Di Alue-Do Festival wey dem dey call fertility festival for Ozoro Kingdom inside Isoko ethnic group for Delta State don turn to something wey dey shame. Dis cultural event wey dem dey do every year to bless pipo wey no get pikin don turn to gang rape ground for 2026 edition. According to reports, some bad boys hijack di festival and rape two young women during di celebration.
Traditionally, dis festival na for married pipo wey no get pikin. Di cultural practice involve to dey drag dem playfully and pour sand for dia body as sign say dem go soon born pikin. But dis year, di playful dragging turn to serious gang rape wey shock everybody for di community and even across Nigeria.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori don order security agents for di state to find di pipo wey do dis bad thing. Police don arrest over three suspects, including one community leader wey dem suspect say e get hand for di matter. Di Governor talk say dis kain behavior no good at all and e go make sure justice dey serve.
But di President General of Ozoro Kingdom, Odio (Chief) Berkley Asiafa, and di Secretary-General, Prince Obaro Egware, talk different story. Dem say for Asaba yesterday say no rape happen for di festival. Dem claim say na social media pipo dey spread false news to spoil di name of dia cultural heritage. Dem talk say hoodlums just take advantage of di occasion but no rape happen.
Di Chairman of Isoko North Local Government Area, Hon Prince Godwin Ogorugba, condemn di molestation of women for di festival. E talk say na some bad pipo wey no get work dey do dis bad thing. E read riot act against di perpetrators and talk say dis behavior na sacrilegious and barbaric. E talk say dis act no follow di customs and values of Isoko pipo at all.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu don also talk say dis thing wey happen for Ozoro festival no good. E condemn di assault of women for di Delta festival and demand say justice must dey serve. E talk say Nigeria no go allow dis kain barbaric behavior to dey happen for any part of di country.
Police for Delta State talk say dem no get any official report of rape from di festival yet. But dem say dem dey investigate di matter well well. Di Commissioner of Police talk say any person wey dem find guilty go face di law.
Dis incident don cause plenty argument about how to balance cultural tradition and modern human rights. Many pipo dey ask if some cultural practices need to change with time. Di festival wey suppose to bring blessing don turn to something wey dey bring shame to di community.
Community leaders dey try to manage di situation as di news don spread everywhere. Dem dey beg pipo to no tag di festival as “rape festival” because dis go spoil di image of dia cultural heritage forever. But victims and dia families dey demand justice and protection for women for future festivals.
Di case don show how traditional events fit turn violent when bad pipo take advantage. E don also show di need for better security arrangement for cultural festivals across Nigeria. Many communities dey now think about how to protect women and maintain dia traditions at di same time.
As investigation dey go on, di whole country dey watch to see wetin go happen to di suspects. Di case don become national discussion about women rights, cultural preservation, and community security. Di outcome go affect how other communities organize dia own cultural events for future.
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