From OZO RAY
The play field of St.Martin Catholic Church Odoata Ihiala
in Ihiala local government area of Anambra state was the venue of the
ground-breaking ceremony and maiden Iri-ji festival as well as Ofala ceremony
of Igwe Sir Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu , Oluoha the 17th and clan head of Ihiala
royal dynasty . The convivial atmosphere the occasion provided made it a
clarion and patriotic call for Ndi-Ihiala ni ne to interact and interface with
one another to foster peace and reconciliation in Ihiala for progress and over
all development in the land . Though it was a new yam festival but the mammoth
crowd that thronged St.Martin Catholic Church play ground gave it the semblance
of a peace cum unity rally ; showing that peace has eventually returned to
Ihiala the country home of the owner of Air Peace Nigeria Mr.Allen Onyema , the state commissioner for information and
public enlightenment Mr.C.Don Adinuba , DIG Valentine Ntomchukwu ( rtd) and
other dike eji eje mba of Ihiala origin .
On the occasion , Igwe Obidiegwu offered prayers and
supplications to the gods and deities of the land for a bountiful harvest and
also providing the rare opportunity to his subjects to be alive and healthy
enough to be part of the maiden edition of iri-ji Ihiala and Ofala ceremony
under his kingship as the custodian of the culture and traditions of the good
people of Ihiala , who are said to be reverred for their art , prowess and industry
in the cultivation of yam , the king of crops in Igbo land . The traditional
ruler while performing kola nut rituals , prayed for peace and unity of his
subjects asking the gods of the land to unite his subjects as well as bestow
him the wisdom to rule Ihiala with dignity and sincerity of purpose to usher in
the much anticipated development in the area .
After kola nut ceremony , Igwe Obidiegwu also performed
the traditional Ofala dance to the excitement and admiration of the people who
watched him entertain the gods and people of Ihiala town while members of the
Oluoha-in-Council , Ichies , Nze na Ozo groups , traditional rulers of other communities in Ihiala and a host of
others joined him in the mystical Ofala dance . Soon after Igwe Obidiegwu did
justice to the cutting of the new yam which signified that the entire Ihiala
town has been permitted by the gods to celebrate the new yam in their
respective communities . Speaking to his subjects shortly after declaring the
2019 iri-ji Ihiala and Ofala festival open , the monarch stressed the dire need
for everybody to come together to chart a new cause for Ihiala and eschew all
forms of bickerings and bitterness especially as it concerns the selection and
installation of the traditional ruler of Ihiala town . He said the gods of the
land has chosen him to be the Igwe of Ihiala and that rather than subject his
throne to prejudice , he would instead carry all and sundry along to foster
peace , unity and cohesion in Ihiala .
The traditional ruler said , " this address of mine
will not be complete without me thanking the Okparas and Okparas'
representatives of the Dioha Royal Family who found me worthy to be selected as
the Oluoha XVII of Ihiala . My assurance is that I will not let you down ; I will
strive to rule Ihiala with dignity and respect for our tradition and custom and
in the finest tradition of the Great Dioha Mburuzo , the warrior king , the
founder and progenitor of the great and ancient kingdom of Ihiala that has
existed for over 1000 years . Let me also thank all Ihiala people first for
unanimously accepting me as the choice of the Royal Family for the Oluoha stool
and secondly , for their endurance , support and prayers while the wait for the
State Government's Recognition lasted .
We must therefore try to heal the wounds of struggle for
selection and recognition . Since after my recognition by the Governor , I have
extended my hand of fellowship and reconciliation to my junior brother who
contested for the Oluoha stool with me . I will continue to try until total
peace and reconciliation is achieved in Ihiala . It is my belief that there
cannot be any meaningful development in our community without peace . I
therefore urge every Ihiala man who knows what he can do or who can help to mediate
in order to achieve this peace to join me so that together we can make Ihiala a
better place to live in . " Igwe
Obidiegwu also revealed that in no distant time , after receiving the report of
the various committees of the Oluoha-in-Council , unveil his development plan
and strategy for Ihiala stressing that his advent marked a new and purposeful
beginning for Ihiala community .
