Our Anioma Culture Will Enable Our Youths To Succeed

Our Anioma Culture Will Enable Our Youths To Succeed - Mercy Chizoba Olisenweokwu

- Mercy Chizoba Olisenweokwu

Recently, there was a youth program in Ibusa tagged “Beauty and Balance”, and seated on a separate arrangement was Mercy Chizoba Olisenweokwu, the reigning Miss Teen Anioma. She speaks on a number of issues relating to the culture of the Anioma people of Delta State. Mercy Olisenweokwu advises on the promotion of Akwa-Ocha, the cultural fabric of the Anioma people and why Anioma youths should be encouraged to adorn it. These and more she tells EMEKA ESOGBUE in this interview. Excerpts:

Esogbue: Mercy, it’s really nice to catch you queenly dressed in the cultural attire of your Anioma people. What is characteristic of this rich display of attire today?

Olisenweokwu: I am dressed like this because I am the reigning Miss Teen Anioma. So as the Queen and Teen Ambassador for Anioma youths, I appear like this to Anioma occasions especially those that involve our youth development. I dress like this to speak to our youths on why we should retain our cultural attires. Thank you sir.

Esogbue: As the Anioma Queen and Teen Ambassador for Anioma youths as you have said, what language does your ambassadorial presence speak at this occasion?

Olisenweokwu: Firstly, I am standing here to get our youths to realize the importance of the good aspects of our culture. For instance, Akwa-Ocha is a beautiful fabric that we should be proud of. For this reason, I go out on Akwa-Ocha. If it is not beautiful, I will not go out on it. This is why I try to encourage our Anioma teenagers. And of-course, when they see me like this, they know they have seen someone like them and will want to follow my footstep. Secondly, I will be advising our youths to shun cultism.

Esogbue: Alright, thank you, but may our readers please meet this Miss Teen Anioma?

Olisenweokwu: Okay! (Smiles and waves her hand). My name is Olisenweokwu Mercy Chizoba. I am from Ika, Igbodo precisely. I am the winner, Miss Teen Anioma for 2017. I am a teen trying to promote our Anioma cultural heritage because our culture is the pride of Nigerians. We want our youths to appreciate our culture because it is the best gift we can give to the world. Modernization has set in, tending to lead our youths to become oblivion of the very culture that our ancestors bequeathed us but it lies with us to protect the good aspects of this culture and also bequeath them to our children. We should not deny our children what we benefitted from our forefathers. Instead some of our youths tend to involve themselves in societal vices such as cultism and other forms of vices but we must encourage them to return to the values of our society. We also encourage our elders and leaders to appreciate the youths as the leaders of tomorrow and not always leaving them behind. The youths should be carried along and involved in the leadership processes to prepare them for the leadership task ahead of our society. This development will enable them (the youths) not to involve themselves in societal vices.

Esogbue: Chizoba, your explanation, so far, presupposes that you always appear in Akwa-Ocha on days like this. Have you ever had the privilege to meet Akwa-Ocha weavers to encourage them? I believe that when there are people to weave this fabric, there will be youths to adorn them…

Olisenweokwu: (cuts in). Yes! I know we have a lot of these weavers in Ubulu-Uku. They are just specialized in weaving this Akwa-Ocha. What we are trying to say is that seminars should be organized to encourage our youths to learn this Akwa-Ocha making; to learn how to weave it. It is scarce and that’s why people will not easily find it. It is also very expensive so we need to cut down the price. It is our cultural fabric that should readily be available to us so it shouldn’t be that expensive to procure from the market. They also need equipment to fasten the weaving processes.

Esogbue: Now, tell us about your pet project.

Olisenweokwu: Eh! Eh! It has been going on fine but my schedule has rather been tight so I am working on ensuring that everything about it goes on smooth and fine. It is one of the reasons I try to come out looking like this to encourage our youths.

Esogbue: Finally, finally, Chizoba, what’s your advice for these Anioma youths?

Olisenweokwu: My advice to them is to resist societal vices. The good aspects of our cultures can only help them to succeed in their endeavours. Sometimes, there is the assumption that cultures are meant for the aged but it is not really so. They require the knowledge of this culture. Place high value in their leaders and desist from acts capable of ruining our larger Anioma society. I advise them to shun cultism, maintain friendliness, peace and unity.

Esogbue: Now, Chizoba, I thank you so much for listening to me

Olisenweokwu: Thank you too sir

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