The Obi of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom in Delta State, HRM Noah Chukwuka Akaeze, has called for greater involvement of young people in community development, urging residents to promote peace, unity and stability.
The monarch made the call during the 2026 Iwu Festival at his palace in Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area, where sons and daughters of the kingdom gathered to celebrate their cultural heritage.
Speaking during the festival, Akaeze described Iwu as more than a cultural celebration, saying it represented the community’s values of purity, renewal and peaceful coexistence.
“Iwu is not merely a festival; it is the soul of Ubulu-Uku and a festival of cleanliness, purity, renewal, peace and unity,” he said.
“It reminds us that before we plant, we must first cleanse the land, cleanse the heart, and renew our covenant with our ancestors and with each other. Iwu teaches us the wisdom of purity over pollution, unity over tyranny.”
The annual festival featured traditional displays, dancing and the paying of homage to the monarch at the Eze-Iwu Shrine. Akaeze, dressed in red traditional regalia, participated in the procession and raised his sword towards the sky in a gesture of thanksgiving.
The President of the Ubulu-Uku Development Union, Abuja branch, Chief Nnamdi Ijeh, said the festival provided an opportunity for indigenes to strengthen relationships, build networks and pass cultural values to younger generations.
He said the gathering enabled young people from different parts of the world to connect with one another and learn from their elders.
Also speaking, the Ojigwu of Ubulu-Uku, Chief Samuel Onyebuokei, said the festival promoted the kingdom’s culture and unity, while former Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Engr Lawrence Ejiofor, urged residents to support the monarch and sustain peace.
Ejiofor described the festival as a season of thanksgiving and called on the community to engage young people and harness their abilities for development.
The Isikweleugo I of Ubulu-Uku Kingdom, Mrs Maria Ogbolu, said the celebration helped preserve the community’s identity and traditions, while the Ojika of Ubulu Kingdom, Dr Abunwa Andrew Nwanzu, praised Akaeze for combining traditional values with a progressive approach to leadership.
