… Obidiaso: It’s Moment Of Peace, Love,
By Williams Odunze
In keeping with the tradition of their forefathers, the people of Umuekwe Mgbidi, Oru West LGA of Imo State, came out in their numbers to observe Owu Festival, an ancient annual ritual in reverence of their ancestors.
Giving historical background of the festival, Chief celebrant, Nze Osuji Akurueulo Obidiaso Ugochukwu who holds the title Agunaegbueghu 1 of Umuekwe Mgbidi ancient kingdom said that Owu Festival is an annual ritual that signifies peace, love and togetherness as well as a moment of reconcilation.
Nze Obidiaso further informed that the event started from his immediate clan and began its expansion to other clans in Mgbidi.
He hinted that the event is a generational and cultural heritage which started with their forefathers who observed it with much reverence and handed it over to them.
Nze Obidiaso while explaining the cultural significance of the festival, maintained that it originated from the river, hence it goes by the name,Owu Mmiri, but does not necessarily mean that it will be celebrated in the river.
He further said that the festival is more of dancing which features Isu dancers who come out one after the other before the Ihu Owu to display their dancing skills.
Obidiaso narrated that women do not participate in Owu dance, but rather observed it from far distance.
He however, explained that the only female folk qualified to participate in the event is Ada-Owu who according to history witnessed the ritual by accident, and was eventually initiated into the Owu in order to keep its secrecy.
According to him, tradition had it that goat must be atoned to appease the gods if there is any breach of the law of Owu, such as fighting, raining when Onyeisiowu is observing his dance and others.
Explaining cultural import of the event, Nze Obidiaso revealed that his experience in the United States of America made him to rethink, and come back home to rekindle what his father handed over to them.
He said in the U.S, there is a festival called Halloween which he said has cultural affinity with Owu celebration.
“In U.S, Halloween is observed in every home where families, relatives come together to celebrate irrespective of their religious beliefs.
They go from house to house in their different costumes exchanging pleasantries.
Every where you are, when the time comes to observe the Halloween, you must return home to participate in it.” he said.
The Agunaegbueghu pointed out that after watching the celebration of Halloween, he made it a point of duty to ensure that Owu festival would not die with the demise of his father, and that he would see to its existence even though he is not the first son of his father.
He advised that Africa, especially, the Igbo race should not play with their culture since it is their identify.
Nze Obidiaso regretted that most of the Africa’s artifacts were kept in foreign museums and that one must pay to be allowed to take a look at them.
“This is a big disservice to our forefathers who handed this to us and because of our religious beliefs we abandoned them.
There is nothing wrong keeping and observing your culture.
“If U.S despite its exposure to Christianity still observed their Halloween then why can’t we observe our culture with dignity?”
