From Everest Ezihe, Ihitte Uboma
The ancient kingdom of Amainyi, in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State is swindling in the euphoria of their cultural fiesta, being the 2024 Mbomuzo cultural heritage as a famous comedian,Mr. Osinachi Dike (Apama TV) with his team has been detailed to feature prominently and presents the ceremony’s keynote address.
The grande finale of the annual cultural extravaganza with the theme: Festival of Unity, holds on Monday (Nkwo) 29th August, 2024 at Ekeikpa Market Square, Amainyi Nta by noon as the three autonomous communities, that is Amainyi Ukwu, Amainyi Nta and Awake- Amainyi, that constitutes the ancient Amainyi kingdom are for the second time in recent history agreed to host this their great cultural heritage together as a mark for peace, stability, brotherly love and unity of purpose.
The cultural heritage which preludes started with Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo held on Saturday 27th July which deals with the community elders, title holders and Chief Priest consulting their ancestors, Ala Amainyi and God, for assurances for the peaceful conduct and celebration of the ancient cultural heritage, after which is, the Eke Ngu celebration detailed for Monday 26th ( Eke) August, 2024, for the celebration of their special food delicacy ( Cassava salad).
However, before the determination and announcement of the dates, something culturally and traditionally significant happened, as the elders of the community with title holders and their Chief Priest left the Palace and went into consultations with the Gods of the land and their ancestors, at a distanced building outside the Palace.
The delegation were obviously happy as their prayers were answered and they wrote down the dates in a piece of paper and delegated Okenze Abel Oparaeke to submit the paper on their behalf to the traditional rulers, who will appoint one of their own to do the traditional needful pronouncement.
It was at this juncture, that HRH Eze Martin MaduabuchiKeke gave Eze Ogbonna, the paper as the host traditional ruler to make the culturally accepted pronouncement.
Probably, as the onus of responsibility saddled on, High Chief Chinedu Ohaju, JP ( Omeudo), as Chairman of the programme’s Planning Committee, aroused the tempo of the occasion, as he stood up and in an eloquent flawless native language started showering praises to HRH Eze Pharmacist Emeka Ogbonna, Inyi 111 ( Eze Ohazurumee), appealing to him to mount the throne and douse the people’s expectations, the flutist spiritually and acrobatically electrified the entire environment, as the mammoth crowd became soaked into the supremacy of culture as people’s acceptable opium of life.
Eze Ogbonna as an epitome of culture, and custodian of her people’s traditional heritages,slowly but majestically got up, shakes his body and head, signifying cultural wholesomeness and baptism of privileged but courageous cultural warrior, took his golden staff of office and ofo, as the traditionally dressed palace guides were vigilantly standing on alert.
The flutist and drummers were on hand, synchronizing and oozing out songs of praises of Inyi 111 and the ancient community, as Eze Ogbonna in his impressive royal regalia, stylishly walked and sat on his dignified throne beaming smiles of happiness and gratitude to his God and the people.
After awhile, the Royal Father got up like a frightening lion and crossed his hands, signifying calmness and quietness, and every where witnessed peace of the graveyard. He made some incantations and in a gradual suspense, he opened the paper and with a loud voice announced the dates as aforementioned.
The entire environment charged, and the dates were heralded with 21 den guns and spontaneously, sumptuous entertainments comprised of assorted drinks and traditional foods started flowing like the water of Mariba.
However, HRH Eze Pharmacist Emeka Ogbonna, Inyi 111 of Amainyi, the Chief Host of the ancient kingdom 2024 Mbomuzo in his address during Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo cultural rite in his architectural beautifully designed Wisdom Palace, opined that the cultural heritage is their annual thanksgiving festival to their ancestors, to Ala Amainyi and God for good harvest, protection of their lives, and end of their traditional year.
Eze Ogbonna informed that the ceremonies preceding Mbomuzo include among others Eke Ngu at Eke Amainyi, Mbomuzo carnival train to their Ikoro at Ekeikpa, where they will have their annual prayers of protections, unity of purpose and prosperity for the kingdom, their relatives and for the entire world.
” I thank God for this opportunity to be part of this great celebration of our heritage. I am very sure that our ancestors are happy with us for keeping faith with this ceremony, even though, we have scale it to come abreast with our present digital age.
