By Patrick Ochei
The people of Ugboba Kingdom in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State, on 21st September, 2025, gathered in their numbers to join their amiable traditional ruler, HRM Obi Emmanuel Ezedinbu Nkebakwu 111 to celebrate his new yam festival (Iwaji) in a very unique cultural ambience.
The festival once again, afforded the agrarian and ancient coal community of Ugboba to showcase their rich cultural heritage and communal harmony.
The Obi who was in his best Royal attire could not stop smiling while performing his traditional obligation of dancing to the tune of the local drum, even as he beheld the overwhelming joy on the faces of his people.
Obi Nkebakwu was surrounded by his family members, village people from different Quarters, members of the Ugboba Development Union (UDU) and members of Ugboba Youth Association, as well as management and staff of Mosra Energy Limited, friends and guests who have come from far and near to celebrate with the king whose reign has brought progressive visibility to the coal mining community of Ugboba.
In his short and explicit narration of the Iwaji Obi Ugboba, the Secretary General of Ugboba Development Union, Chief Otobo Ofili said, such a festival as the Iwaji Obi savours the peace and unity that exist in the community, describing it as a cultural reunion of the people.
He said, Ugboba is a hospitable community disposed to loving strangers with no barriers, maintaining that they do such in anticipation that wherever their sons and daughters are found to be residing, such love and hospitality would also be extended to them.
Chief Ofili therefore, urged the community people to continue to support and cooperate with the king so he would be motivated towards activating his rich contact and ideas for the progressive development of Ugboba Kingdom.
Meanwhile, as usual, it was a bountiful harvest this season, just as the evidence of the large tubers of yam that some of the community people had come with to pay homage to the king had proven.
In like manner, the palace exhibited the fruitfulness of the community in terms of the quality of production of their crops and the harvest of peace, just as there were plenty to eat, drink and make merry with in convivial moods.
