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Felix Ikem, Nsukka
The university town of Nsukka in Enugu State stood still recently as the traditional ruler of Nkpunano community, Igwe Patrick Okolo, celebrated the maiden Ofala festival of the community.
It was indeed a carnival as 18 eminent personalities, including women, received chieftaincy titles for their outstanding and philanthropic gestures in society.
One of the women, Chief Amaka Ugwudike, a United States of America-based medical practitioner, our reporter gathered, has been in the forefront of the fight against child abuse in her community and Nsukka in general.
Ugwudike, who hails from Enugu-Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, became popular for her youth empowerment programme, scholarship scheme, which targets mainly women, and free health services, and she was conferred with the chieftaincy title of “Agbaragasia onaa n’obi.”
She told Daily Sun that the chieftaincy was a call for more humanitarian service to the people.
“I will use this chieftaincy title to better the lot of the people of my zone in particular and humanity in general. I am a US-trained and based nurse and I know what it takes to be a woman, especially in this part of the world. However, I will use this chieftaincy title to continue to fight for girl child education, which is being relegated to the background in our society here. You know, if I were not educated, I wouldn’t have been here today talking with you. We need to do more in fighting against poverty in our land to make way for a better generation,” she said.
As part of her philanthropy, the US-based nurse had built a town hall for her community, Umuagama, in Igbo-Eze North, sponsored some students in higher institutions of learning and also floated a scholarship scheme for the indigent, among others.
Ugwudike said time had come for women to be encouraged to come out and partake in social and political activities: “This is time for our women to come and take part in activities like this. They should stop shying away from throwing their weight behind anything they feel will uplift and develop their communities.
“We have so many educated and travelled women in Nsukka zone but just a few of them have the nerve to partake in politics and cultural activities. This to say the least is not a good omen. This is the second chieftaincy title I have received so far, and I am ever ready to receive another in so far as it is for the good of humanity.”
Another recipient, Chief Omeje Ejiofor, who was given the title of Ojinna ka I, also believed that it would spur him to do more for humanity: “Chieftaincy title of this sort passes through a very thorough scrutiny before it was bestowed on any person. It is a sort of clarion call for service to the humanity. I have answered the call and God willing, I will not be found wanting.”
Addressing the recipients directly before the conferment, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Okolo declared: “It is my sincere belief that to whom much is given, much is expected. This is the first Ofala festival after my fourteen years as the traditional ruler of this community. You shall set the pace that others shall follow in this community and even beyond. Be good ambassadors of this community. I have been trying to have this Ofala for the past fourteen years now, but like a popular saying goes, God’s time is the best.”
There was a floodgate of goodwill messages from far and near to the traditional ruler of Nkpunano community.
Some of those honoured at the ceremony were Chiefs Omeje Ezikeme, Ugwuoke Osondu, Ifeacho Ugwuoke, Chinedu Obodo and Walter Ozioko, a legal practitioner.
