THE Chairman of 2024 Okpanam Day Planning Committee, Ogbueshi Innocent Uchibuolu has outlined activities earmarked to make the event a memorable one. Ogbueshi Uchibolu unfolded the activities recently at the Ugoani palace, Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State, on the occasion of the unveiling of the event logo by His Majesty, Dr. Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, the Ugoani of Okpanam kingdom.
He listed activities lined up for the Okpanam Day celebration to include; unity cup tournament, heritage day/ cultural exhibition, symposium, ancestral day, homage to Ugoani and gala night.
According to Uchibuolu, indigenes and non-indigenes in the four quarters that make up the community would participate in the unity cup tournament tagged,:“ Ugoani Unity Cup.”
He stated that during the heritage day celebration, each quarter in the community would showcase their identity as warriors or any other representation they may choose, stressing that the day would also include performances of important cultural dances such as Aguba and Odende dances. While declaring that there would be a symposium on a topic that would reflect on the past, present and future directions of the community, Uchibuolu maintained that the symposium would create room for comprehensive discussion on the history, current abd future prospects of Okpanam, focusing on strategies for progress and development.
Uchibuolu noted that there would be Okpanam Economic Summit, emphasizing that a topic to address the menace of narcotics among youths in the community was also captured in the symposium to be organized during the Okpanam Day Celebration.
He said that a day was set aside for the celebration of the peoples ancestral heritage, titled: “Okpanam Ancestral Day”. According to him it is a unique event that would bring together, the villages in Okpanam to showcase the core traditional values so much cherished by the people.
Speaking to newsmen, the President-General of Okpanam Community Development Union (OCDUN), Mr. Robert Ogonenwe explained that the proposed Okpanam Day Celebration was designed to showcase to visitors and residents in the community the cultural heritage of the people and their conviviality.