bends of the Niger Delta, where the gentle tide kisses the shores with whispers of history, the Ayakoromo community in Burutu Local Government Area is standing on the threshold of a momentous occasion – its fortieth annual convention As the dawn of 29th December 2025 approaches, the air is already thick with anticipation, shimmering with the promise of culture, camaraderie, and pure celebration. This is not merely an event; it is an unfolding chapter in a story four decades in the telling – a vibrant tapestry of tradition and unity.  

From the very first day, guests will be welcomed into a carnival of delights, beginning with warm arrivals at 10 o’clock, before the rhythm of ancestral drums unleashes a traditional dance at noon. As the sun dips gently westward, football matches will rouse competitive spirits at four, energising both participants and spectators alike. One can almost hear the laughter and chants echoing across the fields, drawing hearts closer together.  

The following morning, 30th December, the community’s pulse will quicken with the Ogele Dance at 8am – an age-old spectacle in which movements become poetry and bodies speak without words. An enlightening paper presentation at 10 o’clock will feed the mind, laying pathways for thought and progress, before the midday review of the constitution rekindles the community’s commitment to its shared vision. And then, with the turn of the clock to one, a lively debate and resolution session will invite spirited exchange, proof that the essence of Ayakoromo lies not only in festivity but also in the wisdom of discourse.  

New Year’s Eve, the grand finale on 31st December, will be a crescendo of tradition and protocol – with final constitutional reviews, debates, and resolutions that promise to leave a lasting imprint on the community’s governance and future direction. Yet amid the formalities, the soul of the celebration will never be far – the sound of drums, the flash of ceremonial masquerades, the jovial roar of live music from JFred Best May, all interwoven into a feast for the senses.  

Indeed, the convention will be a kaleidoscopic panorama of competitions and performances. The much-loved Quarter to Quarter Dance Competition will see contestants unleash their finest moves in a spirited contest, with prizes that will glisten as sweet rewards. The famed Tompolo Dance Steps will ripple through the crowds, reawakening memories and forging new ones. Even the Drinking Competition shall pour forth laughter along with the beverages – a jovial nod to the humour and warmth that shape Ayakoromo’s social heartbeat.  

Honoured dignitaries will grace the celebration: -- the distinguished Hon. Dr Braduce Angozi, the charismatic Hon. Julius Pondi, the formidable High Chief Kestin Pondi (Managing Director of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited), and Hon. Julius Takeme,  chairman of Burutu Local Government, among other eminent personalities, traditional rulers, and guardians of the community’s legacy. Their presence will lend ceremonial gravitas to an already historic occasion.  

In the midst of festivity, wisdom will also take its rightful place. TANTITA Security Services Nigeria Limited will present a keynote address on pressing security issues,  offering timely insights and safeguarding the peace that Ayakoromo holds dear. This fusion of celebration and contemplation will serve as a testament to the community’s balanced spirit – joyous yet responsible, vibrant yet vigilant.  

It is said that some gatherings are like the tides – they come in, leave their mark, and retreat into memory – yet Ayakoromo’s 40th annual convention promises to be a tide that refuses to ebb, carving its presence into the hearts of all who attend. Under the Delta sun and to the music of the land, a people will rise together, rejoice together, and look towards the horizon together.  

In truth, this is an event not merely to be observed, but to be lived. The general public is warmly invited to step into this living celebration – to taste its flavours, to feel its rhythms, and to carry home the echo of a community that has danced, wrestled, sung, and built together for forty glorious years. 

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo Town, Delta State

COMRADE JOSEPH EVAH: THE LION OF THE NIGER DELTA STRUGGLE: FEARLESS IN BATTLE, TENDER IN SERVICE TO HUMANITY:-: Illuminating the Path to Liberation for the Ijaw People

-- The Unyielding Voice and Heartbeat of the Ijaw Nation --

Comrade Joseph Angodeme Evah is, without doubt, a rare gem and an unwavering beacon in the turbulent tides of the Niger Delta struggle. Born on the 24th of December 1965 in Ekogbene Town, Delta State, into the illustrious family of Chief John Brebahay and Madam Tuku Evah, he has, over the decades, become a towering figure whose voice rings with truth, courage and unflinching devotion to the cause of his people. Like a lighthouse guiding ships to safety in the storm, his life’s work has been to illuminate the path towards justice, self-determination, and dignity for the Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta region.  

