By Casmir Igbokwe

R-L: The traditional ruler of Isuofia, Igwe C.A.O. Muoghalu and Onowu Isuofia, Chief Ndubuisi Osele, at the Ofala Festival of Igwe Muoghalu at the Igwe’s palace in Isuofia, Anambra, on January 4, 2025.
Something interesting happened in Umuezeogu family on December 30, 2024. As early as 10am, both old and young men of that biggest family kindred in Akulu village, Isuofia, in Aguata Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State, had gathered to share four big cows donated by some of their wealthy brothers. Amid downing of some bottles of beer and whisky, they exchanged banters while waiting for the cows to be slaughtered and shared. When the meat was ready, people lined up to take their portions according to their age groups. The most senior ones took first. Whoever came to pick before the turn of his age group was shouted down and warned to desist from such act. The quantity of the meat was such that many people didn’t bother buying cow meat again throughout the festive season.
Do you still wonder why the Igbo people of Nigeria troop to their ancestral homes every festive season? Wonder no more. Despite the hardship and the astronomical rise in transport fare, a good number of them still travelled eastwards last December to commune with their kith and kin. Among others, wedding or wedding anniversaries, launching of age grades, funerals, conferment of chieftaincy titles, and football tournament took them home.
At Isuofia, the icing on the cake of festivities was the Ofala Festival of the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe (Col.) C.A.O. Muoghalu (Retd). Ofala, as Igwe Muoghalu put it, serves as rites of renewal of the king or Igwe. “The term Ofala is derived from two Igbo words: ‘Ofo’ (authority) and ‘Ala’ (land). The festival is performed every couple of years without fail. I therefore wholeheartedly thank the most-high God, Father of all creation, through whose benevolence we all live to witness yet another great congregation of the people of Isuofia and our guests on this occasion of Ofala festival,” Muoghalu said.
Resplendent in his royal regalia, the traditional ruler used the occasion to confer chieftaincy titles on some illustrious indigenes of the town. The recipients are Chiefs Emeka Umeano, Madueke Onyemelukwe, Kenneth Nwankwo, Madueke Ike, Maduabuchi Osele and Professor (Mrs.) Virgy Onyene of the University of Lagos. These recipients joined the other six illustrious sons of the town and the wife of the governor of the state, Dr. (Mrs) Nonye Soludo, who were conferred with chieftaincy titles during the town’s New Yam Festival held in August 2024.
In Igbo culture, palace chiefs/Ndi Ichie are highly regarded. They promote and protect the culture and tradition of the people. As a mark of honour, they wear red caps to distinguish them from non-titled men. Thus, as Isuofia traditional ruler explained, “The red cap symbolizes authority, tradition and culture; and it also represents the entire institution of leadership, authority and power in Igbo culture.” He added that wearers of red cap are usually men who have fulfilled certain obligations and maintained standards laid down in communities. He warned those who indiscriminately put on the red cap without fulfilling the conditions and earning entitlements to do so, to respect the culture and traditions that our forefathers bequeathed to us.
Outside this Ofala Festival, which showcased colourful performances of music and dances as well as some other cultural aesthetics of the Isuofia people, there were other events that made the festive period a joyous one. Inaugural outing of new age grades was one of them. Some of the new age grades include Chideraa Age Grade, Akulu-Isuofia; Odiraa Chukwumma Age Grade, Okpoko-Isuofia; Ifunanya Amaka Age Grade, Ezioka-Isuofia; and Osinachi Adimma Age Grade, Umueze-Isuofia.
Age grade system is as old as the pre-colonial times in Igbo land. It is made up of people of the same age bracket who come together to ensure peace and development of the town. They discipline members who fall out of the common values of the society. In Isuofia, these new age grades unveiled some projects which they undertook for the community. Odiraa Chukwumma Age Grade of Okpoko-Isuofia, for instance, reconstructed the dilapidated Okpoko village two-storey hall, giving it a modern look. Chideraa Age Grade of Akulu-Isuofia, among others, installed a 300KVA transformer and some electric poles in Akulu village as well as renovated Akulu village hall. Ifunanya Amaka Age Grade of Ezioka village furnished the Ezioka village union office with modern facilities and plans to give scholarship to indigent students from the village. Oganiru Age Grade of Umueze-Isuofia organized its annual free medical outreach. This age grade had built a two-storey health centre in Umueze, which it handed over to the town on January 2, 2020. Osinachi Adimma Age Grade of Umueze-Isuofia unveiled solar-powered closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system in Umueze.
