- High Chief Ifeanyichukwu Daddi Okeleke
High Chief Ifeanyichukwu Daddi Okeleke, JP is a traditional chief, highly regarded by his Ibusa people. He is the Mgboko Isiga of Ibusa and Agunachemba of Ejeme. He is also a member of the Obuzor-in-Council and hails from Umueze quarters of the community. He is known for his outspokenness and respected for his stance. In this interview with EMEKA ESOGBUE, he highlights some of the challenges associated with Iwu Festival as celebrated by the people of Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area and how these challenges can be remedied. Excerpts.
Esogbue: As a well-known traditional chief in Ibusa with particular interest in our people’s culture, what have been your observances of Iwu Festival as celebrated by our people in recent times?
Okekeke: Thank you very much, Emeka Esogbue. There is no gainsaying that the celebration of Iwu in Ibusa has lost the glamour that usually accompanied it. In the 70s early 8os, Ibusa sons and daughters looked forward to the festival as celebrated by both Ogbeowele and Umuodafe quarters with attendant groove. In fact, I could say that people prepared ahead of the festival as they avoided involving themselves in social vices that could smear their image since Iwu was seen as a day of reckoning. Our people were careful in their deeds. Then people who committed evil were usually confronted with their bad deeds so people generally avoided evil in our society. Based on this, we could say that Iwu guarded against evil in our society.
Esogbue: High Chief my understanding is that the Ibusa people especially those that celebrate the festival believe so much in it. What in your opinion do these people look forward to in this particular festival?
Okeleke: Yes, during this period, we looked forward to the Ogbeowele Iwu and imagined the new dance step that Eze Iwus like Eze Iwu Nwafor from Umuozoma, Eze Iwu John and the third one whose name, I cannot remember now would display in every coming Iwu. Now because of the popularity these principal characters of the festival enjoyed, Umuodafe, another quarter that also celebrate the festival in Ibusa decided to retire their own Eze Iwu. This development necessitated the emergence of Eze Iwu Benson Ashibuogwu and others who are known to be energetic dancers on their part.
Esogbue: Observers in the town continue to hold strongly to the view that the festival is fast losing the glamour that it was once known for. Do you also share this opinion with them?
Okeleke: (frowns) The influx of cultism has reduced the Iwu glamour hence most people no longer show interest in the festival. Besides, the festival is celebrated in such a way that while Ogbeowele celebrate their own around September-October, Umuodafe celebrate their own in Dec.
Esogbue: Now, in what we should this particular challenge be remedied…?
Okeleke: …To remedy some of these problems, there should be continuous youth seminars, youth empowerment programmes and organization of debates to encourage them to imbibe education. Many of them are not educated and even those that are have joined the gang of ‘ego di na oshia’, imported into our land. That has reduced the level of respect and regards for the elders in our community.
Esogbue: …But do you think that government intervention will bring positive impacts to this festival?
Okeleke: I strongly believe it will be a welcome development if the Delta State Arts and Culture could partner with these two ogbes that is Umuodafe and Ogbeowele. I will also suggest talking to telecommunication giants like MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat to partner with Iwu celebrants every year like what the Obi of Onitsha is doing with Ofala. All we need to do is to create a high powered committee comprising of men and women of impeccable character to approach and talk them into sponsoring the festival on yearly basis
Esogbue: Thank you, Chief, what other solutions should be sought, in addition to bringing in government partnership to prevent this beautiful festival from dying?
Okeleke: Iwu is dying gradually due to cultism. So our sons and daughters must as a matter of urgency shun cultism. Provision of security personnel in most cases have not proven to produce any useful result. Be that as it may, the presence of a joint team that should comprise of all security forces may just do the magic.
Esogbue: in view of the multifaceted challenges explained now by you, are there any more useful recommendations you might want to offer us?
Okeleke: We are in a global village. We should therefore move with time. We should do away with some fetish aspects of the festival. Some of these fetish rites may be performed internally by the festival’s principal characters before coming out to ogbor Iwu (square).
Esogbue: Thank you so much, Chief Daddi Okeleke
Okeleke: Thank you too, Esogbue for the opportunity to speak on our Iwu Festival. God bless you.
