'Seki dance na our own' - Yibo Koko
Seki dance drama dey try promote di tradition wey strong for pipo mind and to show say pipo for Niger Delta area of Nigeria like peace.
Wetin be Seki Dance? Di dance dey try to address di way wey oyibo culture dey come take over di native culture, like di American tap dance wey dey among black Americans. Dem say di dance cross wen oyibo carry as slaves from di Niger Delta and dem go dey dance di native dance dia wey don change to di tap dance wey dey imitate di way di masquerade dem. Di tap dance na di dance dem change from di Ikpiri dance with leg beads Yibo Koko wey be di creator and director of di dance tell BBC News Pidgin say Seki na to show di world say no be only violence and poverty dey Niger Delta but dem get rich cultural heritage wey fit stand any wia for di world. Im say, 'We get our own thing, but we no dey always show am, na only wen oyibo pipo come here come carry us we go come begin dey work for dem, but we no dey ever start from our own backyard to bring out our thing and na to show our children say yes, we get something wey dey rich and colourful wey we fit dey very proud of.' Di masquerade dance dey imitate di wonderful dance of spirits, fish, bird and oda animals wey dey around water as fishermen dey see Di dance drama dey show di tradition of di Ijaw pipo as dem dey use mouth to pass mata from generation to generation of di pipo. Di tori be dance of two fishermen wey dey sing wen dem go find fish and how dem come teach di dance of di spirits wey dem see for water to di community pipo. Seki dance drama dey tell di wonderful thing wey two fishermen see for river wen dem go fishing come tell village pipo Di Ogwein owu wey dey dance with cutlass dey give di rhythm of di ancestors E also show ogbonge masquerade dance wey never come out for long like Ojongo-owu wey dey protect young girls for village, Pi-oru, Ogwein owu wey dey waka for water and land, Owembe and Ikule pamba owu masquerades with di Opu-Iria dance for mature women dem. Opu Iria dey show di value of womanhood Anoda tin for di drama na for parents to teach di language, dance, dress pattern and native culture to dia children. Seki dance drama dey show di cultural heritage of Niger delta pipo Ogbonge Nollywood pipo like Hilda Dokubo, Julius Agwu, Ibinabo Fiberesima and Monalisa Chindah Coker follow for di dance with pipo from Rivers state ministry of arts and culture.