From his youthful steps in the humble classrooms of Ekogbene, Ajegunle Apapa, and Satellite Secondary School Lagos, to his academic sojourn in the University of Lagos where he studied Mass Communication, Joseph Evah’s journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Although the Nigerian Army and the Catholic Seminary may have turned him away, destiny clearly had grander plans, for he emerged not as a soldier of arms nor a priest of pulpit, but as a soldier of truth and a priest of justice, ministering hope to a people long shackled by economic, political, and cultural oppression.  

His rise to activism was carved in the crucible of the June 12, 1993 annulment crisis. As the injustice of silencing a democratic mandate struck him deeply, he quickly realised that if such oppression could be meted out to a powerful majority like the Yoruba, then the so-called minorities of Nigeria, including his Ijaw kin, were in perilous bondage. From that moment, he wove his destiny with the fabric of the Niger Delta struggle, using the media as his arsenal, mobilising communities as his infantry, and truthfulness as his shield. His voice became a clarion call echoing across campuses, marketplaces, and villages, urging his people to rise from the dust of neglect and reclaim their God-given rights and resources.  

Evah’s strategies have been as bold as they are impactful. He pioneered programmes like the Niger Delta Hour on radio and television, bringing the plight and aspirations of his people to the ears of Nigerians and the wider world. His pen and tongue have battled against injustice week after week through press releases, interviews, and statements that prick the conscience of power. He has ventured where many feared, challenging oil companies and government agencies for environmental violations, as in his resolute stand against Shell, NISSCO, and even the mighty dredging ambitions of the Abacha regime. He did not simply raise objections; he won court battles, halted destructive projects, and turned global eyes towards the heartache of the Delta people.  

Beyond the fever pitch of protest, Joseph Evah’s heart beats for the long-term nourishment of his people’s future. Through the Tuku Educational Foundation, named after his beloved mother, he has provided scholarships, educational materials, and cultural revival initiatives. He has nurtured youth groups, planting seeds of leadership and pride in the soil of the Niger Delta, ensuring that the heritage of the Ijaw nation remains vibrant and unyielding. His establishment of the Niger Delta Hall of Fame stands as a monument celebrating the heroes of the region,-- a reminder that the South-South has given much to Nigeria’s story and that these contributions must be honoured.  

As a founding father of Bayelsa State, as a defender of the Niger Delta environment, as a fearless human rights champion, and as the living encyclopedia of Niger Delta affairs, Joseph Evah has etched his name in the annals of history with golden ink. He is contemptuous of oppression and yet compassionate to the core; unyielding in battle but tender in service to humanity. The honours of “Icon of Democracy” and “Lifetime Achievement Award” are but modest acknowledgements of a man whose spirit burns like a timeless torch for justice.  

On this day, as the sun rises to herald his birthday, the people of the Niger Delta, the Ijaw nation, and all lovers of freedom raise their voices in celebration of a hero who has borne the weight of his people’s dreams on his shoulders without faltering. May his years ahead be filled with strength as enduring as the mangrove roots that hold firm in Delta waters, with joy as boundless as the ocean waves that kiss the shores of his homeland, and with blessings as plentiful as the oil wells he fights to make beneficial to his own people.  

Happy birthday, Comrade Joseph Angodeme Evah -- champion of the oppressed, pride of the Ijaw nation, and living legend of the Niger Delta. May your light never dim, and may your voice continue to thunder against injustice for generations to come.

CONGRATULATIONS Comrade Joseph Evah 

EBIKABOWEI KEDIKUMO - writes from Ayakoromo, Town Delta State

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