The four-day 2026 annual Ogbo Tein Tua Oge, also known as the Ogbo Erein Festival, has ended in grand style in Ikibiri Community, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, with colourful cultural displays, traditional wrestling and dances.
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The festival, which culminated on Saturday, August 8, 2026, featured a variety of traditional activities and cultural performances showcasing the rich heritage of the Ogbo people.
The high point of the celebration was the conferment of chieftaincy titles on three deserving sons and daughters of the community.
The recipients were Chief Idoubo Gaius Obiene, who was conferred with the title Pere Oru I of Ikibiri; Chief Idoubo Epikiri, who received the title Kelekele I of Ikibiri; and Chief (Mrs.) Ifiemi Engah Kokumo, who was honoured as Ere-Ama Amananarau of Ikibiri.
Speaking on the age-long custom and tradition behind the festival, the Paramount Ruler of Ikibiri in Ekpetiama Clan of Yenagoa Local Government Area, His Royal Highness Barrister Maurice Collins Lagos, Ogbo III, said the celebration was rooted in the community’s experience during the Nigerian Civil War.
“Like you have already mentioned, this is an age-long tradition. The celebration is predicated on what happened during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. It is a celebration of life.
“During the Nigeria-Biafra War, this community was attacked by Biafran soldiers. They shot into the community for over three hours through the dark night, but no life was lost.
“Our sons who were conscripted into the Nigerian Army and some into the Biafran Army all went to war and successfully returned. All of them came back safely. No injury, no scratch, and no life was lost.
“Our forefathers therefore deemed it necessary that we should celebrate life. That is what we have been doing through this tradition that was handed down to us by our fathers. We are also trying to sustain it and hand it over to our children, born and unborn. That is what we have just done.”
On the conferment of the chieftaincy titles, the monarch said the honours were based on the recipients’ contributions to peace, unity and development in the community.
“We deemed it necessary to confer chieftaincy titles on some persons who deserve them. It is not something we sell, but something based on their performance, how they have worked to promote peace and unity, brought development to the community, and contributed morally and otherwise.
“For these three recipients, we deemed it necessary to give them that honour. And that honour is not for them to go and sleep. They say much is given, much is expected. That is what we have just done today.”
Describing the 2026 edition of the Ogbo Erein Festival, HRH Maurice Lagos said the celebration had continued to record progress since he became the paramount ruler.
“Generally, we believe in progress, advancement and developing the things we have started. Since I became Paramount Ruler, I think this is the fifth edition. I have been Paramount Ruler for five years, and this is the fifth year.
“From the first, second, third and fourth editions to the fifth, we can say we have made progress. This edition is far better than what we have been doing over the years.”
Also speaking with journalists, the Chairman of the 2026 Ogbo Tein Tua Oge Festival, Hon. Tunks Coker Zikenah, described this year’s celebration as unique and the most colourful edition yet.
“This year’s Ogbo Tein Tua Oge is very unique. I must confess that this year’s event is the most colourful one.
“I appreciate the many people from all walks of life who contributed to the success of this year’s festival. It is a colourful one and the best of all.
“For some of us who have made contributions, we will do more to ensure that this event, which is uniting the community, becomes even more colourful and better in subsequent years.”
On the involvement of government in the festival and development of the community, Hon. Zikenah, who is also Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yenagoa Local Government Area, said the Ogbo Tein Tua Oge was a recognised festival.
“Ogbo Tein Tua Oge is a duly recognised festival by the state government. I believe that the state government has been making contributions yearly. I know that even this year, the government made its contribution. So, the government recognises this festival.
He also appealed to the state government to prioritise road access to Ikibiri Community.
“Ikibiri Community is gradually developing. We have moved forward from where we were yesterday. The only thing we are praying for from the government is a road network through which we can drive into the community.
“We appreciate the government for looking into Ikibiri Community, but we appeal that the government should look into the road connection so that inhabitants, sons and daughters of the community can drive into the community on occasions like this.
“The restriction of many people who could not come is because of the road network. They have to cross the river by boat, and that is one of our major problems.
“We thank the Governor for listening. Most of the projects in the community have been executed by the government. We are pleading that the road to the community should also be looked into.”
