URHOBO CULTURAL DAY CELEBRATED IN ASABA WITH PRAYERS, UNITY AND CULTURAL PRIDE.
The Urhobo Cultural Day of St.John Mary Vianney Catholic Church, Asaba, was celebrated on Sunday, December 7, 2025, with prayers, thanksgiving and a display of rich cultural heritage.
The event, held during a special Mass, was presided over by the Most Rev. Dr. Anthony Ewerido, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Warri. He was accompanied by the Parish Priest of St. John Mary Vianney Parish, Rev. Father Okafor, and Rev. Father Wilson Ikpan.
Members of the Urhobo community, adorned in colourful traditional attires, gathered with friends and family to celebrate in an atmosphere of peace, love and unity.
In his homily, Bishop Ewerido urged the Urhobo Nation to continually embrace peace, stressing that love, kindness and generosity should remain the core values of every Christian. He called on the community to worship God in spirit and invest in building the youth for effective leadership in the future.
He emphasized the importance of living positively and creating a legacy of love and care. The Bishop also prayed for the Urhobo Nation, Delta State and Nigeria, asking God to grant the nation progress and prosperity.
Congratulating the Urhobo Catholic community on the successful celebration, Bishop Ewerido noted that culture remains the identity of a people and must be preserved with dignity. He encouraged the faithful to protect their cultural heritage, adding that Christianity does not negate the need to uphold one’s cultural values.
Chairman of the Urhobo community in the parish, Mr. James Akpobi, said the objective of the cultural celebration was to strengthen unity among Urhobo sons and daughters while promoting the cultural heritage of the people in line with their Catholic faith. He described culture as the defining characteristics of a people, reflected in language, religion, social life, music and arts.
Mr. Akpobi appreciated the Bishop, the parish priests, friends and well-wishers for gracing the occasion, noting that their presence made the day memorable for the Urhobo Catholic faithful.
Some members of the Urhobo Catholic community, including Chief Peter Emurunmanor and Chief Jonathan Adiotomre, described the event as an opportunity to reconnect with fellow Urhobo brothers and sisters. They reaffirmed their commitment to preserving Urhobo culture, warning that a people without culture lose their identity. They also urged the youths to uphold their cultural values at all times.
At the end of the Church service friends, familys and well-wishers were lavishly entertained
Highlights of the celebration included cultural dances, presentation of awards and the cutting of the ceremonial cake.
