Unyeada Fish Festival Takes Centre Stage

The popular Unyeada Fish Festival was celebrated with fanfare as traditional rulers, youths and other dignitaries witnessed the one day festival to showcase the culture of the Andoni people.
Unyeada ancient town took the centre stage as it reenacted the fishing prowess of the Andonis.
A member of the Unyeada Kingdom Elites Assembly, Mr Gogo Abel-Ujile, chronicled the history and significance of the Fish Festival (Ijok Irin) to the Obolo people of Unyeada.
He noted that the festival served as one remarkable way to separate the men from the boys in a predominantly fishing population for a people that occupy the longest stretch on the coastline of West Africa.
On behalf of the kingdom and the king himself, Gogo Abel-Ujile requested the Andoni LGA to officially adopt the Unyeada Fish Festival as government recognised event.
The festival, he pointed out, is an annual event to mark Unyeada’s fishing season between the months of July and August.
In his speech, Executive Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area, Hon. Erastus Awortu gave plaudits to the people of Unyeada Kingdom, especially the chiefs who have been united in the pursuit of peace, noting that ‘without peace, we could not have gathered here (Unyeada) to celebrate this age-old tradition in this festive setting’.
Awortu expressed appreciation to God, Governor Nyesom Wike, the people of Andoni and especially the chiefs and youths of the kingdom for the co-operation he had when he came in quest for peace on assumption of office as chairman of council.
For more accelerated development, he called for further co-operation from the people and warned the youths against any attempt to re-establish illegal oil-bunkering activities in the area. That, he stressed, was completely unacceptable.
Highlight of the event was the conferment of Chieftaincy titles on two illustrious sons of the soil, the Council boss, Hon Erastus Awortu and Amb. Bartholomew Ephraim by the Unyeada Kingdom in appreciation of the sacrificial roles they played in bringing back peace to the kingdom and its communities.
There was numerous traditional plays and dances to spice the festival as youths and young men enacted fishing skills for all to see.