Jeff Amech Agbodo, Onitsha
The small and sleepy community of Ukwulu in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra state on December 15, 2018 witnessed an unprecedented crowd; the type never in its entire history as people from far and near thronged the area for the maiden Ofala festival of the traditional ruler, Igwe Peter Uyanwa (Ezedike Ukwulu).
It was a carnival of sort as people from all walks of life ranging from politicians, businessmen, academics, diplomats, monarchs as well as religious, women and youth associations from within and outside the state graced the colourful ceremony.
The state governor, Chief Willie Obiano, Senator Victor Umeh, and other top politicians were on hand to honour the monarch; while the State Traditional Rulers’ Council led by its Chairman, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, were in their numbers to felicitate with one of their own.
The people of the community rolled out the drums; they displayed different cultural dances, live bands and masquerades as well as other cultural heritage of the area. Cultural dances and masquerades from the neighbouring communities such as the Ijele, Izaga and other smaller masquerades were also on ground to entertain guests.
Igwe Uyanwa who is Chairman of the Anambra Central Traditional Rulers’ Council, was installed by the community and given certificate of recognition by the state government in June 2016. He used his first Ofala festival to honour 24 prominent Nigerians with different chieftaincy titles in line with the tradition of the community. Some of the title recipients included the senator representing Anambra Central, Chief Umeh and an aspirant in 2017 governorship election in the state, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, among others.
The event was a major boost to local businesses; for the commercial bus and motorcycle operators; some of them who would not make up to N2000 per a day, they smiled home as much as N7000 conveying people in and out of the community.
Regarding the ceremony proper, as early as 8:00am, the cultural troupe known as “Igba Eze’ had started playing waiting for the Igwe who made his first appearance at about noon. He went round the arena to greet the natives and visitors who in return poured encomiums on the royal celebrant before he retired into the palace to commence the award and title giving after which at about 3pm he made another appearance at the arena. Accompanied by his cabinet and Ndichies, the Igwe danced to the rhythmic tunes of the Igba Ndieze cultural music.
It was after Igwe Uyanwa retired in his royal stool for the second time, that he started receiving homage from various groups, clans, villages, communities and well-wishers. In large numbers people came with cows, rams, goats, tubers of yam, fowls, crates of drinks and other gifts in which the Igwe prayed for them after receiving their presentations.
Speaking at the festival, Obiano charged the traditional institutions to sustain the traditions and cultural value of their communities as according to him, it is the only bond that bids people together as Igbo and differentiates the people from other ethnic groups in the country.
Obiano who described Igwe Uyanwa as a fearless and straight forward man also asked the traditional rulers to be mindful of the kind of people they give titles in order to uphold the sanctity of the institution. He noted that respect for the traditional institution has greatly improved, and urged them to continue to support his administration and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
In his speech, Igwe Uyanwa prayed for the Governor and expressed his unalloyed support to him, noting that under his watch, the dividends of good governance have reached Ukwulu town, including the first and second phases of the ‘Choose your project initiative’ of the government. He, therefore, asked for approval for the third phase.
The monarch who said that the overwhelming support he enjoyed he enjoyed from the people of his kingdom, has enthroned lasting peace in the community since he occupied the stool. He promised to harness the cultural heritage and make the community a tourist centre to behold in the state and beyond.
He noted that he has hosted the New Yam festival (Iwa Ji) for the last two years which according him, was as big as the Ofala festival, in a bid to sustain the cultural values of the community.
President General of Ukwulu Town Union, Chief Walter Okafor (Iduezue) said the community has witnessed peace, progress and unity under Igwe Uyanwa’s reign.
He said that prior to his installation; Uyanwa had served the community as President General for two tenures and was also elected the president-general of Anambra State Welfare Association, Abuja, between 1998 and 2003 where he made remarkable achievements.
According to Okafor, “Igwe Uyanwa is a philanthropist who singlehandedly donated car to every indigenously ordained Reverend Father in the community,” even before he emerged the traditional ruler on June 10, 2016.