By: Chief (Dr.) Oyin Eyeku, President, Itsekiri Association of Northern California

Date: December 31, 2026

Ọmọ Ọba, ọmọ iwere, ọmọ ẹyẹ t’ọn r’aya!

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.

This year, our association achieved something remarkable. We grew from a small gathering of homesick elders in a Sacramento living room to a registered nonprofit with over 120 active families spanning from San Jose to Napa Valley. We sent $4,000 in flood relief back home to Ogbe-Ijoh and Ubeji. We watched our children perform the Omoko dance at the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival—and receive a standing ovation. We buried two of our beloved elders with full Itsekiri rites, proving that even in death, our traditions find a home on American soil.

But 2026 also brought challenges. We lost momentum on our language program due to volunteer burnout. We argued fiercely over the direction of our annual festival. Some of our young people still cannot greet their grandparents in Warri. These are not failures. They are signposts.

As we enter 2027, I ask three things of every member:

First, teach one word of Itsekiri to someone outside our association. Just one word. Ọfọn (peace). Ọmọ (child). Ẹkẹ (thank you). Let it spread.

Second, attend one meeting even if you have been absent for years. Our General Assembly on January 15th will decide the future of our scholarship fund. Your voice matters.

Third, forgive one grievance that has kept you away from a fellow member. We are too small a community to carry grudges across the ocean.

The proverb says: “Ọnọ r’ọba k’ọn kpọn r’a, iran r’ọmọ Ọba l’e ma r’ọba.” (The king’s voice does not vanish; the children of the king will remember their father.) Let us ensure our children remember not only our name but our language, our generosity, and our stubborn love for one another.

On behalf of the entire executive committee, I wish you a blessed new year. May your banga be rich, your usilo firm, and your family gathered around you.

Yours in service,

Chief (Dr.) Oyin Eyeku
President, IANC
“One people, one tide, one future.”