Ovie of Ughelli Announces Christmas Kantata, Invites Journalists

By Henry Ubus.

The Ovie of the Great Ughelli Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Dr. Wilson Ojakovo Oharisi, Oharisi III, has announced that this year’s Christmas celebration in Ughelli will take a new and refreshing dimension with the introduction of a Christmas Kantata.

The Ughelli monarch made this disclosure on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, when members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ughelli Correspondents Chapel, led by their Chairman, Comrade Prince (Dr.) Matthias Ogbagah, paid him a familiarisation visit at his palace.

According to the royal father, about nine years ago he deliberately modernised the annual Christmas celebration in Ughelli after observing that it was being celebrated in what he described as a “fetish” manner. He explained that the decision led to the declaration of Ughelli for Jesus Christ, ushering in a new era that emphasises spiritual renewal, worship, and the exchange of gifts rather than practices inconsistent with the true essence of Christmas.

HRM Oharisi III stated that this year’s Christmas Kantata, scheduled for Thursday, December 25, will further deepen the spiritual significance of the season, while fostering unity and peace among the people. He thereafter invited members of the NUJ Ughelli Correspondents Chapel to be part of the celebration at his palace.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the NUJ Ughelli Correspondents Chapel, Comrade Prince (Dr.) Matthias Ogbagah, said the visit was to formally present and introduce the newly elected executive members of the chapel to the monarch, as well as to familiarise His Royal Majesty with members he may not have had the opportunity of meeting personally.

He noted that the visit was also to seek the monarch’s royal blessings, fatherly guidance, and continued support as journalists carry out their professional responsibilities of informing, educating, and enlightening the public with responsibility, balance, and fairness.

Comrade Ogbagah reaffirmed the commitment of the NUJ Ughelli Correspondents Chapel to ethical journalism, peace building, and the promotion of development across communities within its coverage area. He acknowledged the critical role of traditional institutions in sustaining peace, unity, and cultural heritage, and pledged the union’s readiness to partner with the palace in the overall interest of the Great Ughelli Kingdom and society at large.