Remember the homeland.
That was the message that sank in as the Igbo in Ikeja, Lagos State, chewed the new yam. It was not just the day of the king of crops, as they refer to yam; it was also the Igbo culture day. The feast was led by Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, Eze Uche Dimgba.
The event took place at Archbishop Vining Playground, GRA, Ikeja.
Igbos, Yorubas, Hausas, Chinese, Europeans, friends and well-wishers were all in attendance despite the downpour that afternoon.
The occasion, which attracted the who is who in Igbo land, also featured presentation of awards which came in different categories to deserving Nigerians. Those who were conferred with the title of Ndigbo ji eme onu include Prof. Anya O. Anya; Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah; Prof. Nick Ezeh; Chief Chidi Anyaegbu and Chief Chidi Anumudu. The Distinguished Service Award went to Chief Ireke Kalu Onuma.
There were other chieftaincy awards to deserving Nigerians like Assistant Inspector General Zone 2, Police Command, AIG Ibrahim Adamu who was honoured with True Nigeria Service Award and also Chief Chow Kung Tung (Alias Williams) as the Nwanne di na mba 1 of Ikeja land.
Eze Dimgba in his address which was titled ‘Echefuna Ala Igbo’ meaning ‘Do not forget Igboland’, said the theme of the event presupposes a few things. First, that there is a land worth remembering; second, that there is an assumption or fear that this land is being or can be forgotten; and a third but invaluable metaphor here, highlighting a tendency that almost implores and pleads.
“As 2017 draws to a close, the theme is apt in asking us to not forget who we are, including our values of honour and integrity, as we ponder if it is possible to create a united, prosperous, equal, just and humane country.
“Whatever deduction we make from the topic, we must be aware that here is a contiguous space, which we all call Igbo land, which from evidence before us, has become a distant place out there; we talk about it cryptically as if it is under siege.”
He said, “The array of attacks upon Igbo land is numerous. From without, the assault has come in the form of political suppression and limiting of our space. From within, it is most visible in the changing faces of leadership, values, ideals and culture. Both are insidious and have gotten hold of our respective personas.”
Defining Ala Igbo, he said, “It is the land of our birth. It is the land of our forebears. It is our home. It is our mother’s womb, the soil and soul of our history and language. We drink and continue to drink from its springs of values, cultural spices and from it our tendentious dreams are formed. Geographically, it stretches across present day Southeast and most of Southsouth.”
For him and his community in Ikeja, Echefuna Ala Igbo; Forget not Igbo land, becomes a rallying call.
“When we drop our notions of Igbonness and take on the fake identities of our borrowed cultures, we are doing ourselves a lot of damage. Language becomes key here. A good way to communicate history and values is through language. Igbo language is not limited or limiting. Its beauty lies in its uniqueness. Hearing and speaking it gives them a sense of their specialness. When Suzy, Jennifer, John, and some other funny foreign names take the place of our Nneka, Odunwa, Nnamdi, Urenna and so many other deep mystically meaningful and illustrious Igbo names, my brethren, we are betraying and forgetting Igbo land”
He said Action Plan must be concentrated in building up the homeland. “We must be truly visionary in conceptualization of present and future Igbo communities. We must build and create within the changing nature of our migratory nature. We cannot legislate a wholescale return or exodus of Ndigbo back to Ala Igbo, but we can tweak and tinker with our notions of what our relationships with her is and ought to be.
“Wherever Ndigbo congregate outside the home land is and ought to be called Ala Igbo. Here the physical becomes relative and at most irrelevant. It’s the spiritual that becomes key. The language, the norms, the values, the artistic, the cuisine, the attire and the myriads of internal pulses and traits that define our way of life. All these with a focused eye on the home land would be the new approach towards keeping the promise of never forgetting our land,” Dimgba added.
Also speaking, Eze Ikem Agbasi, the Eze Ndigbo of Isolo Local Development Council Area, said, “It is not everybody that planted the yam that is alive to harvest it, so when you cultivate the yam and you are alive to harvest it, you thank the almighty God for sparing your life; that is our culture every year.”
He said the Igbos celebrate the new yam wherever they are even in Europe and the Americas.
Eze Ikem Agbasi also used the occasion to plead with the Lagos State Government to come to the help of Igbos because “it appears they have abandoned the Igbos, the roads leading to where we do business are all bad.”
Oron Nation Lagos Branch was fully represented with their attire and great Oron dance. They also came with a bag of crayfish as part of their tribute to the Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja. They boasted to be the best crayfish producers in the world.
Prince Offong Okung Ntofon is the President of Oron Nation of Akwa Ibom State, Lagos Branch.
He stated, “In the last three to four months I have led a delegation of my people to Abia, Ebonyi, and Anambra to marry. In Anambra I have been to Nnewi and the most recent one is in Aguata and we have also given our daughters to the Igbos in marriage, so that signifies that there is a bond between the Igbos and Oron people. And in Oro nation there are many Igbos doing business there without hindrance, and when this event came up the Eze magnanimously extended the invitation to us. So it is an opportunity to cement an existing relationship; that is why we are here.”
Eze Peter C. Umeh (JP) Eze Chimereze, Eze Ndigbo of Mushin, on his part maintained that “Iri ji is the celebration of new yam, when we thank God for good harvest because it is not easy that you put something in the ground and it germinates, it is just like a miracle, it is the hand work of God. It is also an opportunity to celebrate our culture because most of our young ones are not travelling so from this iri ji celebration they would learn some of our culture and tradition.”
Umaru Muhammed Sarkin Hausawa of Ago Okota land who was presented with Unity in Diversity Brotherhood award said “I feel glad, I am very honoured. I will ensure that there is peace in the nation, one love.” He also preached dialogue and for all ethnic group in Nigeria to live like brothers and sisters.
