Repeat: MMANWU FESTIVAL IN UNUBI: CULTURAL IMPERATIVE The Okemuo institution is one of the most important traditional institutions in Unubi today. This manwu festival has remained one of the most important crowd pullers from the inception of the public celebration of this all important traditional festival, since the early 1970’s. The electric crowd that always gathers during the festivals makes the manwu festival a populist art enjoyed by the high and mighty. It must be recalled that the presence of the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Hon Maja Umeh (Okwuaka Amichi), at the January 1st 2009 festival, speaks volume about the acceptance of the Oke-muo Festival by the Government of Anambra State. As a matter of fact the mmonwu festival in Unubi encapsulates all the component arts and activities that make good entertainment. Contemporary essence of the mmonwu festival in Unubi highlights its potentials in social development of our youths and the entire Community in general. There is no doubt that there is indeed a great prospect in the Oke-muo project in Unubi. The future of the festival looks more promising as a possible instrument for re-inventing and re-positioning the festival itself and realigning it with contemporary realities. There is no doubt that the mmonwu festival, as it were, no longer plays the same social roles it played in the past, but its historical and artistic significance must be recognized , explored and valued as our important heritage. Hence the Oke-muo festival in our Town will no doubt continue to flourish, in spite of all odds, even in the face of prevailing opposition. I believe, therefore, that with the right kind of support and sponsorship, its positive aspect can be re- appropriated in response to contemporary traditional and social engineering. It is this very fact that has come to the fore in our Oke-muo festival. When this is achieved, it will reinforce the social essence of this all important tradition as well as the creative enterprise in our Community. For the festival to endure, it must do so in the public arena- at the Market Square- not at any other odd times or at off season, as is being contemplated by some group in this our dear Town. It is therefore my humble submission that the Oke-muo festival in Unubi must be enabled to re-engage our dear Community in new exciting ways. To this extent therefore, we must emulate the laudable example of Aro-Ndizuogu in their famous Ikeji Festival, who, as it were, has long re-invented their masking tradition through an organized contemporary annual Ikeji Festivals which now attracts corporate sponsorship. I must posit therefore that the Oke-muo in Unubi, cannot, by its esoteric nature, be subject to any external regulation nor should it be limited as to the time or period of its public appearance since it is an integral component of our cultural and traditional heritage which has everything to do with the totality of our cultural survival as a people. (Okwute Nguma)
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 15:08:29 +0000
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