WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF AFIA OLU? The Afia Olu Festival is not an Nnewi original: it is a copy, but a very good copy upon which improvements have been made. The idea was borrowed by Edoji Village in Uruagu Nnewi from their neighboring communities of Uke and Umuoji. Our research revealed that these communities celebrated the festival after the planting season and at the onset of the first harvests of yams and maize. When these communities celebrated their first Afia Olu we do not yet know with a degree of certainty. Also, if the festival was not conceived by them, we do not know who they copied from. What we do know is that Edoji was the first village to celebrate, Afia Olu in Nnewi and patterned it after the ones in their neighboring communities. Women would invite to a feast all those persons who helped them with their farm work, such as cultivation, pruning of palm trees, etc. The Atu masquerade, patterned after the Atu masquerade of Umuoji entertained at the Nwankwo market, Edoji. Other local masquerades, especially opiakampala and ikeli udo, also performed. Later on, Akabo Ukwu Village (formerly Akabo Ichi Village) began the celebration of the festival, copying the format from Edoji. The Akabo ukwu Afia Olu was held after that of Edoji. Progressively other villages in Uruagu copied the festival and retained the Edoji format. Eventually, every village in Uruagu celebrated the festival, usually on separate days. However, owing to the large number of villages, the event often took place on the same day in more than one village. To the best of our knowledge, other communities of Nnewi did not celebrate the Afia Olu until much later. Thus, we can state with certainty that Edoji Village was the trailblazer in bringing Afia Olu to Nnewi. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF AFIA OLU? The purpose of Afia Olu was to celebrate God’s blessings on the community as evidenced by the successful conclusion of the planting season and the beginning of the early harvest season. It was used to build a sense of community and provide entertainment and relaxation. It provided an opportunity to formally express appreciation to those who had helped families in various areas of work, especially farm work during the planting season. HOW DID AFIA OLU BECOME AN ALL-NNEWI FESTIVAL? The celebration of the Afia Olu Festival in its current format, that is, as an all-Nnewi affair was conceived by Nnewi Cultural Group, Enugu. The Group, made up of enthusiastic young Nnewi men resident in Enugu, was dedicated to promoting Nnewi culture. “Towards advancing their purpose, they held several cultural events in Enugu, including the new yam festivals, learnt and performed traditional dances and masquerading. Their first Chairman was Mr. Enem from Otolo Nnewi. He was succeeded by Mr. Samson Anazodo, also from Otolo Nnewi. Mr. Vincent Chima from Uruagu Nnewi served as the third Chairman during 1976 and 1977. It was during his tenure that the Nnewi Cultural Group, Enugu decided to found an event that would attract many Nnewi people from all over the world to congregate at home for celebrations once every year. After due deliberation, they conceived the idea of an all- Nnewi Afia Olu Festival. A committee led by Chairman Vincent Chima and whose members were Mr. Samson Anazodo, Mr. Patrick Nnajiofor, Mr. Benneth Ikejiani, Mr. Augustine Okenwa, Mr. Ray Onweluzo and Mr. Ray Nnabuike paid a visit to HRH Igwe K.O.N. Orizu III and shared with him the vision of a new festival that would help strengthen the ties between Nnewi people. The Igwe bought into this vision. During a second visit, they shared their vision with Igwe and the Obis of Uruagu Nnewi, Umudim Nnewi and Nnewichi Nnewi and members of the Igwe in Council. This larger body also welcomed the vision enthusiastically. The matter was thereafter tabled before the general meeting of Nnewi people, the then Nnewi Community Council, of which the Igwe was the Chairman. The proposed new Festival was overwhelmingly endorsed. A Committee was thereafter set up to plan the first celebration. At the inaugural festival, the famous Okpolumpi masquerade of the Nnewi Cultural Group, Enugu performed. Some of these visionaries have gone home to their Maker, but we will continue to remember them for bequeathing to us and future generations such a worthy festival that has developed into one of our binding ties. Let us therefore salute the vision of the Vincent Chima-led Nnewi Cultural Group, Enugu. My dear brothers and sisters, I believe that a minute silence of remembrance will be in order for Vincent Chima, Mba ell anyi, and those of his colleagues who have gone on to the great beyond. They are today being remembered by what they have done. WHY IS THERE OPPOSITION TO THE FESTIVAL FROM SOME QUARTERS? Recently, there has developed some opposition to the festival from some quarters. Our findings