When ‘Seki’ thrilled Lagos audience

Adorned with different traditional attires of the people of Okirika, Rivers State, performers with their artistry brought on stage, glamour and fun that encapsulated the cultural heritage of the people in what was known as ‘Seki’ Dance and Drama. ‘Seki’, created and directed by Yibo Koko and sponsored by Heritage Bank, was an official entry […]

Adorned with different traditional attires of the people of Okirika, Rivers State, performers with their artistry brought on stage, glamour and fun that encapsulated the cultural heritage of the people in what was known as ‘Seki’ Dance and Drama.
‘Seki’, created and directed by Yibo Koko and sponsored by Heritage Bank, was an official entry into the 10th anniversary of the National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta Georgia. It was a collaborative rhythmic agreement of dance patterns of five different masquerade groups of the Okirika clan in the Lower Niger Delta Area.
The dance was aimed at recreating the indigenous response to the struggle in resistance against foreign culture and the promotion of indigenous tradition. It was targeted at identifying the African traditional theatre with specific reference to the Okirika people.
At each of the interludes, an elderly woman would step on stage, recite some incantations laced with dialectic cognomen, while a new set of dancers appear on stage to perform to the satisfaction of the king, flanked by his two wives.
Neither the king nor any of his wives spoke, only appreciating the performances by raising the royal horsetail.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who was also the Special Guest of Honour, commended the bank for the initiative, stressing that ‘Seki’ is a good source of entertainment, education and information.
Mohammed said the nation is united by her different cultures, and so appealed that Nigerians must celebrate their diversity by reinforcing the things that unite them.
Ifie Sekibo, Managing Director of Heritage Bank, explained that as a bank that seeks a balance between tradition and innovation, it always responds positively to the rich African tradition through various art forms as a way of promoting cultural diplomacy.
“Dance combines philosophy, literature, religion, music and visual arts. The stories, costumes, movements and expressions all have a profound positive influence on the mind, which in turn, is the starting point to crafting a renewed view of wealth and value creation in the Nigerian people,” Sekibo said.
Koko, explained that culture is the totality of a way of life evolved by a people in their attempt to meet the challenges of living in their environment, and stressed that ‘Seki’ remains a traditional representation and dramatic imitation of the belief system of the Okirika people.