To honor the memory of two Anioma monarchs who, in their day, backed the goals of the Organization for the Advancement of Anioma Culture; Omu Anioma, Omu Martha Dunkwu, and Obi Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba—Anioma nation, the sociocultural group based in Delta State, has decided not to hold its annual Anioma Cultural Festival in 2024.

On Easter Mondays, the feast is typically held, and the monarchs are usually present.

In Asaba, the capital of Delta State, OFAAC President Mr. Kester Ifeadi said on Wednesday that the event will not be held this year.

According to Ifeadi, the decision to postpone the 2024 Anioma cultural festival was made out of reverence and remembrance for the late Anioma monarchs, Ọmu Anioma, Omu Dunkwu, and Obi Prof. Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, and Ọmu Anioma, Obi Prof. Edozien, who were influential figures in their respective eras and steadfast defenders of the OFAAC’s goals.

He said, “You recall that the late monarchs were instrumental to uniting the nine local government areas of Delta North by playing host to the annual cultural festival.

“At this period when the burial rites of passage are still on, it will be most insensitive and lack of honour to hold the annual cultural festival when we are still mourning.

“Among these royal fathers who have been with us and encouraged us to succeed was the Asagba of Asaba, Obi Prof. Edozien, in whose domain we hold the cultural festival.

“The Asagba in his time attended all our festivals until recently when he could not, because of old age, but he ensured that his first class chiefs always represented him.”

Earlier in his speech, Obi Henry Kikachukwu of Ubulu-Unor, accompanied by Obi of Umunede and Obi Agadagidi Ezeagwu, noted that the two traditional leaders had played a crucial role in the Anioma nation’s success in promoting peace.

According to him, the late Omu of Anioma and Asagba of Asaba played a crucial role in establishing the advancement and conservation of Anioma traditional heritage.