The coast is now clear for ndigbo, especially Igbos of the old Oratta comprising Owerri west LGA, Owerri north LGA, Owerri municipal and Ngor Okpala, to commence the celebration of the new yam festival in their various communities as Ihiagwa clan in Owerri west LGA has celebrated the Odu Ukwu cultural festival which is the traditional ceremony designed to welcome the new yam in Igboland before other communities would start eating it. In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the 2025 Odu Ukwu celebration committee, Chief Priest Benji Osunkwo emphasized the need for sustenance of the Odu Ukwu cultural festival which was handed down to them by their forefathers, adding that it would not end with them. He noted that the significance of the festival lies in the fact that it heralds the advent of the new yam in Igboland. Until the festival takes place anyone seen with the new yam in Ihiagwa would be reported to the Council of Elders and the person would be fined five pounds and one goat. This year’s Ihiagwa Odu Ukwu cultural festival which took place on Thursday, July 24 was celebrated in a low- key mood as the community has been in mourning over the loss of some of their prominent people, including Dr. Chris Asoluka, HRH Eze Lucky Ajoku, Engr. Nnanna Okoro, Ichie Godsend Opara( a key player in the Odu Ukwu cultural festival), the wife of the oldest man that used to perform the cultural dance ( nkwa), and others. However, all the features that usually mark the cultural festival were fully deployed and the event ended with everyone present served the new yam. The highlight of the festival was the traditional dance ( nkwa) performed by Kelechi Oparaugo from Umuokoma kindred in Iriamogu village. This traditional dance is always performed by the oldest man among the kindreds that are traditionally empowered to do it. This year’s event fell on Snr. Apostle Augustine Oparaeke who had declined because of his religious beliefs, but in fulfillment of the traditional requirements had to appoint his younger nephew, Kelechi Oparaugo, to stand in his place and perform the cultural dance ( nkwa).
The Ihiagwa Odu Ukwu cultural festival, according to the Chairman of Iregbe nshi ato comprising Ibuzo, Nkaramoche and Iriamogu villages( custodians) of the Odu Ukwu culture, Hon. Kelechukwu Kennedy Okere, is as old as Ihiagwa clan itself and was passed on to them by their forefathers. It is a highly revered festival with its inviolable traditional sanctity. For instance, the traditional dance during the Odu Ukwu cultural festival is performed by certain kindreds within Iregbe nshi ato ( Iriamogu, Ibuzo and Nkaramoche villages). In Nkaramoche village the kindred that dances is the Umuagumafo kindred. In Ibuzo it is the Umunna Okere. In Iriamogu village it is the Ozuruoke family which comprises of units like Anah, Ekechi and Ugwuegbulam. In Iriamogu, Oparaeke family from Umuokoma kindred and Onyenwenjo family from Umuiheshia kindred also dance.
On how the Odu Ukwu cultural festival started, the Ezearo Chief Priest Benji Osunkwo observed that he met it at birth, saw his fathers celebrate it and now they have taken over to continue the tradition of their fathers. On how Ihiagwa clan came to be entitled to be the one proclaiming the advent of the new yam festival, Hon. Kelechukwu Kennedy Okere stated that it was when the God called Chukwu visited Ihiagwa. After a time He left and sent His brother/ relation called Otamiri to go and take care of his people in Ihiagwa. Otamiri then sent word to them through a messenger from Emekuku. Ihiagwa gathered to receive the message from Otamiri. He came and told them that from Ihiagwa His message would be going to other communities. This is why Ihiagwa has Oha Otamiri in all the villages in Ihiagwa clan. These Oha Otamiri are the people traditionally mandated to represent the clan in seeing the gods at the evil forest. It follows that without Ihiagwa delivering that message no one within their environs will do anything.Hon. Okere
lamented that the advent of Christianity had eroded their traditions and culture and today nobody is willing to be called Oha as the call’ it a fetish title. The Odu Ukwu cultural festival is no longer done like in the olden days. Today, everything fetish has been removed from the celebrations and it even commences with a prayer session. Notwithstanding, Hon. Okere maintained that the festival must be celebrated and that failure to observe it would lead to consequences on the community. He stressed that the Odu Ukwu festival makes Ihiagwa clan the traditional calendar readers for other communities and without it new yam would not be celebrated in the whole Oratta clan and beyond.
Ezinea Geoffrey Opara, a community leader, made case for the sustenance of the Odu Ukwu cultural festival and other festivals across Igboland, describing them as the people’s identity. Opara expressed joy that the young people are gradually following in the steps of the elders towards ensuring that their traditions are kept alive.
