Ekpe, Ikoro Festival: Ndoki Royal Father Unveils Tourism Masterstroke

In a bold cultural renaissance move that could redefine the economic destiny of Ndokiland, a prominent Ndoki- born royal father and Paramount Ruler of Egberu- Ndoki Kingdom in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State, His Royal Highness, Eze(Amb.) Boniface Ejikeme Akawor, has unveiled an ambitious tourism development blueprint centered on the revered Ekpe and Ikoro festivals- declaring emphatically that “Our culture is our oil”.
Speaking with newsmen recently in his palace at Egberu- Ndoki Kingdom on the importance of taking the Ekpe and Ikoro festivals to global reckoning for prosperous development future for the Ndoki nation, Eze Boniface Akawor, ‘Onye- Nwe- Ali XIII of Egberu- Ndoki Kingdom described the Ekpe and Ikoro heritage as “divine endowments capable of transforming our land into a global cultural destination”.
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”- (Psalms 118:22), the monarch proclaimed, drawing a powerful biblical parallel. For too long, we have overlooked the wealth embedded in our traditions. Today, we rise to reclaim it”.
The Ekpe masquerade institution- deeply rooted in secrecy, discipline, and traditional governance- and the thunderous Ikoro drum, which echoes authority and communal unity, have long stood as pillars of Ndoki identity. Yet, according to Eze Boniface Akawor, member, Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers’, their global tourism potential remains largely untapped.
He outlined a multi- layered master plan that includes: establishment of an Ekpe Cultural Village as a heritage learning hub, annual International Ekpe/Ikoro Festival Week to attract global tourists, partnership with the Rivers State Government and private investors, documentation and digital archiving of Ndoki cultural heritage, and youth empowerment through cultural arts, performance, and craft industries.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish”- (Proverbs 29:18), he added. “But where there is vision, culture becomes commerce, and heritage becomes prosperity”.
In a region long dependent on oil revenues, the monarch’s declaration that “culture is our oil”, resonated deeply with this year Ekpe and Ikoro festivals attendees.
He described the initiative as a strategic pivot toward sustainable, non- extractive economic growth.
Eze Boniface Akawor noted that global examples from Brazil’s Carnival to Kenya’s Maasai tourism- demonstrate how indigenous traditions can drive billion-dollar industries.
“We are sitting on a cultural goldmine”, the royal father said.
“If properly harnessed, the Ekpe and Ikoro festivals can generate employment, boost local enterprise, and reposition Ndoki on the global tourism map”.
The monarch also issued a passionate appeal for unity among Ndoki communities, stressing that internal cohesion is vital for the success of the initiative.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand”-( Mark 3: 25), he warned. “Let us guard this heritage jealously, not as relics of the past, but as instruments of our future”.
He urged youths to embrace their cultural identity with pride, rejecting the erosion of values by unchecked modernization.

By; Bethel Toby