The leadership of Ozoro Kingdom in Delta State has responded to widespread allegations of rape and abuse linked to the Alue-Do cultural festival, clarifying that while misconduct occurred, reports of rape are “false and misleading.”
The reaction follows a wave of public outrage triggered by viral videos circulating on social media platform X, which showed disturbing scenes of young women being harassed during the festival.
In some of the clips, groups of men were seen forcefully tearing at women’s clothing and touching them inappropriately, actions widely condemned by viewers.
One particularly distressing video showed a young woman in tears, clutching her torn clothes as she tried to shield herself from aggressive harassment by some participants.
The Delta State Government swiftly condemned the incidents, describing them as “barbaric, heinous and unacceptable,” and stressing that no cultural event should be used as a cover for criminal behaviour.
Security agencies also moved in, leading to the arrest of a community leader, Omorede Sunday, along with four other suspects over allegations of rape and assault.
However, in a statement issued on Friday and jointly signed by Berkley Asiafa, President-General, and Obaro Egware, Secretary-General, the Ozoro community leadership said the viral content had misrepresented the true nature of the festival.
According to the statement, Ozoro Kingdom comprises five traditional communities, each with distinct customs and festivals, noting that the incident occurred during the Alue-Do Festival celebrated by the Uruamudhu community.
The leaders described Alue-Do as an ancient fertility festival, traditionally associated with prayers and symbolic acts believed to bring blessings of children to couples facing difficulties with childbirth.
They explained that part of the ritual involves playful acts such as dragging and pouring sand on married individuals without children, a practice rooted in cultural beliefs about fertility.
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However, the leadership acknowledged that some youths deviated from these traditions and engaged in unacceptable behaviour.
“Some youths misinterpreted and misapplied the cultural practice in a negative manner, leading to the harassment of some young women,” the statement said.
While distancing the festival from criminal allegations, the leaders insisted that no cases of rape were recorded during the event.
“We wish to clearly state that reports alleging rape and widespread atrocities are false. The situation involved the harassment of two young women by individuals who acted irresponsibly,” the statement added.
The community further disclosed that it had promptly contacted security agencies, who intervened to restore order and have since commenced investigations into the incident.
Reaffirming its stance, the Ozoro leadership condemned all forms of harassment and misconduct, emphasizing that such actions do not reflect the values or traditions of the community.
“Such behaviour is not part of our culture and will not be tolerated. Measures are being taken to address those responsible and to ensure future festivals are conducted in a peaceful and respectful manner,” the statement read.
The community also urged the public to disregard what it described as misinformation and avoid spreading narratives that could damage its cultural image.