VIDEO: Asiayei of Gbaramatu Voice Video Misrepresents Egbema Kingdom — A Personal Reaction by Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Asiayei of Gbaramatu Voice Video Misrepresents Egbema Kingdom — A Personal Reaction by Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
I watched with deep concern the recent video shared by Asiayei of Gbaramatu Voice, which purportedly showcased the living condition of the Egbema people. While I believe the motive behind the video might have been to draw attention to underdevelopment in the Niger Delta, the content itself is misleading, unbalanced, and unrepresentative of the true image of Egbema Kingdom.
It is true that Egbema Kingdom has been neglected by successive governments for decades. We lack many social amenities that other regions enjoy — good roads, functional schools, hospitals, and steady power supply. But despite this reality, what was presented in that video cannot in any way be used to define who we are or what Egbema represents.
Every scene in that video, from the huts to the creeks, depicts nothing more than fishing camps. These are temporary settlements where fishermen stay during their fishing season. They are not our actual communities. Therefore, those images cannot, and should not, be used to represent proud and historic Egbema towns such as Ofunama, Ajakurama, Ogbudugbudu, Ogbinbiri, Gbeoba, Ugbolukanga, Abere, Jamagie, Abadegbene, Polobubou, and Opuama. (Not in any particular order).
As someone from Egbema who knows the people, and the history of Egbema, I can confidently say that the video was a poor attempt to describe our reality. It painted a picture of hopelessness and backwardness that does not reflect our resilience, our achievements, or the spirit of our kingdom.
I understand that the creator may have had a good intention — perhaps to highlight government neglect — but the execution was wrong. In trying to attract sympathy, the video ended up embarrassing our people and undermining our collective image. Responsible journalism requires balance, accuracy, and respect for the dignity of the people being portrayed.
Let me also state that there are fishing camps worse than those shown in the video within Gbaramatu Kingdom itself. Every Ijaw community has such camps, which exist for economic reasons. But it would be grossly unfair to judge the entire Gbaramatu or Egbema by the condition of a few fishing huts built over water.
The Niger Delta has suffered enough misrepresentation — from outsiders, and sadly, sometimes from within. What we need is unity and understanding, not misplaced portrayals that deepen division. Our shared pain as Ijaw people should drive us to tell our stories truthfully and with dignity, not to compete in showcasing who suffers more neglect.
My appeal to Asiayei of Gbaramatu Voice and his media team is simple: kindly retract or re-edit that video. Present the true picture of Egbema — a land of proud people, industrious youth, vibrant culture, and unwavering resilience. We are more than the broken huts shown in that footage.
Let us use the media to build bridges, not walls; to correct narratives, not to distort them. Egbema deserves fair representation, just as every Ijaw kingdom deserves justice, equity, and development.
📧 Email: globalegberimedia@gmail.com | 📞 +234 813 490 2214
Tags: #EgbemaKingdom #GbaramatuVoice #NigerDelta #IjawNation #EgbemaCommunities #MediaEthics #DrOdimientimiAgbedeyi #GlobalEgberiMedia
Facebook Caption:
“This is my personal opinion: the recent video by Asiayei of Gbaramatu Voice is not a true reflection of Egbema Kingdom. What was shown are fishing camps — not our towns, not our story. Egbema deserves fair and accurate representation.” — Dr. Odimientimi Agbedeyi
Source: Global Egberi Media International
Comments