In the past few years, different age grades had similarly commissioned one project or the other in the town. Chidozie Age Grade, for instance, built a multimillion-naira sports complex in Umueze, which it handed over to the town on December 30, 2019. Chidera Age Grade of Ozala-Isuofia built a standard one-storey hall which was inaugurated on January 1, 2020. Chidera Age Grade of Umueze-Isuofia installed solar energy street lights in some parts of Umueze village.
Some philanthropists also sponsored community projects. A non-profit organization known as Cyril and Susanna Foundation embarked on some scholarship schemes two years ago. So far, eight indigent undergraduates of Isuofia origin are already enjoying this scholarship scheme and, at least, two new students will be added every year for the next 10 years. There is another scholarship for the best-graduating pupil from Central School, Isuofia. This is thrown open to all students of the primary school irrespective of the town of origin. Already, two students are enjoying this scholarship at Holy Child Secondary school, Isuofia, and it’s an annual thing. The Foundation has also made plans to pay WAEC and JAMB exam fees for scores of students from the town. It is worthy to note that the brainchild of this Foundation is a Canada-based medical doctor, Dr. Ikedinachukwu Nwankwor.
Also last year, Dr. Obijiofor Aginam, an illustrious son of Isuofia and Director of the UNESCO’s Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) in India, paid bursary to all the undergraduates from his Umuezeogu family kindred. This is the type of sowing of seed Christians should cultivate, not just paying of tithes and breaking of kola nuts with huge sums of money at the annual harvest and bazaar sales of churches.
It is worthy to note that many Christians spiced up the festive season with prayer sessions and thanksgiving service to seek the protection of God in the New Year. On January 3, 2025 the Isuofia People’s Assembly organized what it called Isuofia Prayer Quake 2025. It was an ecumenical and all-inclusive prayer session aimed at bringing together people from diverse religious backgrounds and denominations to pray for peace, unity and prosperity in the community.
At Oko in Orumba-North LGA of Anambra State, a medical doctor and good friend of mine, Dr. Okwuolisa Duke Igwilo, invited friends and well-wishers to join in his survival thanksgiving service and diaconate ordination at St. John the Divine Church, Oko. Dr. Igwilo, who is based in London, graduated from St. Mellitus Theological College London in July 2024. He was full of thanks to God for showing him mercies and preserving his life despite passing through a debilitating illness that people hardly survive from.
At the same Oko, the family of Chief and Lolo Paulinus Nwafor gave thanks to God for attaining 45 years of marriage. One of the sons of the couple, Rev. Father Emmanuel Nwafor, came all the way from Rome to be part of the wedding anniversary, which took place on January 3, 2025. In an era when divorce appears to be the order of the day and when good family values have gone extinct in many families, it was an honour and a privilege to witness this anniversary. I congratulate the couple on their steadfastness, love and being together all these years against all the odds. I also congratulate many couples who consummated their marriages during the festive season. I wish them long marital bliss. By His grace, I will celebrate the silver jubilee of my own wedding on January 1, 2026.
One more thing – many of those who celebrated one thing or the other with us the previous years are no more with us today. Usually, many families start burial activities from January 2. Of course, the death rate these days is quite high. And these burials are part of what keep many people in the village up to the middle of January. Those who say Igbo people don’t love themselves need to see how friends and brothers support one another in cash or in kind, be it funeral or celebration of any sort.
For some individuals, London and New York are the major destinations for their holiday. For those of us who enjoy the conviviality and the natural air conditioner called harmattan which caresses the skin and makes us sleep soundly, we are already looking forward to this year’s end-of-year holiday season.