• Ozo vows to preserve Igbo heritage
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
The proclamation of Igbo lunar calendar (Igu Aro) is the prerogative of Eze Nri. He is the custodian of Igbo culture, tradition and the keeper of ancestral Ofo Ndigbo.
Igbo New Year starts in February, same as the shrines and other cultures in Asia, far East, Israel, etcetera. These cultures use moon to determine the season and time. During this period, Eze Nri proclaims and ushers in the beginning of the planting season.
But since the Eze Nri went on a long journey, having joined his ancestors; the regent has taken up the responsibility of proclaiming the New Year at Nri in Anaocha Local Lovernment, Anambra State, acclaimed by the people to be the ancestral home of Ndigbo.
In its commitment to the promotion and preservation of Igbo cultural heritage, a socio-cultural group, Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, celebrated 2023 Igbo New Year with a public lecture on Igbo Calendar. Titled, “2023 Iguaro Ndi Igbo (Igbo New Year)” with the theme “Iguaro Ndi Igbo and its relevance in cultural and socio-political life of Ndigbo in Nigeria and the world,” the event held at Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu.
Chairman at the occasion, Mr Pat Ezeagwu, said the programme was a way of reviving Igbo culture and creating awareness to youths on need to embrace their culture. He added that the way the white had Georgian calendar that contained months and seven days in a week was the way Igbo people had four days known as “Izu” comprising Eke, Orie, Afo and Nkwo:
“As people rest on Sunday is the way people rest on Eke day in Igboland, if you are a good farmer, you do not joke with Eke Day. Igbo calendar has 28 days and there is nothing in Georgian calendar that is not in Igbo own. The white only cheated us by creating their own culture in us.”
National President, Nzuko Ozo Ndi Igbo, Prof Ike Oluka, said: “The group is non-political, non-profit and apex socio cultural organisation of Ozo title holders in Nigeria. Ozo is the highest Igbo traditional title outside the traditional ruler-Igwe or Eze, which served as means of social and economic qualification of the ‘who is who.’
“Ozo title holders ensure peace, see that taboo and abomination-Nsoala is not committed by standing on the part of truth all the time.
“In the Igbo traditional religion, the collective pronouncement by Ndi Ozo will instantly get justice from the gods who unleash severe punishment on whoever is being cursed. Their collective pronouncement on issues stands irrevocable and irretrievably efficacious with dire repercussions on the life of those it may concern. This is because of the moral and spiritual status of the members of the Ozo society and the potent force it draws from the Igbo ancestors.”
Oluka is also of the Faculty of Engineering, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Enugu: “Igbo have traditional calendar unlike Georgian calendar that has unequalled based months. Some have 28, 29, 30 and 31 days in a month and 365, 366 in a year.
“But Igbo lunar calendar has four days of native week, seven weeks of 28 days that make a month and 13 months of equal number that make a year of 364 days. Our calendar shares resemblance with Chinese and Jewish calendars. Our ancestors led by Nri was able to calibrate on the movement of stars for their daily, weekly and yearly activities without mistake.”
Vice Chancellor, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Monsignor Christian Anieke, remarked: “No human being exists without culture or identity. Culture shapes and directs people. Culture is as important as one’s life.
“There s need for Igbo to go back and retrace their roots. They should go back to those Igbo stories of Mbe- tortoise and his wisdom, the same ideology, that makes Igbo people unique and wise.”
Anieke extolled the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, saying that the former Anambra State governor symbolised the Igbo wisdom in Mbe story given the manner he responded to issues: “Even when insults and cajols, Obi will still give a positive response. This is what I want all Igbo people to learn, an ability to do things with wisdom.”
Okpala Eze Nri, (Nri first son), Prince Chukwuemeka Onyesoh, delivered the keynote address. He stated that it was absolutely wrong to say that Igbo had no cultural history and were not civilised before the coming of the White men: “The problem was created partly by the colonial masters, missionaries and substantially by the politicians
“The apparent misrepresentation of Igbo culture by Nigerian scholars has been a major concern to me over the years. Igbo had organised kingdom, culture and kingship before colonisation and before many kingdoms in Nigeria.”
Chairman, Planning Committee of 2023 Iguaro Ndi Igbo, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, who is also National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said: “The idea of the group is to teach the younger generation the need to uphold and promote their culture.
“Ndigbo should identify with their roots and uphold those cultural values they were known for and ensure they do not go into extinction.”
Onyensoh had in a previous interview with Daily Sun explained that all Igbo market days are deities (Alusi) and they have their originating shrines in Nri: “Eze Nri introduced these four deities in Igbo land, hence Nri priests (agents) travelled all over Igbo land consecrating the shrines of these deities.
“The days of the Igbo Week: Iguaro is the ritual proclamation of Igbo lunar calendar by Eze Nri (king of Nri) in Anambra State performed yearly, for the Igbo nation over the past 1022 years, as the founder of Igbo days of Eke, Oye, Afo and Nkwo (all deities) which determine the “Izu” (four-day week) that add up to the “Onwa” (seven native weeks in a month) that yield the “Aro” (year of 13 lunar months).
“Aro is another deity by itself, again controlled by Eze Nri. Aro has shrines in Nri. Anthropologists detailed how the four super naturals (otherwise deities) of market days, were revealed to Eze Nri who now control them. The Igbo market days and Aro are thus, deities. Prof. Onwuejeogwu in his various anthropological researches and publications provided elaborate details of these facts.
“Iguaro Eze Nri used to be the biggest festival in Igbo land, performed in the palace of Eze Nri by Eze Nri, dating from 900AD. Before the British liquidation in August 1911, Nri had developed its concept of Aro – the year. Aro is a supernatural force revealed to Eze Nri in the past; then Nri transformed it into a cycle of one year.”
He listed the 13 segments of the Aro (year) to include: Onwa Agumaro, which usually falls around mid February of the Gregorian calendar. It is followed by Onwa Mbu, Onwa Abuo, Onwa Ife Eke, Onwa Ano, Onwa Agwu, Onwa Ifejioku, Onwa Iliji, Onwa Ilommuo (Onwasato), Onwa Ana, Onwa Okike, Onwa Ajana na Edeaja, Onwa Uzo Alusi.