Tompolo, Pondi Join Pere of Gbaramatu for New Year Thanksgiving at Egbesu Shrine

Prominent Niger Delta leaders, including High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, and High Chief Kestin Pondi, on Monday joined the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadagba, for New Year thanksgiving sacrifices at the sacred Gbaraun Egbesu Temple in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State.

The traditional ceremony, marked by solemn rites and deep spiritual reverence, attracted chiefs, royal fathers, and devotees from across the Niger Delta and neighbouring states, including Ondo, Bayelsa, Edo, and Delta.

Men and women worshippers presented various sacrificial items to the revered Egbesu deity in line with the age-long customs of the Gbaramatu people, as prayers were offered for peace, unity, progress, and divine protection for the kingdom and the wider Niger Delta region in the New Year.

Leading the traditional rites, the Pere of Gbaramatu Kingdom underscored the importance of thanksgiving and spiritual reflection at the beginning of a new year, noting that the Egbesu tradition remains central to the cultural identity, resilience, and collective well-being of the Gbaramatu people.

The New Year thanksgiving ceremony symbolised a renewed commitment to harmony, stability, and prosperity, while reaffirming the kingdom’s cultural heritage and spiritual values as it steps into the year ahead.