The rich history and culture of the Kalabari people of the Niger Delta have been on vibrant display at the Moriri Art Gallery in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where an exhibition is holding as part of activities marking this year’s Kalabari New Year celebrations.
The Kalabari New Year Day, organised by the Kalabari Renaissance Foundation, will be celebrated on Sunday, November 16, at Elem-Kalabari—the ancestral homeland from which the major Kalabari kingdoms of Buguma, Abonnema and Bakana migrated. Elem-Kalabari is currently undergoing major rebuilding following the emergence of Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo as Amayanabo.
The exhibition features driftwood sculptures by renowned artist Prof. Charles Omuaru of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt. His works, carved from naturally shaped driftwood, explore the moods, rhythms and environmental realities of Kalabari life—one deeply intertwined with the saltwater landscape that defines the region.
The theme of the exhibition is: Kalabari Mythical Narratives on Driftwood Sculptures.
Prof. Omuaru noted that while his pieces may appear abstract, they speak powerfully to the psychology and lived experiences of the Kalabari. “Each time I produce my works, I allegorise them,” he said. “Art is a reflection of man and what happens to him. Traditionally, when Kalabari people want to carve, they consult the gods and pour libation. The gods then reveal to the priests what form the carving should take.”
He lamented that many ancient Kalabari artworks have been lost because they were carved in wood, which does not survive over time. This, he said, informed his decision to work in bronze and fibreglass. Omuaru further called for the establishment of a dedicated museum to preserve Kalabari art and urged young creatives to commit to projecting the Kalabari cultural identity.
Speaking on the significance of the New Year celebration, the Secretary of the Elem-Kalabari Council of Chiefs, Chief Kingsley Young-Jack, explained that the Kalabari adopted November 16 as their New Year because of a natural occurrence unique to their waters. As saltwater people, their lives are regulated by the tides and the ocean.
According to him, towards the end of the year, freshwater from the Orashi River invades Kalabari waterways, disrupting sea life and even affecting deities. “But by midnight of November 15 each year,” he said, “mythically, the ocean surges into the creeks with saltwater and flushes out the freshwater, restoring life to Kalabari communities.” This cyclical event, he added, forms the basis of the Kalabari calendar, which aligns with what they see as universal natural laws.
A member of the Board of Trustees of the Kalabari Renaissance Foundation, Ibiba Don-Pedro, said the foundation is not only institutionalising the Kalabari New Year but is also intensifying efforts to revive Kalabari culture and language. She expressed appreciation to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), the Amayanabo of Elem-Kalabari, Alabo Asari Dokubo, and the Foundation’s President, Mr. Awolaye MacMorrison, for supporting this year’s celebrations.