Also the state commissioner for information and public
enlightenment Mr.C.Don Adinuba , who is a native of Ihiala said the occasion
was not just a new yam festival but also a unity rally because together Ihiala
people would surmount their predicaments as well as galvanise themselves
towards greater accomplishments . The commissioner noted that the people came
together in one accord to celebrate the first new yam festival and Ofala
ceremony of Igwe Sir Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu as the traditional ruler of Ihiala
and Oluoha the 17th . He said Governor Willie Obiano was properly and
adequately guided in his selection and proclamation of Igwe Obidiegwu as the
people's choice for the throne of Oluoha . Adinuba said the entire Ihiala was
at St.Martin Catholic Church Odoata Ihiala to witness the epoc-making event
stressing that the people have chosen to embrace peace and as such more
progress is expected in Ihiala henceforth . He however described the
traditional ruler as an apostle of peace , noting that the new yam festival has
ushered in an era of unity , stability and development .
Furthermore , the lawmaker representing Ihiala one state
constituency in the 7th assembly of the Anambra State House of Assembly
Hon.Barr.Chidi Livinus Udemadu , who hails from Amorka in Ihiala said that the
war regarding who the certificate of recognition as traditional ruler was over and that Igwe
Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu has been given the certificate of recognition ; that as
it stands , he is the Oluoha of Ihiala and there was absolutely no reason for
people to form cliques against him instead they should embrace the peace that
has come with the celebration of the new yam festival and Ofala ceremony .
Ichie Mike Ejezie , a former
President-General of Ihiala Progressive Union noted that Ndi-Igbo treasures yam
which he said was the remote reason the crop was highly respected and reverred
amongst them . He said that the potent nature of yam cannot be overstressed
because according to him , Ndi-Igbo in diaspora equally celebrate new yam
festival to honour the king of all crops .
Ejezie who disclosed that he has been an Ichie for 19
years in Ihiala maintained that he has never witnessed such a historical Iri-ji
festival emphasising that it was the first of its kind since Ihiala came into
being . He said granted that somebody contested the Oluoha traditional stool
with him but Igwe Obidiegwu was a more popular candidate and that the state
governor conducted thorough investigations before issuing certificate of
confirmation to him as the traditional ruler of Ihiala town . He said the
people are happy with the emergence of Igwe Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu and that
Ihiala is moving forward to a more sustainable development . On the hand , DIG
Valentine Ntomchukwu ( rtd ) observed that the new yam festival and Ofala
ceremony of Igwe Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu was significant in two folds . He said
the new yam ceremony was significant in the sense that it was the first time
Ihiala people unanimously agreed to select an Igwe who is a retiree of Chevron
Oil after over 30 years of meritorious service . He equally pointed out that
the Ofala ceremony was graciously performed as the traditional ruler and other
titled men danced to the esoteric rythm of the Ofala music and other activities
marking the celebration including gun shots thereby heralding the era of
community development in Ihiala .
Immediate past President-General of Ihiala Progressive
Union and chairman Ihiala axis of the Anambra State Association of Town Unions
( ASATU ) Chief Barr. Jude Ngobili was of the opinion that the traditional
ruler was presented and accepted by the people of Ihiala during his tenure as
the president-general of Ihiala Progressive Union . Ngobili maintained that his
expectations and of course the expectations of the people was consistent peace
in Ihiala as he rightly stated that the traditional ruler was a man of peace
and has began to roll out programmes that would
project the culture and traditions of Ihiala people to the rest of the
world . He said it was the first time Ihiala would organise a new yam festival
of such magnitude stressing that igwe Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu was the right man
in the saddle and that the people would accord him genuine and sincere
followership even as he said that the conferment of kingship on Ichie
Engr.Thomas Ikenna Obidiegwu was a divine ordination and that the gods and
deities of Ihiala ancient kingdom backed his emergence and coronation as Oluoha
the 17th and clan head of Ihiala . The Speaker of the Anambra State House of
Assembly Rt.Hon.Uche Okafor , the State Commissioner of Police CP John Bassey
Abang , the State Commissioner for Transport Hon.Dr.Christian Madubuko as well
as a galaxy of very important personalities added glitz and glamour to the 2019
Iri-ji festival and Ofala celebration of His Royal Highness Igwe Sir Thomas
Ikenna Obidiegwu , Oluoha the 17th and clan head of Ihiala ancient kingdom
while conferment of chieftancy titles on deserving indigenes of Ihiala formed
the climax of the cultural festival and reverence to the gods of the land for
the gift of the new yam .
Igwe Obidiegwu cutting the new yam flanked by two members
of the Oluoha-in-Council at St.Martin Catholic Church Odoata Ihiala .
0 Comments