Also speaking to EMTV News, one of the illustrious sons of Ikibiri who was conferred with the chieftaincy title of Pere Oru I, Chief Idoubo Gaius Obiene, expressed gratitude and surprise over the honour.
“First of all, I feel very happy, and it came as a surprise because, as I always say, some things that happen to me are unimaginable. Like today’s event, I was even surprised. The dignitaries and everybody who graced the occasion made me feel special.
“So, I would say I am surprised and also feeling special. When you talk about Pere Oru, it means ‘rich God.’
“For me, when I began to understand where my destiny lies, I found out that my grandfather, my great-grandfather and my ancestors served a deity called Igbegi-Ala.
“And Igbegi-Ala, as everybody knows in the Ogbo Kingdom, is a deity associated with wealth. As a priest of Igbegi-Ala, I thought about it and said, when I received the call from His Highness and his council of chiefs that they wanted to give me a title, I asked myself: whatever I have today was not by my strength but by the grace of Igbegi-Ala.
“For me, this is an opportunity to let the world know that I serve a deity associated with wealth.
Meanwhile, the NDC House of Representatives candidate for Yenagoa/Kolokuma-Opokuma Federal Constituency, High Chief (Snr. Comrade) Doubara Kumokou, popularly known as the Youth Governor, alongside the NDC candidate for Yenagoa Constituency II, Hon. Pst. Esther Martins, received royal blessings from HRH Barrister Maurice Collins Lagos, Ogbo III, and Amananaowei of Ikibiri Community.
The royal blessing followed a courtesy visit to the palace by the political candidates after their participation in the 2026 Ikibiri Ogbo Erein Cultural Festival.
Speaking after receiving the royal blessing, High Chief Doubara Kumokou expressed appreciation to the traditional ruler and the people of Ikibiri Community.
“I will never be a politician who deceives the people. My records are there. It is about the people. That is why they say, ‘When the righteous rule, the people rejoice.’
“We have not even started, but the people are celebrating and rejoicing already. That means when the day comes, the people will still rejoice.
“We did not come here for campaign. We came to greet and celebrate with the Ikibiri Community, as a way of commemorating the experiences of the past during the war, and to unite the people, the community and the clan.
“On behalf of myself and all the great people with us, including my wife, the youths of Bayelsa State, Reuben Okoya and Pastor Esther Martins, I want to thank His Highness of Ikibiri Community for demonstrating this love again.
“We were not expecting this. We thought we were only coming for the festival, but we ended up receiving the royal blessing.
“We will not disappoint you. We will see Ikibiri as our own, where, any day and at any time, we will always call and come, just as you have demonstrated.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman of the Ogbo Erein Planning Committee, Hon. Sonny Ebipadei Alagba, recalled the experiences of the community during the Nigerian Civil War.
He said that before the end of the civil war, which lasted from 1967 to 1970, many good and bad experiences were recorded, including an unprovoked late-night military assault on Ikibiri Community.
According to him, the attack occurred at a time when the people were being liberated by Federal troops and were celebrating their freedom from Biafran occupation.
He stressed that anyone who experienced the bitterness of the war would not wish for another civil war.
“One fine morning in August, precisely August 5, troops from Nigeria, as they claimed, came to find out if they were safe in Ikibiri and beyond. We assured them of their safety.
“They immediately left for Anyama, where some Federal troops were kept for peacekeeping. Not long after, we heard the sound of gunfire that night. There was a crossfire between the two sides. The troops misunderstood themselves.
“Thank God, no casualties were recorded apart from the trauma caused by the shock. The troops who felt that we had given them wrong information accused us of calumny and, with the intent to retaliate, opened fire on the community.
“There was pandemonium. People ran for safety, some to the east and others to the west in confusion.”
Hon. Alagba further narrated how a one-month-old baby, Napoleon Ketekete, narrowly escaped being hit by a stray bullet during the attack.
According to him, the family house, located close to the waterfront, was among those most affected by the gunfire, with bullets landing dangerously close to the infant.
He said the child, however, survived unharmed, describing the incident as a remarkable testimony to the community’s history of survival.
The festival provided an opportunity for the people of Ikibiri and the wider Ogbo community to celebrate their cultural heritage, remember their history and reaffirm their commitment to peace, unity and development.
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