• Ndigbo celebrate New Yam, Ofala in Abidjan
From Aloysius Attah, Abidjan
The Igbo are somewhat migrant. A widely travelled people; they live in every part of the world. As they traverse the globe, they move with their culture.
In various parts of Africa, be it Ghana, Gambia, Mali, Uganda or Zambia, the Igbo are engaged in different trade especially commerce. So, for those of them resident in Cote d’ Ivoire, the French speaking West African country, home is no more faraway as the country’s capital, Abidjan, has become another home too for them.
There in Abidjan, despite the seeming language barrier, they speak Igbo, wear Igbo attires, relish Igbo delicacies and also completely live the Igbo way of life.
September 24, 2023, was another opportunity to further showcase the Igbo essence in the Francophone country. On that day, the Igbo, their friends and well-wishers were treated to the best of Igbo way of life at the maiden Ofala ceremony and New Yam Festival of the Eze Ndigbo Cote d’ Ivoire, Igwe Emmanuel Chukwuma. The Igbo Union Cote d’ Ivoire led by Nze Ejikeme Williams was at the centre of the whole activities.
Many Igbo cultural troupes and masquerades were on display including a Culture Ambassador, Ezeuzu of Ichida, and Icheoku Agulu, Anambra State. They serenaded the audience with scintillating chants and performances while the people enjoyed Ugba and Abacha special delicacy, roasted yam mixed in palm oil and oil bean sauce among others.
The Nigerian Embassy in Cote d’ Ivoire, and Governor of the District of Abidjan, Robert Beugre, sent delegations with goodwill messages.
Eze Ndi Igbo Coted d’ Ivoire, Chukwuma described the event as a historical and memorable.
He recalled that many Igbo came to Cote d’ Ivoire over five decades ago but unfortunately, initial efforts to bring all together to work as a united body proved abortive for several years.
Chukwuma noted that it was in 2019 after the first successful election of the Igbo Union in Cote d’ Ivoire that a leader, Nze Ejike William emerged. He said that Williams changed the narratives after his intrinsic study on why the former leaders failed to bring their people together despite the people’s urge to be united: “He decided with the humongous support of his executives, to change this rhetoric that Igbo don’t have a leader and the result was the coronation of the first Eze Ndigbo in Cote d Ivoire on Sunday, 18th day of September, 2022, at Palais de Sport Triechvile Abidjan.”
Igwe Chukwuma said the commemoration of his first year in office as Eze Ndigbo Cote d’ Ivoire, the Ofala and Iri Ji Festival was an effort to immortalise the traditions, cultures and values of Ndigbo in that country: “When I took oath during my coronation, my mouth was washed with ‘ogirishi’ and for that reason; I will stand on the truth and nothing but the truth. I want to let all gathered here today to be rest assured that I will ensure that all Igbo enjoy their stay in this country without any form of intimidation. We’ll continue to give a bright future to our offspring so that our culture will not go in extinction.”
His counterpart in Ghana, Eze Chukwudi Ihenetu who was at the event, expressed delight over the cultural enthusiasm shown by Igbo people in Cote d ‘Ivoire. He noted that he came to reciprocate similar honour done him a week earlier when the Eze Ndigbo Cote d’ Ivoire graced his New Yam Festival in Ghana alongside a large delegation of Igbo Chiefs from Cote d’ Ivoire.
Ihenetu posited that Eze Ndigbo in the Diaspora and vibrant Igbo unions outside Igbo land and Nigeria have succeeded in bringing together prominent Igbo sons and daughters with their children who would have been lost literarily speaking following the disconnection from their roots: “What is obtainable in Igbo land is what we replicate outside the shores of Nigeria and Igbo land. We appeal to the traditional rulers domiciled in Igbo land to be praying for us to succeed. We are not challenging them or engaging in competition with them but we are rather helping them to pass the message of Igbo culture and traditions to their children in Diaspora. When we come home, we pay them allegiance and give them reports of our achievements in the Diaspora.”
President of Igbo Union Cote d’ Ivoire, Nze Williams also affirmed that the Union has existed for long in the country but only took a firm rooting four years ago: “We started with putting up an acceptable constitution that took us three years. The entire community unions and state unions in the five southeast states all came to agree that we should produce an Eze Ndigbo for Cote d’ Ivoire which we reasoned that having an Eze will further unite and solidify our stay here. I made them understand that we shall adopt both rotational and zonal principle starting from the first son of the Igbo-Anambra State who will produce the Eze Ndigbo, Imo will produce the Onowu (Traditional Prime Minister), Enugu takes the Ikenga, Abia takes the Ochiagha while Ebonyi takes the Owelle. All these were enshrined in the constitution and we finally sealed it with the successful coronation of Chief Emmanuel Ikechukwu Chukwuma as the first Eze Ndigbo Cote d’ Ivoire.
“Anywhere an Eze Ndigbo is crowned, Igbo culture has taken root there.”
Ejikeme also disclosed that efforts were on to build Igbo village in Cote d’ Ivoire where Igbo children can learn their culture and traditions, inclusive of hospital, event centre among others.
A businessman, Chief Angus Nwoye said the ceremony was an avenue for marketing Igbo culture to the world. He said the Igbo were irrepressible noting that many of them blaze the trail in business, contracts, construction and industrialisation in Cote d’ Ivoire just like in other countries of the world.
Chief Chigbo Ojukwu (Ezenwamadu) told Daily Sun that the Igbo in Cote d’ Ivoire were merely replicating the cultural practice in his Nnobi Community of Idemili South LGA, Anambra State, where his family produces the kingmakers.