Edo Descendants Light Up PH

Last Saturday in Port Harcourt was full of colour for Edo people resident in Port Harcourt.
For the second time in two years they gathered to showcase their heritage with lots of dances, singing ,eating and sharing moments together.
Last year January, they had gathered to welcome the new Oba of Benin
The event held at Randolph Hotel in Rumuobiakani witnessed a large turnout of Edo people within the city with children, young men and women adorned in Bini regalia.
President of the Edo Community in Rivers State,Chief Gregory Oriakhi said the event is geared at uniting Edo people all over the state considering the spread of Bini people across many states in the southern part of Nigeria.
Chief Oriakhi said, ” this is the first of its kind we are organising in Rivers State and we are encouraged to continue to hold the cultural day because we have Edo people in Port Harcourt, including the Ikwerre people”.
According to the President of Edo Community in Rivers State, Edo people are spread across 22 kingdoms in Rivers State and beyond, ” Benin descendants need to know ourselves and this is an event to know and bring ourselves together”.
One of the speakers at the event, Chief Ken Oku affirmed Oriakhi claim of many kingdoms in Rivers State having links with Edo lineage.
Chief Oku said, ‘ we are here in Rivers, but we are not visitors. The place you are seated falls under the influence of Benin. Iam from Ekpeye but we are sitting in our own home. It should not surprise you that you are at home and we are 16 kingdoms linked to Benin in Rivers State.
He stated that in Rivers State the Ikwerres, Ekpeye, Odual, Egbema, Ndoni, some parts of Etche and Andoni have ancestral links with Benin.
Explaining further, the Ekpeye chief submitted that as far back as the 18th century Benin had influence stretching to the coastal part of the country, especially the Niger Delta.
As the women and men danced and swinged to the Bini rhythm, the children lighted incense and clapped for their elders who are carried away by the entertainment of the day.
Most of the foods shared were purely local and many of them ate with bare hands from packaged white rice wrapped in leaves garnished with stews and fish.
Prince Oviawe Uwaifo spokesman for the community said the food were carefully selected to reflect the Bini heritage. “The local food is called Iyan vbe owo”. The dish includes boiled yam and plantain served with palm oil gravy and smoked fish.
Prince Uwaifo stressed that, “we want our children to learn and to sustain what makes us different. And that is why this cultural day has come to stay.”