Rebisi Kingdom Announces 2025 Cultural Festival, Calls For Media, Community Participation
The ancient Rebisi Kingdom in Port Harcourt has officially announced the commencement of the Rebisi Cultural Festival 2025, a week-long celebration of heritage, identity, and communal pride, billed to take place from December 15 to December 21, 2025.
The announcement was made during a media parley on behalf of the Central Organising Committee and read by Chief Arthur Kalagbor, who described the festival as a powerful reaffirmation of the people’s cultural roots and collective resilience.
According to the statement, the 2025 edition of the festival will present a vibrant display of Rebisi traditions, artistry, spiritual expression, and intellectual engagement.
The celebration will begin on Sunday, December 15, with a colourful Road Show, featuring a cultural procession and rhythmic performances from Elekahia Primary School, moving through key parts of the kingdom.
On Tuesday, a Praise Cantata will take centre stage, providing spiritual harmony through music and worship.
This will be followed on Wednesday by the Variety Evening, showcasing a blend of cultural dances, storytelling, poetry, drama, comedy, and spoken-word performances. The event is expected to highlight the creativity and evolving artistic expressions of the Rebisi people, especially among the youth.
Thursday is reserved for the Kingdom Symposium, described as the intellectual backbone of the festival. Scholars, historians, cultural custodians, community leaders, and youth representatives will converge to examine the history, leadership, values, and future of the Rebisi Kingdom.
Topics to be addressed include cultural preservation, women’s empowerment, traditional governance, and sustainable heritage development.
On Friday afternoon, the highly-anticipated Traditional Wrestling Competition will take place, where young men of the kingdom will demonstrate strength, courage, and sportsmanship in an atmosphere of communal excitement and solidarity.
The Grand Finale will be held on Saturday, featuring the spectacular Masquerade Display, a powerful representation of Rebisi ancestral presence through masked performances, vibrant costumes, and dynamic cultural rhythms. The display will be led by renowned members of the kingdom’s cultural troupe.
The week-long celebration will conclude with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, bringing the entire kingdom together in unity and gratitude.
Chief Arthur Kalagbor, while reading the statement, emphasized that the Rebisi Cultural Festival is not merely an event but a declaration that the kingdom’s heritage remains alive, adaptive, and worthy of global recognition.
He further stated that the festival is aimed at strengthening intergenerational bonds, promoting unity, creating structured engagement for young people, and positioning the Rebisi Kingdom as a major centre of cultural excellence in Rivers State.
The Organising Committee has called on all media platforms—print, broadcast, digital, and grassroots—to provide comprehensive coverage of all activities, document the cultural significance of each event, promote emerging talents, and help project the festival to both national and international audiences. Media accreditation will be provided to enable full access to venues, interviews, and exclusive content.
The festival also offers multiple sponsorship and partnership opportunities for brands and individuals interested in supporting cultural development and community engagement. Members of the Committee for the 2025 Rebisi Cultural Festival
