ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses two tribes and their festivals within the context of a growing contestation of their origin and ownership of the land. The Itsekiris' and Urhobos' appropriation of the Awan-Okere and Agbasa Iju festivals respectively are attempts to assert ownership of cultural space. Some traditional festivals in Nigeria have in recent times become sites for political agendas since they now serve as potent platforms for community and indigenous reinforcement of identity within a national framework. Crises of land ownership in Nigeria continue to unsettle the national landscape socio-politically. It is within the geographical location that these two major festivals thrive amongst other festivals. These two festivals are important because they are socio-political symbols and icons of the Itsekiri and Urhobo of Warri. The festivals use a veritable tool which is language. A community festival is an instrument for documentation — simply put, it is actually the time to re-enact a community's identity.
