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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Uratta, a sprawling community in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, comprising Obibi and Ihiteoha came alive on Saturday, February 14, 2026, as indigenes gathered at the historic Orie Uratta market square for the annual Onwa Oru festival.
More than a colourful display of masquerades, traditional dances and red george regalia, the event reaffirmed a cultural legacy that has bound the people of Uratta together for generations.
Onwa Oru is a festival that marks the end of one planting season and the heralding of the next one. Its timing – five Igbo market weeks from declaration to conclusion has been observed since the earliest days of Uratta’s ancestors.
The ceremony is announced on every Orie Ukwu market day by the Onye Ishi Ala Uratta (Village Head), who declares a “period of peace” during which quarrels, court cases, police summons, cannon fire and even divorce proceedings are forbidden.
Traps set by hunters are disabled, and burial rites are kept low‑key, underscoring a community‑wide commitment to harmony.
This year’s celebration was unique, beginning with a Holy Mass presided over by Rev. Fr. Charles Ikwuegbu, a native of Uratta. The service coincided with St. Valentine’s Day, prompting the cleric to weave a message of love into the traditional rites.
“Onwa Oru is a culture without fetish or satanic practices; it is in the hands of God,” said Rev. Fr. Philip Ogbonna, Pro‑Chancellor of Imo State University and chairman of the occasion.
Fr. Ogbonna, who is also a son of Uratta praised the festival for its continued prominence and thanked the Uratta Development Union (UDU) leadership, especially, its President‑General, Engr. Stanley Ukaga, for their diligent stewardship.
Traditional rulers added weight to the celebration. HRH Eze Emmanuel Okoro (Eze Ocha II of Ihiteoha Uratta) reminded attendees that “a people without culture are doomed,” emphasising that Onwa Oru is a veritable legacy that promotes love, unity and oneness. HRH Eze Boniface Ariri of Obibi and HRH Eze David Nnawuihe Onu Egwunwoke (Eze Udo III of Akwakwuma Uratta) echoed similar sentiments, noting that the festival rekindles communal affection and spurs development through the provision of modern amenities.
The climax of Onwa Oru is the market celebration, where sons and daughters of Uratta don white shirts and red george wrappers, creating a sea of colour at Orie Uratta.
Highlights of the festival include a traditional wrestling contest between Obibi and Ihiteoha, a hunting expedition that signals the start of the new farming season, and the “Ipohu Omu” ceremony raising the large Ofo (symbolic staff of authority) to declare the festival’s end and permit agricultural work to commence.
Beyond its cultural significance, Onwa Oru has become a platform for development dialogue. Former Acting General Manager of the State Environmental Transformation Commission, Chief Willy Amadi, commended the UDU for its selfless service and urged continued efforts to modernise infrastructure while preserving tradition.
As the drums fell silent and the market square emptied, the message from Uratta was clear: a people who cherish their heritage, uphold peace, and embrace love will always find a way to thrive season after season, and generation after generation.
