NO IGBO COMMUNITY EXISTS WITHOUT OFO …Eze Ebigbo celebrates Ofala, explains significance

After over five years without marking the Ofala, the Amaofuo community in Imo State came alive recently as Eze (Prof) Peter Ebigbo, the Ogbuehi VI,

celebrated his maiden Ofala festival. He said it was important because someone must be in custody of the ofo, the symbol of justice in every community in Igbo land.

Prof Ebigbo was crowned the traditional ruler of Amaofuo on September 29, 2008 following the death of his elder brother, His Royal Majesty Eze (Dr) Aloysius Mgbokwere Ebigbo, an orthopaedic surgeon, who died on the throne.

His Ofala festival was preceded by a memorable pontifical high mass at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Amaofuo with Very Rev. Monsignor (Dr) Hypolytus Adigwe presiding while the Parish Priest, Rev.  Fr. Olive Esomoun, as well as Rev. Fr. (Dr) Charles Ebebe and Rev. Dr. Chima Anyaeze assisted him.

After the mass, a motorcade procession led to his palace from the church, where the popular Mkpokiti dancers from Umunze were already entertaining the guests at the palace.

Soon, His Royal Majesty, Eze Ebigbo, clad in royal colourful flowing regalia and a high Ijele cap plummeted with peacock feathers in various shinning colours, was led out of his house in a procession to the podium at the centre of the palace.

The procession was led by a young lad who held a sword upright and adorned a special cotton material with the Eze’s picture just as four palace messengers in uniform each holding upright a shining specially designed cultural brass staff knife followed closely behind.

They were followed also by the Eze and Ugoeze who were surrounded by the Ichies and cabinet members dressed culturally in red flowing gowns.

Then trailing the procession was the Igab Eze, a royal cultural dance band, which churned out royal music as the Eze proceeded and danced majestically to the podium.

After the presentation and blessing of colanut, Prof Ebigbo disclosed that Ofala was a modern way of calling Ofo ala, which means the ofo guiding the community bound together by the law they inhabit. “Ofo is, therefore, the symbol of truth, laws, justice and power,” he said.

The traditional ruler noted that usually each family has its Ofo entrusted on the eldest male member of the family.

His words: “Every community has its Ofo entrusted on the traditional ruler or the Eze or the Igwe. Before the traditional ruler is entrusted with Ofo ala he must go into prayers and fasting without leaving the palace for seven days. After the seven days and he judges himself fit and prepared, he takes on the Ofo ala usually pronounced by the masquerade (the masquerade is bigger than the medicine man;Mmawu ka dibia.”

Therefore, he said that the Eze clad in special regalia with the Ijele masquerade hat with his staff of authority would dance to the “egwu uhie,” the dance of the ancestors, after which merriment would commence, saying that the word of the custodian of the Ofo ala, the Eze, is virtually law.

He disclosed said that he was crowned the traditional ruler in his palace on September 29, 2008, after serving as regent for one year following the death of his elder brother, His Royal Majesty Eze (Dr) Aloysius Mgbokwere Ebigbo.

But he said that he got his certificate of recognition and staff of office from Governor Rochas Okorocha on March 30, last year after defeating his opponents in court.

His opponents, he said, had maliciously wanted to truncate the usual succession procedure in Amaofuo community that had enjoyed peace since 1857.

He said that he had invited all the natives of Amaofuo, both at home and abroad, including the losers, to come and join hands to ensure that peace would reign in the community.

“Nigerians can learn a lesson from the historic event that happened at Amaofuo, with the dispute settled peacefully and happiness written on the faces of the community members; after elections, losers must join hands and support the winners”, Eze Ebigbo remarked.

He noted that people should also realize that the land is a kind of Ofo, saying that once a person is chosen, that person must be respected as he tries to entrench justice and peace in the community.

After the speech of the traditional ruler, several masquerades of the Ozo ebune type came in their members, lining up according to their ranks and seniority to pronounce the Ofo.

They were led by the highest ranking masquerade from Uli called Ozaraigwe. Leaders of Otana, the central headquarters of Ozo ebune masquerade from Ukpor in Nnewi Local Government Area were also in attendance.

After the Ofo prayers by the masquerades, the Eze and his cabinet danced to the tune of the Egwu Uhie, the ancestral dance.

After the ancestral dance, he also danced to the tune of the Odi ike music (dance for the strong, valorous and the titled) before returning to the podium.

Back to his seat on the throne, Eze Ebigbo recognized some government officials with traditional titles before proceeding to confer on some eminent Nigerians chieftaincy titles, whose names were sent to the office of the Eze Imo (Chairman Traditional Rulers Council) for clearance.

The names were announced on the Imo Broadcasting Corporation in case anyone had anything against their conferments as only three names were approved for each Eze per year. Two sets of approvals were made since the 2015 Ofala started.

Speaking, members of the Ofala organizing committee jointly said in their remarks, that Eze Ebigbo was God-sent and expressed the hope that he would use his experience and connection at the University of Nigeria, were he had worked for over 35 years, to bring development to the Amaofuo community.

Eze Ebigbo was born in 1947 and studied psychological Medicine in Germany. He is a good family man, blessed with a pretty wife and children.

The day was rounded off with various traditional dances that entertained the over 7,000 people who attended the ceremony, making the roads leading to the palace to be filled with people.

The people of Amaofuo, their friends and well-wishers rejoiced that finally someone was now officially in custody of their Ofo ala.

Dignitaries who attended the ceremony included, the Secretary to the State Government of Imo State, Prof. Anthony Anwukah, who was the special guest of honour; the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Macjohn Onyekwere; Commissioner for Community Government Council, Culture and Chieftancy Affairs, Dr. Val Mabamara; and Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development, Prof. Lady Victoria Adaobi.

Others were Justice of the Appeal Court, Justice Chinwe Iyizoba; Senator Osita Izunaso; Vice Chancellor, UNN, Prof. Chukwuma Ozumba, the Consul General of France, Barr. Mrs Elvira Salras; Chief Odurukwe Obiadada of Uli; Chief Okafor; Dr. Ebozue; Eze Mehamobi, the Orlu West traditional rulers council chairman.

By  CHINEDU ASADU