Nwaotam Dance drama festival of opobo

Every New-year, sons and daughters of Opobo Kingdom, Rivers, Nigeria, return home from various parts within and outside the country to partake in the Nwaotam Dance Festival Drama. Nigeria with about 300 Ethnic groups is gradually loosing the history and culture of a lot of them if not preserved.

In almost every village or town of the Niger Delta, traditional religion is still practiced. The people believe in and worship numerous deities or spirits. Among the Opobo (Ibani) of Rivers State, they have deities who govern their life activities, of particular interest is Otam-the god of the sacred forest.

Otam is the god protective of all that is of good in the forest. Otam is also associated with finding pathways for hunters lost in the forest. Nwaotam means child (masquerade) of Otam

In Opobo, Nwaotam was introduced and modified to fulfill the function of Otam. To fill the gap of needing protection, blessing and cravity for all hunters. As a god of the forest, it predicts the fate of the people and carries the prediction with blessings to the people in town.

The Origin of Nwaotam Masquerade in Opobo Kingdom is traced to Ndoki people of South-east Nigeria, present day Abia State.

Every year Sons and Daughter of Opobo, return home to celebrate the Nwaotam Dance Drama Festival, which lasts from the last week of December into the new year.