Piqued by the unbridled slide of its customs, traditions and values for which the Igbo are known, the Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State and Chairman Lagos State Council of Eze Ndigbo in the Diaspora, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu has advised Ndigbo to re-evaluate their lifestyle and give a thought to some very negative traits that portray the Igbo man in an uncomplimentary light.
Eze Nwachukwu gave the advice while addressing reporters at the Lagos State Igbo Community Centre on Nwachukwu Drive, Okota Isolo Lagos on Saturday on the preparations for this year’s Igbo Community annual cultural festival during which the Igbo will celebrate the new yam festival. The event will take place on Saturday, November 24, 2018 at 12 noon.
He noted that the celebration of the yam festival by Ndigbo in the Diaspora is meant to ensure that the mores of the land and the tradition of Ndigbo are not nonexistent and handed over to the next generation of Ndigbo.
He emphasised that there was great need for the restoration of Igbo core values which have been neglected for so long, adding that the Igbo should embrace their own language and to ensure that our traditional way of doing things is not lost in the ways of the new world.
He said: “There are traditional laws that govern good and bad social behaviours. Ndigbo, at all times, must be on the part of rectitude. Our traditional laws are akin to the laws of Moses.”
He lamented the serious situation in which Igbo cultural and ethical values have been subjected to and called for a concerted effort towards redressing the situation.
Eze Nwachukwu revealed that the event will serve as a platform for notable Igbo sons and daughters to come together to “highlight and celebrate those cherished moral and ethical values of Ndigbo which, over the years, had guided their lives as a people, even as it will present an opportunity for comment on certain unacceptable traits that seek to dilute the Igbo character.”
It is expected that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode will inaugurate the newly reconstructed Ago-Nwachukwu-Okota Link Road during the event.
Dignitaries expected to attend the festival are Governor Ambode, Prof. Chigozie Bright Nnabuihe of the Department of Linguistics, African and Asia Studies, Faculty of Arts University of Lagos who will be the chairman of the occasion, the APC Governorship candidate Lagos State, Hon. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, President-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide Chief Nnia Nwodo Jnr., wife of Lagos State Governor Mrs Bolanle Ambode, National Leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ochiagha Ochimba, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd), Oba Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and Imo State APC governorship candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma.
Others are the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, High Chief Solomon Ogbonna Agueme, member representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 11 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. (Sir) Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu, CEO Ibis Royale Hotels, His Excellency Clifford Nzerue, Senator Solomon Adeola, APC candidate for House of Representatives for Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1, Dr Bashiru Dawoud, President Truck Dealers’ Association of Nigeria, Chief Emmanuel Utah, Chairman Oshodi/Isolo LGA, Hon. Bolaji Muse-Ariyoh, Chairman Isolo LCDA Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye, Chairman Ejigbo LCDA Hon. Monsuru Oloyede Obe and MD/CEO Primero Transport Services Limited, Fola Tinubu, among others.
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