Niger Delta arts, dances and culture on parade as NDDC clocks 25

All work and no play, they say, makes Jack a dull boy, and so it was that the people of the Niger Delta freely rolled out their best dances and costumes to roll on the streets of Port Harcourt on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

They were led by colourfully attired management and staff of the Niger Delta Development commission (NDDC) who organised the event to show investors that the region is ready for business.

The commission has continued to use the best words and graphs to show that there are still openings for investment in oil, gas, hydrocarbon, agriculture, fishery, processing, etc in the region. The likes of Indorama-Eleme Petrochemicals as well as fertilizer companies now sit so well and deep that their annual returns seem too mouthwatering to believe. They have also expanded exponentially since they found the formula for success by giving equity to host communities and staff.

Now, the NDDC seems to use less words but art, culture, colour, and dances to say the rest. For that reason, to allow action to speak louder than voice, they selected the best dances and dresses from the nine states of the region to come on parade in the headquarters of the region and walked along the broadest streets from the Polo Club in the GRA to the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia.

Officials said it was the arts and culture day of the 25 years anniversary of the NDDC, saying the Commission was created by Act of Parliament 25 years ago, and that July ‪12 2025‬ being a Saturday would make it 25 years.

The Act sought to continue where the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) stopped. The OMPADEC was an attempt after the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority (NDBDA) to respond to the resolutions of the Willinks Commission which said before Independence that the Niger Delta area (which was not yet known as an oil and gas region) should be given special development attention because of its terrain.

The people of the region had feared marginalization from the larger ethnic groups and demanded either independence of special attention. The FG responded by creating the NDBDA to carry out encompassing development actions wherever rivers and creeks were found with focus on jetties, agric development (especially aquaculture), waterways, etc. Many said this was stalled by interruptions and disruptions plus corruption.

Next, the FG created OMPADEC to continue the task, but the discovery of oil/gas seemed to distort the definition of the intention. The worst was that the FG rather appeared to politicise the agenda by giving development commissions to other regions, thus apparently defeating the special attention clause of the Willinks Commission, as most citizens of the region loudly complain.

The NDDC was created adding Imo and Abia, thus confirming its an agency for oil states, thus forcing the people to demand for and get another commission to develop the South-South.

Throwing some light on the essence of the cultural festival, Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director of the NDDC, said the Commission first did sports festival in Uyo in April. “We are concluding with 6 to 12; from state to state. We are celebrating the Niger Delta, our culture, our masquerades of the Niger Delta.”

He described the Niger Delta region as haven for investment and added that the day was set aside to celebrate the cultural wealth and heritage of the region in keeping with the anniversary celebration of the NDDC at 25.

The arts and culture day kicked off with a walk that kicked off from the Polo Club for keep-fit event through Mummy B Road to Yakubu Gowon Stadium as states of the region brought out their best dances and troupes. Flutes and drum beats were on display.

Ogbuku said it is for bonding and friendship. People should not think the region is all about chasing money through oil but about friendship and celebration and fun with culture and peace.

His words: “We are here to celebrate culture and peace of the region. Today is another auspicious day for the region. It’s a good day. Memory day in history to record that when the NDDC turned 25, we came together to celebrate peace.

“We added a walk of 25km to prove to the world that the Niger Delta is a place to walk freely. Gone are the days when people thought it was not possible to walk about in the Niger Delta.

“Today, we brought out all our staff, guests, people of the region, etc, to walk about and to celebrate here, all to show the world that the Niger Delta people are united.

“We did this to show the world not to continue to assume negativity about the Niger Delta. The NDDC is not about brick and mortar, about construction of roads but as an interventionist agency, we also need to intervene to promote our rich cultural heritage and promote anything that brings peace in the Niger Delta.

“Today not for long talk. We have already explained what we did and what next. We thank you people and thank almighty God especially for good weather. We are here to foster conviviality amongst the people of the region. Our people also gathered during the NDDC sports festival. We might differ in tongue, we are one.”

Speaking, the chairman of the NDDC board, Chiedu Ebie, said it was worthwhile to see all cultures.

On his own, the chairman of the anniversary committee, Boma Iyaye, said art and culture were part of the Niger Delta. “It is about showcasing the rich culture of the region to the world.”

Some participants said culture is their gift for unity and oneness. “NDDC has done well with this. Let them be doing this every year.”