{"id":2419,"date":"2026-07-28T08:54:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T07:54:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=2419"},"modified":"2026-07-28T08:54:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T07:54:37","slug":"abrakas-ovwuvwe-festival-popularly-known-as-the-cutlass-festival-draws-large-crowds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=2419","title":{"rendered":"Abraka’s Ovwuvwe Festival, Popularly Known As The ‘Cutlass Festival,’ Draws Large Crowds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Jabin Best <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The annual Ovwuvwe Festival, popularly referred to by many residents and students as the “Cutlass Festival,” transformed the ancient kingdom of Abraka into a centre of cultural celebration as hundreds of indigenes, non-indigenes, and visitors gathered for the three-day event held from May 19 to May 21, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival, known in the Urhobo language as Ovwuvwe, is one of the most significant cultural celebrations in the Abraka Kingdom. It is observed to preserve the customs and traditions of the people, honour the community’s ancestors, and strengthen the bond among families and descendants of the kingdom. Over the years, the celebration has become a major attraction, drawing visitors from neighbouring communities and students of Delta State University, Abraka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In preparation for the festival, Delta State University, Abraka, advised its students to remain security-conscious throughout the celebration. Students were urged to avoid unnecessary late-night movements, remain vigilant, comply with security advisories issued by the university and relevant authorities, and respect the cultural traditions of the host community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the major highlights of the festival was the watch-night procession, during which groups of participants moved through major streets chanting traditional songs, beating drums, and performing cultural dances. During this year’s celebration, this reporter observed several participants carrying cutlasses while dancing along the road leading to the Campus II Main Gate, a display that reflected a long-standing aspect of the traditional procession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Benita, a non-indigene resident of Abraka, the watch-night procession was both exciting and intimidating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The loud traditional chants, continuous drumming, and the sight of participants carrying cutlasses through the streets late at night initially left me terrified because it was my first time witnessing the festival. Although I was frightened at first, I later realised that the activities formed an important part of the community’s cultural heritage,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an eyewitness, this reporter observed hundreds of participants and spectators lining the streets during the procession. The atmosphere was vibrant, with traditional songs echoing across the community as cultural groups danced through different parts of the town. The experience reflected the rich cultural heritage of the Abraka Kingdom and the significance the festival holds for its people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-day festival also had a noticeable impact on daily life in Abraka. Hotels, restaurants, transport operators, and local traders recorded increased patronage as visitors arrived to participate in the celebration. At the same time, some students and other non-indigenes adjusted their movements because of the heavy crowds and late-night activities associated with the festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security personnel and community vigilante groups maintained a visible presence throughout the celebration to ensure public safety and the peaceful conduct of the event. Their efforts contributed to the orderly conclusion of the festival, allowing residents and visitors to celebrate Abraka’s rich cultural heritage without major disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As activities came to an end on May 21<\/strong>, residents described the festival as another successful celebration of tradition and identity, expressing hope that future editions would continue to promote unity, cultural preservation, and peaceful coexistence among all who call Abraka home.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Jabin Best The annual Ovwuvwe Festival, popularly referred to by many residents and students as the “Cutlass Festival,” transformed the ancient kingdom of Abraka into a centre of cultural celebration as hundreds of indigenes, non-indigenes, and visitors gathered for the three-day event held from May 19 to May 21, 2026. The festival, known in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2420,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":3,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16,14],"tags":[31,229,25,230],"class_list":["post-2419","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-abrakametro","category-trendingnews","tag-abraka","tag-culture","tag-delsu","tag-festival"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2419"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2421,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2419\/revisions\/2421"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}