By Bianca Iboma-Emefu and Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
The promotion and preservation of Igbo cultural heritage is in the air. Traditional and religious leaders as well as academics of Igbo origin are disturbed about the UNESCO prediction that their language might go into extinction in 25 years.
So, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State chapter, Chief Sunday Ossai, tasked members to increase their commitment to the revival of Igbo cultural heritage.
This is even as retired Prelate of The Methodist Church, Nigeria (MCN), Samuel Kalu Uche, admonished Ndigbo to be conscious of their Igboness. He urged them to take positive stands in the affairs of Nigeria, irrespective of the perceived hatred and lack of regard for them, by other ethnic groups.
He spoke at the first memorial service for Mrs Adanma Enyidiya Okpara, wife of the Premier of the defunct Eastern Nigeria, Dr M. I. Okpara, in Umuahia, Abia State: “The Igbo are struggling to survive, wherever they find themselves, because they are not regarded in their home country, Nigeria.
“This is in spite of the huge, sincere contributions the Igbo make to develop and grow the country at large without being sentimental or parochial about such endeavour.”
He advised them not to sell or mortgage their ethnic Igbo origin but to stand on it, while working for the greater development of the country: “Leadership offices in Nigeria must be distributed equitably, if the people want peace that is sustainable.
“We struggle because we are not regarded or given our rights in Nigeria. Igbo wanting to forget their identity in order to impress their lords and masters in other tribes are sell-outs. Don’t sell your Igboness. In Nigeria, they are not treating us well.”
He argued that the continued incarceration of the Leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was a disobedience to God Almighty. He and called for his immediate release.
The two-time kidnap victim condemned the inability of the authorities to checkmate activities of armed bandits and herdsmen terrorising parts of the country, especially the Southeast by maiming, raping and kidnapping for ransom and killing innocent citizens:
“My own Biafra represents an ideology that calls for recognition of efforts of each group towards the common good of all of us. Nigeria does not recognise that Igbo are special breed.
“Let them give us opportunity to see what we will do with such situations to move the country forward.” He challenged Nigerians to change their attitudes towards one another: “As people with a common destiny, we need one another.”
Prelate Uche said Okpara and his wife lived lives worthy of emulation: “Despite her high office as the premier’s wife, Adanma Okpara cooked and served food to her husband until the end.”
For Ossai, Ohanaeze as the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition must do everything to ensure that Igbo culture and tradition are preserved. He urged Nigerian leaders to emulate experiences of countries that did not ignore the element of diversity to attain unity and build a better nation.
He was speaking at the New Yam Festival of the organisation in Lagos. The event attracted Ndigbo from the 57 councils in Lagos.
Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Prof. Lucian Chukwu, who delivered a paper on the effect of climate change, emphasised the need for green energy as well as the need to eradicate the use of fossil fuels.
Chairman, Planning Committee, Prince Ubochi Ubochi, said the group launched the Igbo Wealth Creation Centre to impact lives: “The idea centres around taking them off the streets and giving them a purpose, worthy of emulation, so they can also continue the trend when they are established.
“The Igbo apprenticeship system simply purports a responsibility established by businessmen in a town, street or locale to pick up teenagers-young adults as apprentice, from their homes and give them an informally formal, but raw and practical, cut-throat business education.
“Though these apprentices are not paid, they are given accommodation, transportation, where necessary, feeding and clothing. It also takes roughly between five and seven years.
“The centre would develop young boys. The Igbo apprenticeship system is a model where young boys would learn trading and get empowered after they have been trained.”
One of the elders spoke on the significance of yam in Igbo culture and tradition: “God created people and gave them special peculiarities. God that created the Igbo gave them the wisdom to organise the socio-cultural advancement of the East. The Igbo were the first to lay the socio-cultural foundation in Africa.
“It is unfortunate that the cultures and traditions of the Igbo that are so populous in Africa are becoming extinct. It is regrettable that one is alive and his cultural ethos is on the last legs. We are here to celebrate one of the greatest cultural festivals in Igbo land, the New Yam.
You identify a people by their culture, tradition and language.
“Since the celebration started, the spirit of Ahiajoku has become the god of yam. In the circumstance, whatever an Igbo man does, if he hasn’t planted yams, he is not regarded as a mature Igbo.
“In the same manner, an Igbo woman is not regarded as a full-fledged woman if she has not planted cocoyam. The myth of Ahiajoku is re-enacted during the New Yam Festival each year.”
Former presiden, Igbo Intelligentsia Group, Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, regretted that equity, justice and fairness had taken flight in the country: “The forthcoming election is an opportunity to redress the skewed system by electing a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction:
“What Nigerians need if the country must succeed, is to find a collective and equitable solution to the way political leaders are chosen. We must put in place an administration that will transform the leadership space.”
He added that coercive integration, need for peace and unity and a system of shared power, as well as good leadership would help the country’s future.