Key points
- Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri has called on corporate organisations to sponsor cultural festivals as part of their corporate social responsibility.
- He said the Odi Ogori Ba Uge Festival celebrates the community’s history, unity and resilience.
- Diri urged banks and other businesses operating in Bayelsa to support cultural events.
- Organisers said the festival commemorates the defeat of a buffalo that once disrupted life and economic activities in Odi.
Main story
Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has called on corporate organisations operating in the state to play a more active role in preserving cultural heritage by sponsoring traditional festivals through their corporate social responsibility programmes.
Speaking at the opening of the 69th Odi Ogori Ba Uge International Festival in Odi, Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, Diri said cultural festivals are an important part of the state’s history and identity and should not rely solely on government funding.
He noted that the annual festival commemorates a defining moment in the history of the Odi community, when residents united to overcome a buffalo that had prevented them from accessing their farmlands and disrupted their livelihoods.
According to the governor, the celebration represents freedom, resilience and the strength of collective action, making it an event worthy of sustained investment from the private sector.
Diri specifically urged banks and other companies operating in Bayelsa to support such initiatives, noting that cultural festivals in many parts of the world are largely financed by private organisations.
He also encouraged participants to appreciate the historical significance of the festival rather than viewing it simply as a social gathering.
Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Prof. Ebikisei Udisi, described the event as a celebration of the Odi people’s history and identity.
He explained that the festival marks the community’s victory over a wild buffalo that terrorised residents for about five years, disrupting farming, trade and other economic activities before it was eventually killed.
Udisi said the celebration also honours past leaders and heroes, including King Akabagu Ofurugbo, who ruled during the crisis, and Akara Edike, whose gunshot ended the buffalo’s reign of terror.
The issues
Cultural festivals play an important role in preserving local history, promoting tourism and strengthening community identity. Greater private sector participation could provide more sustainable funding for such events while reducing reliance on government resources.
What’s being said
“I want to see banks in Bayelsa sponsoring activities like this. Celebrations like this across the world do not depend on government as they are mostly private sector sponsored.” — Gov. Douye Diri.
Bottom line
Diri believes stronger private sector investment in cultural festivals can help preserve Bayelsa’s heritage while promoting tourism, community development and economic opportunities.