High Chief Ifeanyichukwu Daddi Okeleke, JP is a traditional chief, highly regarded by his Ibusa people. He is the Mgboko Isiga of Ibusa and Agunachemba of Ejeme. He is also a member of the Obuzor-in-Council and hails from Umueze quarters of the community. He is known for his outspokenness and respected for his stance. In this interview with EMEKA ESOGBUE, he highlights some of the challenges associated with Iwu Festival as celebrated by the people of Ibusa in Oshimili North Local Government Area and how these challenges can be remedied. Excerpts.
Esogbue: As a well-known traditional chief in Ibusa with particular interest in our people’s culture, what have been your observances of Iwu Festival as celebrated by our people in recent times?
Okekeke: Thank you very much, Emeka Esogbue. There is no gainsaying that the celebration of Iwu in Ibusa has lost the glamour that usually accompanied it. In the 70s early 8os, Ibusa sons and daughters looked forward to the festival as celebrated by both Ogbeowele and Umuodafe quarters with attendant groove. In fact, I could say that people prepared ahead of the festival as they avoided involving themselves in social vices that could smear their image since Iwu was seen as a day of reckoning. Our people were careful in their deeds. Then people who committed evil were usually confronted with their bad deeds so people generally avoided evil in our society. Based on this, we could say that Iwu guarded against evil in our society.
Esogbue: High Chief my understanding is that the Ibusa people especially those that celebrate the festival believe so much in it. What in your opinion do these people look forward to in this particular festival?
Okeleke: Yes, during this period, we looked forward to the Ogbeowele Iwu and imagined the new dance step that Eze Iwus like Eze Iwu Nwafor from Umuozoma, Eze Iwu John and the third one whose name, I cannot remember now would display in every coming Iwu. Now because of the popularity these principal characters of the festival enjoyed, Umuodafe, another quarter that also celebrate the festival in Ibusa decided to retire their own Eze Iwu. This development necessitated the emergence of Eze Iwu Benson Ashibuogwu and others who are known to be energetic dancers on their part.
Esogbue: Observers in the town continue to hold strongly to the view that the festival is fast losing the glamour that it was once known for. Do you also share this opinion with them?
Okeleke: (frowns) The influx of cultism has reduced the Iwu glamour hence most people no longer show interest in the festival. Besides, the festival is celebrated in such a way that while Ogbeowele celebrate their own around September-October, Umuodafe celebrate their own in Dec.
Esogbue: Now, in what we should this particular challenge be remedied…?
Okeleke: …To remedy some of these problems, there should be continuous youth seminars, youth empowerment programmes and organization of debates to encourage them to imbibe education. Many of them are not educated and even those that are have joined the gang of ‘ego di na oshia’, imported into our land. That has reduced the level of respect and regards for the elders in our community.
Esogbue: …But do you think that government intervention will bring positive impacts to this festival?
Okeleke: I strongly believe it will be a welcome development if the Delta State Arts and Culture could partner with these two ogbes that is Umuodafe and Ogbeowele. I will also suggest talking to telecommunication giants like MTN, Glo, Airtel and Etisalat to partner with Iwu celebrants every year like what the Obi of Onitsha is doing with Ofala. All we need to do is to create a high powered committee comprising of men and women of impeccable character to approach and talk them into sponsoring the festival on yearly basis
Esogbue: Thank you, Chief, what other solutions should be sought, in addition to bringing in government partnership to prevent this beautiful festival from dying?
Okeleke: Iwu is dying gradually due to cultism. So our sons and daughters must as a matter of urgency shun cultism. Provision of security personnel in most cases have not proven to produce any useful result. Be that as it may, the presence of a joint team that should comprise of all security forces may just do the magic.
Esogbue: in view of the multifaceted challenges explained now by you, are there any more useful recommendations you might want to offer us?
Okeleke: We are in a global village. We should therefore move with time. We should do away with some fetish aspects of the festival. Some of these fetish rites may be performed internally by the festival’s principal characters before coming out to ogbor Iwu (square).
Esogbue: Thank you so much, Chief Daddi Okeleke
Okeleke: Thank you too, Esogbue for the opportunity to speak on our Iwu Festival. God bless you.
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