King Dumaro Owaba, Obanobha III of Ogbia Kingdom in Bayelsa says the communities in his domain are poised to use the Oloibiri festival to showcase its culture and tourism potentials to the outside world.

He explained that the festival is targeted at attracting tourists and investors to the historic town where the oil business in Nigeria started in the 1950s. King Owaba solicited support of the multi-national oil companies in the Niger Delta for the First Oloibiri Oil and Gas Festival scheduled to hold in Oloibiri community, Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa on December 28, 2017.

Endorsing the hosting of the festival penultimate Sunday in Yenagoa, the state capital, King Owaba described the initiative as a welcome development not only for the people of Oloibiri but Bayelsa, Niger Delta and Nigeria at large.

He noted that supporting the festival would make it more remarkable and historic.

It would be recalled that the first oil well in Nigeria was drilled and completed in June 1956 in Oloibiri, to signal the commercial oil production in Nigeria.

Speaking at the endorsement ceremony at the Monarch’s palace, Mrs Faith Wilkinson, President of Oloibiri Oil and Gas Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, recalled that the oil well, which was discovered on Sunday Jan. 15 1956, was operated by the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC).

Wilkinson, Chairman of the Festival Organising Committee, said preparations are on-going to hold the event by December 28.

She said the festival is necessary to bring the nation’s historic oil community to limelight, noting that Oloibiri is the strongest symbol of Nigeria unity and economy.

Her words: “Oloibiri as epicentre of modern Nigeria that has touched many live; this community deserved to be celebrated and revived through the oil and gas festival.

“The importance of the festival is to display the cultural value of the people; we want to attract international and national interest through this unique festival which will serve as a cultural tourism flagship event in West Africa because of its link to oil and gas history.

“The festival intends to enhance the pride of the Ogbia, Bayelsa and Niger-Delta and oild rich community, Oloibiri in general.”

•Photo shows King Dumaro Owaba, Obanobha III of Ogbia Kingdom in Bayelsa, handing over endorsement documents to Mrs Faith Wilkinson, President of the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Festival Organising Committee at his palace.