By Ambrose Ologide .
The ancient Itsekiri community of Obodo in Warri South was in a festive mood as the people of the community celebrated the age long festival of Umale Olajawe ( Orubatolo ) Festival in a very colorful way from Monday 4th November – 10th Sunday November, 2024 .
The festival which is celebrated in a decade has two sessions; morning and afternoon and it also featured beautifully decorated masquerades of different shapes and sizes .
The joyous celebrants were dressed in their traditional wrappers and shirts( for men ) headgears ( for women) as they danced and sang sonorous songs of the Umale Olajawe Deity .
Both African and foreign delicacies including local and foreign brewed drinks were graciously and adequately served among indigenes and guests during the Orubatolo Festival.
Our correspondent gathered that the festival was celebrated for the peace, progress and protection of the community as well as to cleansed the the community of all that is bad and evil.
An illustrious son of the community,
Andrew Ukavbe who spoke to our correspondent shortly after the festival, disclosed that the history of Orubatolo Festival is as old as the history of Obodo Community itself.
Ukavbe who is a renowned socialite and philanthropist expressed delight over the preservation of the Olajawe Cultural Festival also asserted that culture is an essential part of a people and that its identifies and unites the people.
Ukavbe also reasoned that the Orubatolo Festival is unique and historic in the sense that it is celebrated once in a decade.
The soft spoken leader of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in Obodo Ward, Warri South Local Government Area, seized the opportunity to congratulate Pa Lucky Amadadon and Oma Michael Orighoye ( the Olare – Aja of Obodo Community and the Chief Priest of Olajewe Deity respectively ) and indeed the entire indigenes of the community for a successful celebration of the festival.
Chief Eyitemi Diden, Hon Daniel Mayuku , Blessing Omadoye ,Lucky Okitie – Edun and Goddy Omadoye among other distinguished personalities were sighted at the last day of this year’s celebration of the age long festival of Umale Olajawe celebrated by Obodo Community in Warri South Local Government Area.
