As Onitsha Gears Up For Ofala Festival

Promises of excitement and colourful cultural display fill the air as Onitsha Metropolis prepares to pull out the stops ahead of this year’s Ofala Festival celebration by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe Agbogidi, OKEY MADUFORO reports

Man’s connection with his Chi

Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe Agbogidi, the Obi of Onitsha, is no doubt one of the most influential monarchies in Igbo land and across Nigeria. The stool of Igwe of Onitsha is arguably one of the oldest traditional stools in the old Eastern region, cutting across the 10 states of the South East and South South.

it is against this backdrop that the Ofala Festival of the Obi Onitsha is acclaimed as one of the most important and cherished festivals when it comes to its significance and the sheer display of pomp and pageantry. Recall that the last Ofala Festival held in 2023 had its theme as: ‘Better Stronger Together’, which captured the mood of the Igbo land and its people if not the entire Nigeria.

On that day Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe Agbogidi lamented the state of the nation, both politically and economically, urging the government at all levels to hit the ground running. He also decried the perceived inglorious role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the general elections as well as the level of religious bigotry that occasioned the high rate of insecurity in the northern part of the country.

This is as he also shared his thoughts on other burning national issues of the day then. For this year’s festival, the Igwe is also poised at admonishing and motivating all Nigerians, particularly, the Igbo race on following the path of rectitude and development, as the festival has as a theme: ‘Onye Kwe Chi ya Ekwe’. This roughly translates to: “If a person shows determination in life, his personality god would always work with him”. The theme is indeed instructive in view of the growing challenges be ing faced by citizens currently and it also offers a new dawn for Nigeria as a country to return to God.

Expectations.

This is as the Igwe and the sponsors of the 2024 Ofala Festival revealed the array of activities lined up for this year’s celebration.

In a recent press release by Mr Tony Nezianya, the event’s publicist, it was disclosed that the festival would witness several new additions put in place to spice it up. He said the theme of the event would be: ‘Courage, Perseverance, and Self-reliance (Onye kwe, Chi’e ekwe)’.

This reflects the monarch’s message of hope and resilience in the face of prevailing hardships in the country. According to him, the festival is scheduled to take place between October 18 and 19. Nezianya said: “The Ofala is rooted in deep spirituality, the Ofala is an occasion for the monarch to fulfil certain obligations.

“It is primarily a celebration by the monarch and his subjects of the monarch’s annual emergence from seclusion, during which period the monarch has successfully negotiated the fortunes of the kingdom.” Chief Dr. Okechukwu Mike Areh, the Onya Ozoma of Onitsha and Chairman, Ofala Steering Committee, noted: “The theme resonates deeply with our people’s resolve to overcome adversity.

As we navigate the challenges of our time, we draw inspiration from our rich cultural heritage and the timeless values of our ancestors. “The 2024 Ofala Eze Onicha is a call to action, urging us to tap into our inner strength, our collective resilience, and our unwavering commitment to one another.” He added: “We are proud to showcase our rich cultural heritage and promote unity among our people and invite everyone to join us in celebrating the 2024 Ofala.”

Areh on behalf of the Ofala Steering Committee expressed gratitude to the sponsors of the festival, Globacom Limited and International Breweries Plc. (makers of Hero Beer), for their continued support. Globacom said: “We are proud to once again partner with the Ofala Steering Committee to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

“The Ofala is a celebration of our nation’s diversity and resilience, and we are honoured to be a part of it.” On his part, the Marketing Director of International Breweries Plc., Mr Bamise Oyegbami, stated: “At International Breweries Plc., we believe in the sustenance of culture and tradition as ways of uniting and inspiring our communities.

“We are delighted to support the 2024 Ofala and celebrate the courage, perseverance, and self-reliance of the Nigerian people. In line with the usual practice, the Ofala will in addition to the two days of the festival proper and the ancillary traditional rites feature other events. “These will kick off on October 8, with the 2024 edition of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations/Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University and Obi Nnaemeka Achebe Annual Lecture.

“Professor Pat Utomi would be speaking on: ‘Achieving Peace and Reconciliation in Nigeria: The Public Relations Approach’. “The 10th edition of the International Art Exhibition (Oreze X) will be held between October 16 and 21.” He said effective from this year, a medical, health, and wellbeing community outreach would be undertaken throughout the period of the festival.

However, the Steering Committee regretted that the Ofala Youth Carnival organised by the Onitsha Youth Council (OYC), which is seen the largest street party in South-eastern Nigeria will not hold this year as a mark of respect for the murdered leader of OYC and the driving spirit of the carnival, Kpajie Barrister Ernest A.B.K.