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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The annual Ade wrestling festival of the ancient Uwheru kingdom in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has ended with a call on government to support cultural festivals across the state.
The four-day festival, which was said to be “loaded with lots of cultural activities and much festivity,” was described as peaceful and successful by Uwheru people and other cultural enthusiasts.
Speaking with our correspondent during the festival, the president-general of Uwheru kingdom, Chief Hon. Macpherson Igbedi, urged Uwheru people especially the youths to actively participate in the cultural festival “with joy and happiness.”
He said:”Uwheru is an ancient kingdom in Urhobo land with rich cultural heritage. We have many cultural festivals but this Ade wrestling festival is most popular amongst them. It’s a traditional wrestling contest and highly competitive amongst the participants. Though there are no big prizes attached for winners, but winners are placed high with respect and honour in the community.
“Winning in the wrestling contest is a great achievement and way to achieve the Ade traditional chieftaincy title in the kingdom. The contest is done stage by stage, beginning from children to youths and finally to adults. It’s very interesting to watch.”
The president-general however called on the state ministry of culture and tourism and private investors to always support Uwheru kingdom with modern technology to promote the rich Ade wrestling festival.
“Without doubt, one of the objectives of the ministry of Culture and Tourism is to promote cultural festivals in the state. I want at this time to call on the ministry and other private investors in the culture and tourism sector to invest in this our cultural festival by using the state of the art facilities and modern technology to bring the festival to international standard.
“I also want to appeal to our brothers and sisters especially those in the diaspora to always support and participate in such cultural festivals so that the festivals won’t go into extinction so soon. The youths too should show more interest in participating in the cultural festival because of its economic benefits,” he said.
However, two prominent Uwheru sons, Mr. Benjamin Igometi, a DPO with the Nigerian Police Force, and Mr. Cassius Okiki, a senior officer with the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, called on Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) to organize a yearly Urhobo cultural carnival that would feature the rich cultural festivals of the various kingdoms and ensure that these festivals, like the Ade wrestling festival of Uwheru kingdom, are showcased and displayed to the world.
The duo also called on the leadership of Uwheru kingdom to move the cultural festival from its pristine and archaic stage to modern stage.