” So any time, we have opportunity to celebrate, we should celebrate great and in such a way that will continue to prosper Amainyi. Amainyi Wu Oke Mba. Times are changing, this is our time to do our own and some how, we are on the driver’s seat. We are repackaging ancient Amainyi kingdom on the same frame led by our ancestors and God. Everything is working well”.
The Royal Father expressed gratitude to the three Kings of Amainyi ancient kingdom, HRH Eze M.M. Keke, HRH Eze Kelechi Okeke and himself, for the usual spirit of cooperation, motivation and the dedication to foster unity, love and strength to move the ancient kingdom forward.
He also expressed gratitude to Chief Chinedu Ohaju, the Chairman of 2024 Mbomuzo Planning Committee and inadvertently the Omeudo of Umuawake Amainyi, Owelle Jonas Uwaleke, the Secretary of the Planning Committee as well as other members of the Committee, for their commitment towards the success of the ceremonies.
Eze Ogbonna further applauded Amainyi Billionaires Business School, ABBS and Amainyi Tv and News for sponsoring the participation of Osinachi Dike, the CEO of Apama TV with over 5 million social media followers as the 2024 Ancient Amainyi Kingdom Keynote Address Speaker.
The reverred traditional ruler, also commended Mr. Chidi Okonkwo and Pharmacist Ugonwa Emeka Ogbonna, the Registrar and Programme Director respectively of ABBS, other members of the school like Nze Kennedy Ovuegbe, Nze Khaka Nwankwo and Hon. Patrick Eke as well as himself, as the Founder and President of the School and Amainyi Tv and News, for their immense contributions in the upliftment of the ancient kingdom.
As part of his characteristics in rewarding good sportsmanship, hard work, patriotism, integrity and pedigree, Eze Ogbonna further craved the indulgence of members of the ancient kingdom and decorated Messrs Ikechukwu Ikwunze, Ebuka Ohaekelem and Obi Nwaonu as Chiefs, worthy sons and members of leadership class of Amainyi autonomous community, just as he extended similar hands of fellowship to Engr. Chidi Okonkwo as the Nzeobi of Omulo.
Speaking earlier, HRH Eze Martins Maduabuchi Keke, Oparandim 1 of Amaiyi Nta Autonomous Community and Chairman Ancient Amainyi Kingdom Committee of Traditional Rulers, informed that the three autonomous communities that assembled together for the traditional ceremony, belongs to one united ancient family of Amaiyi kingdom even though they have recently historically geographically divided by Imo State Government as Amaiyi Ukwu and Amaiyi Nta.
Eze Keke who also was a renowned Bakery Engineer with Guthrie Nigeria LTD, Igamnu Lagos, a Political Scientist and Managing Director of the defunct, Good Friends Bakery, Aba disclosed that the ceremony is called, “Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo, a cultural cum traditional rite’s prelude to the commencement of their great “Mbomuzo” cultural heritage”.
He pointed out that Mbomuzo cultural fiesta, is as old as the creation and formation of the ancient community which he said is over 1000 years old.
The traditional ruler also noted the cultural fiesta as a glamorous festival of thanksgiving to the ancestors and gods of the land for guaranteeing bumper harvest and life protections.
Eze Keke described it as nauseating, that the white men who brought Christianity to Igboland despised this great cultural heritage just as they did to similar ones as fetish celebrations, because then, the rites of the ceremony were done in selected sacred bushes and the community’s ancestral worship place.
“Ironically, in accordance with the Bible, when the Jews and Israelites left Egypt as they sojourn to the land of their promise for 40 years, they were worshipping their God and making sacrifices to this their God in bushes along the roads, there was no building nor replicas of church building that we were told that was built along the roads they travelled to, it was after so many years, for the first time, that King Solomon built a worship center for God. Ironically, It was in those altars that our people goes to worship and sacrifices for their creator or God that the missionaries that invaded Africa called fetish despised.
“It’s imperative that before our ancestors goes to their Gods in appreciative thanksgiving, having embedded the culture that cleanliness is next to godliness, they will first clear and clean all the routes leading to the community’s and important places, therein like their shrines, market, town hall etc so that as you are going to thank God, you go with good spirit under clean environment. This was how it was done until Christianity came and bastardized everything being done by a black man to appease their Gods and discredited them as fetish, ironically our people toed the way of the white men. Thus, since then till date, the cookie crumbles as they exploits us.
