The people of Umueri Okebo in Anambra East council area of Anambra state have celebrated this year’s Okika Mmuo during which the New Yam Festival date was announced by the Onowu (traditional prime minister) of the community, His Majesty, Ezeakonobi Mike Ekweonu.
The community has an ancient tradition wherein it is the prerogative of the Onowu to announce date for New Yam festival after consultations with the ancestors, within the period into the fifth month of traditional Igbo calender year.
Different masquerade display heralded the entrance of the Onowu into the village square. Marking of cultural chalk (nzu) according to the order of seniority of all male adults present, took centre stage as was initiated by the eldest man in the community, Nnake Chibuzo age 122 years.
The Onowu then performed the traditional breaking of kolanut, praying the gods to reveal to him New Yam Festival dates, considering the fact that hunger has befallen the land, hence the need to begin eating of yam after a bountiful harvest.
Addressing the gathering at his palace, His Majesty, Ezeakonobi Mike Ekweonu, Onowu Iyasele XIII of Umueri Kingdom said he is the one responsible for sighting the moon (5th month of Igbo traditional year) before the King or any other inhabitant of the land will eat yam.
“This is the fifth month of the Community according to Igbo calender. On this 12th day, we will go and tell the people that it is time for them to eat new yam. Am the one vested with authority to announce when eating of new yam will commence. And this shall be done after I had consulted with ancestors to assign a suitable date for the ceremony.
“This is my 32nd year of this ceremony through the grace of God. God has special love on me. It made me to understand that respecting tradition is respecting God. If you dont respect tradition, you cannot respect God because all the 10 commandments are rooted in our tradition. You must respect the tradition, if you must love God.
“Alo Muo Umueri shall be on 27 and 28 (Eke na Oye) in our fifth month, which is September in Roman Calender. So invite your kinsmen at home and in diaspora as well as friends and wellwishers that we shall eat new yam that day.
“By this time next year, we will all be alive to celebrate this same event. Umueri will eat this year’s yam to usher in love, progress and uncommon breakthrough in the land”, the Onowu declared.
Ezeakonobi however prayed that all that attended this event (Okika Mmuo) shall have good testimonies by this time next year.
In an interview, the Chairman Ikenga Umueri Progressive Union, Chief Frank Ibegbunam, Okosisi 1 of Umueri, said Onowu stool has existed for over 400 years while the current Onowu is 32 years on the throne.
According to him, as custom demands, Onowu traditionally will first fix the date for new yam festival before any other person including the Igwe will celebrate New Yam.
“Ikenga Umueri has three quarters: Ikenga Umueri, Ezi Umueri and Ivite Umueri. Ikenga fixes or announces the date for new yam festival (Ika Mmuo), Ezi Umueri counts seasons of the year (Igu Aro) while Ifite Umueri produces kings.
“This event always has representatives from all the three quarters of Ikenga Umueri including Aguleri Umunnoke because one of our descendants sojourned there. During sharing of money and sitting arrangements, all the three quarters get their share including our brothers from Umunnoke Aguleri.
“I appreciate guests for gracing the occasion. As a hospitable community, our masquerades don’t flog a visitor; any masquerade that does the contrary will be arrested.”
Comrade Chinedu Ekweonu, Secretary Ikenga Umueri Unity Forum (IUUF) said the event is an age-long event testament to the rich cultural heritage of the area.
“This is the official commencement of our new yam festival. It is the Onowu through this Okika Mmuo that tells Umueri people the date for our New Yam festival. Our own new yam festival is not fixed like other communities do. It is being determined by traditional moon sighting system. It is on this date that Onowu tells the people that our new Yam festival will come in native four days, native eight days, etc.
On whether the event is at conflict with the Igwe’s Iri Ji coming up on Saturday 21st Sept 2024, he said it is the Onowu that tells the Igwe when to do his New Yam festival. The Igwe does not fix the date for Iwa Ji. It is after Okika Mmuo that any other person can fix the date for Iwa Ji (Ilo Mmuo).
“Umueri is traditionally an igbo community that is guided by ancestral laws. This kind of positive Igbo tradition should be encouraged and guided jeolously particularly in this era when our culture has been eroded by foreign culture.”
A Christian clergy, Pastor Ben Agape, Director Hoopler World TV and Director Centre for Research in Igbo History and Culture, traced the origin of Igbo people to Umueri. According to him, empirical study shows that Umueri is the birthplace of Igbo race.
“Umueri has three quarters or clans: Ezi, Ikenga and Ivite, and governance is split among this tripod using clear-cut separation of power. The king must come from Ivite (precisely Enuagu Mgbede).
“Every new Eze must be crowned by the Onowu (traditional Prime Minister) who must come from Ikenga (Mgbago) and the chief priest must come from Ezi. As part of the duties of the Onowu, he is the custodian of the Igbo calender that governs all our activities in Igbo land. Today’s ceremony is fixing of date (Okika Mmuo) for the new yam festival (Ilo Muo).
“In fixing the date, there is negotiation between the ancestors and the living for suitability of the date. The yam have matured,
and harvested but the children are hungry because they cannot eat yam.
“The Onowu who fixes the date cannot perform the task of Igu Aro (predicting what year has in store for Ndigbo). That is the prerogative of Ajie, the Chief Priest of Umueri Community from Nneyi. Every other community takes their turn after that. The king is the Eze of everybody, but he cannot fix the date for new yam festival or crown himself except the Onowu.”
Members of the Royal Cabinet of Igwe Ben Emeka, traditional ruler of Umueri also graced the occasion alongside other numerous dignitaries.
The event exhibited the rich Umueri culture by traditionally dressed Umueri men and women, including masquerades.###
