Ekpemupolo invites general public to attend Amaseikumor festival in Gbaramatu Kingdom
Decried persecution of Traditional African religion
A Niger Delta born legal luminary, Barr. Frank Ekpemupolo has invited members of the general public to grace the 2019 annual Amaseikumor festival at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.
Ekpemupolo made the call in Yenagoa yesterday while briefing newsmen on the need for sons and daughters of Ijaw nation to defend and protect her cultural heritage.
He had argued that before the coming of christianity to Nigeria, the Traditional African Religion structured along ethnic lines had long being in existence before the white missionaries who came to preach against our original belief system.
Barr. Frank had particularly frowned at what he described as the persecution of the Traditional African Religion by other religions.
It would be recalled that the 2019 Amaseikumor festival will officially begin and end on the 10th – June 15th 2019 as the last day.
According to Frank Ekpemupolo: “Traditional African religion have faced persecution from the proponents of different ideologies. Adherents of these religions have been manipulatively converted to Islam and Christianity, demonized and marginalized. The atrocities include killings, waging war, destroying of sacred places, and other atrocious actions.
“The early Christians of Niger Delta who were against the customs and traditions of the indigenous tribes carried out atrocities such as destroying their shrines and burning of Egbesu worship place.
“The European colonization of Africa is noted to have paved the way for Christian missionaries into Africa. In some cases, the leaders of traditional African religions were persecuted by the missionaries and regarded as the “devil’s agents”
“Traditional African religion are tolerant of other gods, which allows general co-existence for multiple religions. This has been regarded by some authors to be another reason behind the rise of other religions in Africa. Most followers of traditional religions accommodated Islam and Christianity during the start of their spread in Africa.
“In 2001, an Oro Festival in Sagamu was violated by the Muslim Hausa-Fulani inhabitants, causing a temporary breakdown between the groups.
“In September 2005, the sleepy town of Iwo, Osun State, became a theatre of war when a group of Muslims called the Tahun took on the community’s masquerade cult in brazen and violent attacks.
“Practitioners of the Bwiti religion have faced persecution by Christian missionaries.
“Despite these insensitive persecution of the traditional Africa religions by the Christians yet nothing has changed for good. My fellow Africans, has it still not dawned on you that we’ve been deceived for long?
“You are by this piece invited to attend the festival of the unconquered traditions of Gbaramatu kingdom come 10th to 15th of June 2019 to experience a true meaning of culture and religion coated together.”.