reveal that some of the reasons are: *The notion that the festival is dedicated to some deity, which may conflict with the religious beliefs of some people. I hope that the history of the festival that I have relayed earlier and the facts on the ground concerning the organization and staging of the festival will be sufficient to convince those persons who hold this clearly incorrect view. The festival is not dedicated to any deity, nor is any of the events that in the program idolatrous; *The increasing violence associated with it. We have observed that some hoodlums seize the opportunity of the festival to unleash violence on innocent people. Thus, many parents, for the understandable concern for the safety of their children, send them off to competing programs that take them away from damaging exposure to senseless violence. Nzuko Ora Nnewi should seek a solution to this. A system of registration of masquerades may be in order. Who says that criminals cannot hide behind some of the masks. Our demography has changed and we ought to take a good look at how some things are done, from the view-point of security. We are a major trading and manufacturing centre in Nigeria and Afia-olu has today become a major traditional festival celebrated yearly by us as a people. About Nnewi As a former student of agricultural science myself, I know that the location of Nnewi within the tropical rainforest gives us the ecological basis for production of a wide range of tropical agricultural crops with widespread potential for industrial convention and of course not without ecological disasters like industrial pollution and very deep ravines caused by severe erosion of our environment. A main occupation of our people apart from trading is farming. We therefore depend on agriculture and Commerce for our daily livelihood. We have our ‘Mbubo’ at home and ‘Ubi’ away from the home where we usually cultivate our farm products. These crops when they are harvested are usually taken to our various markets for sale. Most of our prime crops include yam, oil palm, raffia palm, maize, and cassava. As a result of our affinity for farming, Afia Olu festival has today evolved towards a way of expressing our community’s appreciation to God Almighty for making the harvest of our farm crops possible. This festival has always presented the right conditions for all and sundry, family and friends to come together to demonstrate our commitment and solidarity to our community. Today, Nnewi indigenes at home and in Diaspora celebrate Afia Olu in a highly captivating manner in order to protect and celebrate the enriched cultural heritage of our people. As a city, Nnewi is a very fast developing one and a major industrial and commercial hub in Africa including indigenous vehicle manufacturing. Nnewi experiences various financial activities, therefore hosts major banks and other financial institutions. It plays host to several industries and as a result, Nnewi is commonly referred to as the ‘Japan of Africa’. Religion, Politics and Girl Child Education Please permit me as a Female, an Educationist and a Politician, to tailor my presentation to you around these themes. Nnewi historically has contributed its share of major players in Nigerian politics. Dr. Akwaeke Nwafor Orizu, President of Nigerian Senate in the First Republic and later, the Acting President before the first coup of 1966, Chief M.C.K. Ajuluchukwu; a foremost Nationalist and First Republic lawmaker, Chief Z.C. Obi, Eze Onunaekwulu Igbo, and of course, Africa’s foremost billionaire, Sir Louis Odumegwu- Ojukwu. Others are; Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (Ikemba Nnewi leader of former Republic of Biafra, Mr. F C. Nwokedi, the first Nigerian indigenous Permanent Secretary, Chief [Dr.] Dozie Ikedife (Ikenga Nnewi former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide, Professor A. C. Nwosu, Nigeria’s former Minister for Health, and Dr. Chu Okongwu) Minister of Finance in Babangida’s administration to mention a few. One thing all these men had in common was that they all had the best western education available to them in their own era. Where we are today? Imagine our lives today without education! Our much beloved and ancient city of Nnewi today, hosts a number institutions of learning that include Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Okongwu Memorial Grammar School, Maria Regina Secondary School, Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi High School, Ben Etiaba Memorial Schools, Nnewi- lchi Community Secondary School, Dubem Int’l School, Summit Int’l School, The Good Shepherd School, amongst many others. These schools amount to various government and private efforts, aimed at getting our populace at home embrace western education.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Aug 2013 09:04:52 +0000
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