“A Time for Healing: Let Us Not Break the Kola Nut in Anger”
I do not write this letter lightly. For the past three months, our beloved association has been torn by disagreements—some about finances, some about leadership style, and some about which family’s recipe for banga soup should be served at our annual festival.
“In Loving Memory of Mama Roseline Oritsetimeyin – The Last Keeper of Our Village Songs”
It is with a heavy but grateful heart that I inform you of the passing of our beloved elder, Mama Roseline Oritsetimeyin (née Omadeli), who transitioned peacefully on October 12th at her home in Hayward, surrounded by her seven children, nineteen grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She was 94 years old.
“Operation ‘Ọmọ r’Ọba’ – Building Our First Itsekiri Cultural Library in Northern California”
I am writing to you today with both excitement and urgency. The IANC Executive Committee has secured a five-year lease on a modest storefront at 2200 International Blvd, Oakland—the future home of the Itsekiri Cultural Library and Resource Center. This will be the first physical space in the western United States dedicated solely to preserving and promoting Itsekiri history, language, and arts.
“Ọnọ r’Ọba – The King’s Voice: Reflections on Our Journey and the Road Ahead”
As the sun sets on 2026 and we prepare to welcome a new year, I write to you not only as your president but as a fellow Itsekiri son who left the creeks of Warri many decades ago, yet still feels the pull of the Niger Delta in every heartbeat.