From Jane Nwaoriaku, Enugu
There was unprecedented excitement at Ire, Ogidi in Anambra State as one of its illustrious sons, Dr Obiora Okonkwo, joined in the old Igbo tradition of celebrating the eating of the new yam this year.
Okonkwo, whose traditional title is Dikeora of Ogidi and Ugegbe Igbo, has continued to excite his people during his eating of the new yam, which he organizes every year.
Last Saturday, he had invited his friends from across the globe, some of them coming from Germany, South Africa, Burkina Faso and here in Nigeria, to join him to savour the good taste of the Ire yams.
Early on that Saturday morning, his kinsmen came out to his palatial and expansive home to join him in the roasting of the yams for the occasion from the large heaps of yams gathered in the compound.
Before the new yam was brought out for eating, a holy Mass was celebrated at a Chapel built in his house.
Dr Okonkwo was joined at the Mass by several of his family members, priests, religious leaders and friends as they dedicated the celebration to God.
They thanked God for giving the entire Okonkwo family and Ire Ogidi people in general a successful planting season which output was bounteous.
Also on the eve of the festival, Okonkwo had eulogies poured on him by his friends and associates who gathered in his house as they thanked him for sustaining the Iwa Ji, which has become an annual event solely hosted by him.
His friends, associates and kinsmen continued in the merriment, which lasted into the early hours of the morning with melodious traditional Ogene music blaring from a music system in the background to keep all guests happy.
On the morning of Saturday, the D-day, the atmosphere changed. Dignitaries appeared in their traditional regalia. Chiefs, Nzes, Ozos and other title holders were on their cultural best.
The event formally kicked off at 1:00p.m after a church service conducted by dozens of Catholic priests and Reverend sisters.
Different cultural musical groups numbering over 20 and clad in special attires took the centre stage in a competition staged to spice up the occasion.
A Catholic priest, Rev. Fr Okonkwo accompanied by other clerics took to the floor, dancing to the cultural rendition from the Ogene troupe.
This became the prelude for Dr Okonkwo to now come on stage.
A special group peopled by men and women of note in the society escorted him to the stage.
On coming out, he danced round the arena in the compound, waving a traditional hand fan to the large guests.
After more than a 40-minute dance round the expansive compound to the admiration of the crowd, he took his seat.
He sat alongside notable leaders of Ire, Ogidi, including the traditional ruler.
Okonkwo who is also known as the Owelle of Ogidi described the Iwa Ji ceremony as an important event that shows the richness of the Igbo culture.
He noted that culture is crucial to the growth of any society.
He, however, cautioned against taking to idol worshipping or anything that inhibits progress.
As he spoke, there were intermittent deafening shouts of Dikeora by the crowd with his facial mien showing that he was tickled by the applause.
Gladdened by the convivial atmosphere he went ahead to perform the Iwa Ji (cutting of the yam) to the admiration of all the guests.
Soon after that, masquerades of diverse sizes and makeup from Ogidi and beyond took over the stage, with them a unique elephant masquerade, as well as one other the locals called ‘Obodo Dike’.
Each of the masquerades tried to out-perform the other as the crowd clapped and cheered those considered to be exceptional.
As these were going on, canon gunshots were boomed intermittently.
The arrival of well-heeled individuals like former governor of Anambra, Peter Obi; former Minister of Health, Prof ABC Nwosu; Mrs Josephine Anenih; and the PDP governorship candidate in the scheduled November 18 Anambra guber poll, Oseloka Obaze, further pepped up the event.
The crowd cheered as they strolled in to the canopy where Dr Okonkwo, traditional title holders and hordes of clerics were seated.
The event was colourful to the end with each person who attended going home with a tuber of yam while title holders had cocks added to their yams.