Okpalaume Mary
This year’s nationa igbo day ceebration was a furry of activities as men, women, youths and children of the Igbo extraction in Sapele metropolis defied the rains to observe their day at the Sapele Athletic Club.
The event which was a show of cultural displays, speeches by Igbo leaders and goodwill messages was colour filled as various Igbo traditional rulers and the Orodje of Okpe Kingdom was present to grace this year’s celebration which was particularly special for the Sapele chapter of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo as it played host to the national body of the Ohaneze.
In his special message to the Ohaneze, the chairman of Igbo Council of Traditional Rulers, His Imperial Majesty, Igwe Dr. Nkeli Nzekwe Kelly, the Okalakwu Igboariam of Okalakwu Kingdom who briefly cited the origin of the Igbo nation asserted that Igbos as descendants of Israel have a special covenant with God through their father Jacob.
He lamented the deviation of Igbo nation from the ways of their creator to serve other gods. Eze Kelly therefore called for total repentance and renunciation of their evil dealings for God to manifest his power in Igbo nation.
The chairman of the occasion, Chief (Col.) Joseph Achuzia (Rtd.) during his speech sued for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians, insisting that the civil war year represented the darkest period in the nation’s political history.
He said this year’s Igbo Day celebration is significant in the sense that it was celebrated in Sapele outside the shores of Igboland, remarking that it has actually proven how the Igbos have fully integrated into the mainstream of the nation. Thanking the Orodje and the entire people of Sapele for their wonderful hospitality toward the Igbos, Achuzia promised that the Igbos will always remain their good neighbour no matter the circumstances.
Chief Achuzia, also tasked the youths on nation building, explaining that the future of the nation depends “on our collective sacrifice” adding that all Nigerians must come together to build the Nigeria of their dream.
In an interview with journalists the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, Sapele Chapter, High Chief Sir Michael Ikem who expressed delight at the opportunity to host the event stated that the hosting will go a long way to re-awaken the consciousness of Igbos towards appreciating the core values of the rich Igbo culture and civilization.
Also, the Ezeigbo of Sapele, Eze Titus Ezewuzie said Igbos is special and epitome of development and progress however called on them to uphold the rich cultural values of the tribe. He expressed worry over the decline of the Igbo language and enjoined parents to endeavour to teach and speak the language to their children and wards for the proliferation of Igbo values.
Eze Ezewuzie also called on the Igbo youths in Sapele to be good ambassadors of the Igbo nation desisting from acts that woud tarnish the image of the Ohaneze.
Aso, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwankwor, a prominent Igbo youth in Sapele in an interview with journalists urged Igbos unite to achieve their one purpose of peace, love and progress. While faulting parents for the degradation of cultural values, he called on parents to take their children and wards back to their roots by inculcating in them the rich cultural values of the Igbos.
The highlights of the event were procession and display of dance by various cultural troupes including the famous Ohafia war dance and the Eke Ani Igbo Dance Masquerade, presentation of the book: The Rise and Fall of the Igbo Nation by Pastor Prayer Madueke and the launching of the music, Igba Ike Ndi Igbo.