“Truly, Christianity brought lots of rape, changes and reformations in our cultural and traditional heritages, Amainyi ancient kingdom is not an exception. We also embraced the christian religion and devised modern ways of doing the age long cultural identity through modernization. Today, our people no longer sacrifices to the gods or goddesses nor are they still into idolatory, every thing is done in line with Christian believes which are developmental oriented.
“Having been on the traditional throne for over 28 years now, I saw the rationale for brotherly love and unity of purpose among the 3 autonomous communities that constitutes the ancient Amainyi kingdom, I enjoined my two other traditional ruler brothers, on the need to celebrate the annual ceremony together on rotatory hosting right bases, so as to steam the spirit of oneness among the people, moreso, as the ceremony is organized on the same day in the entire Amainyi ancient kingdom land .
“I hosted the maiden edition in 2023, thus HRH Eze Pharmacist Emeka Ogbonna is hosting this year, 2024 while if God permits, HRH Eze Kelechi Okeke of Awa will host the 2025 celebrations. Since we adopted the common annual celebration and rotatory hosting right, it has been wholesome with lots of innovations, creativity, participation, understanding and mutual brotherly love .
Adding his voice, HRH Eze Osita Okeke, Awa 1 of Amainyi Awaeke autonomous community, reiterated that the essence of the gathering is for the promotion of their ancient cultural heritage which is the bedrock of Igbo ethnic nationality.
Eze Okeke reconfirm that the ancient Amainyi kingdom is made up of three brothers Amainyi Ukwu, Amainyi Nta and Umuawaeke- Amainyi, noting that despite their recent distinct autonomous community status as gazetted by Imo State Government, that their cultural heritages and identities are still the same, like iwa akwa( wearing cloth cum coming into the age of reasoning and responsibilities), Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo and Mbomuzo cultural ceremonies.
He likened Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo to Muslims culture of moon siting informing that Igbo calendar and cultural fiesta commences in the month of August.
Eze Okeke further said that their reverred “Ihu Onwa Mbomuzo” ceremony is always done in the month of July as a spiritual prelude to know the healthy date of their great Mbomuzo ceremony rites which this year own has been spiritually and ancestrally certified to be on Thursday ( Nkwo) 29th August, 2024 . The next cultural rite before Mbomuzo Amainyi ancient kingdom is Eke Ngu which holds on Monday (Eke) 26th August,2024.
Eke Ngu he said, is the celebration of their choice food(native cassava salad) which he also likened to the celebration of New Yam Festival.
“It’s our cherished tradition that every one of our daughters and wives, must know how to prepare the delicacy of our cherished native food, cassava salad. One significant issue about Ihu Onwa cultural ceremony is that after the community elders and title holders together with the Chief Priest consult the gods and the ancestors and certified dates given, it’s an exclusive right of a traditional ruler to announce the dates and because, HRH Eze Pharmacist Emeka Ogbonna is the Chief Host this year, the onus of the pronouncement of the dates lines on him”.
He advised the Nigerian youths on the need to be meaningfully engaged as future leaders of tomorrow and the need for them to participate in active promotion of Igbo cultural and traditional heritages so that they will not go into extinction.
The reverred traditional ruler further cautioned against the cliche, that Ibos have no traditional ruler(s) insisting that Igbos are greatest promoter of their cultural identities as been replicated in Nollywood movies.
The traditional ruler further warned youths of the community, against cultism and anti social vices especially during the period of the cultural fiesta but to embrace love, unity and fear of God.
He recalled that at the age of 25, that their traditional ruler, Late HRH Eze Dennis Ogwuegbu, Inyi 2 approached him for conferment of chieftaincy title based on his empowerment of the youths and other contributions in the community developments, but he rejected the offer on the principle that he was still young and yet to have done enough for his people.
Eze Okeke further expressed gratitude for God’s blessings in his life especially as he worked as a contractor with Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, NLNG Bonny and he used the opportunity to give juicy oil companies job employments to many youths of the community and beyond the local government area.
Another highlights of the ceremony was the unveiling of the ceremony’s flex banner and theme of the programme as well as fund raising for the ceremonies.
