Magnus Eze, Enugu
The wind of cultural revival blowing in the Ogidi ancient kingdom of Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State will next month usher in the maiden Ito-Aro festival.
A statement by the Chairman of the 2019 Ito-Aro festival planning committee, High Chief Stephen Ibegbu (Omelora) and President-General of Ogidi Union, Chief Chuka Onubogu (Ifeneti), said the traditional ruler of Ogidi, Igwe Alex Onyido, (Ezechuamagha of Ogidi), will on that day celebrate elders of the town, who have attained 80 years.
Slated for April 20, the special investiture to mark the Ito-Aro will kick-start an enduring legacy; a sort of celebration of life; intended to give ‘honour to who honour’ is due. The event would hold every three years in the town.
According to the statement, the festival, which will hold at the Ogidi town hall arena, would be another home coming for sons and daughters of the town.
“The maiden ceremony is packaged to be grand and colourful, galvanized with cultural displays typical of Ogidi ancient kingdom.
“A cream of state and national personalities and distinguished guests, including Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State who is guest of honour, Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe who will be royal father of the day, members of the diplomatic corps, royal fathers, corporate giants and business moguls, culture and tourism buffs are expected to grace the festival while Igwe Ezechuamagha will receive them as the chief host”, the statement read.
President General of Ogidi Union told Daily Sun that the town was poised reviving those good aspects of its culture and tradition.
“We are passing through a rough period in terms of getting our tradition down to what it used to be. Our traditions and customs have been abandoned for decades because of lawlessness and it is not easy to make bad ones change, but presently, I like the way they changed some of the traditions. Our royal majesty is working, he is trying to bring back those traditions Ogidi community is known for like the age grade,” he stated in an interview.
The cultural calendar of Ogidi town is fast attracting national attention especially with the debut of the biggest masquerade; Ijele Inwele, in August last year during the annual Nwafor Ogidi festival.
Leader of Olu Ogidi (Ogidi Workers); the group behind the new reawakening in the community, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo said their intention is to create jobs and wealth through Ogidi’s cultural endowments.
Speaking about culture when he hosted the last New Yam celebrations in his home; Okonkwo said: “We want to recreate what our forbearers did…The good aspect of the culture is encouraged in the Catholic faith where I’m a faithful. I have always known that there is a relationship between religion and cultural values. Before the advent of Christianity, there were certain cultures that maintained sanity in the society- spelling out the dos and don’ts. In fact, today, there are churches everywhere, yet evil is on the rise. But when culture prevailed; the society seemed to be better organised without the level of atrocities witnessed nowadays. So, I totally support the blending of Christianity with our culture