By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

Obosi, a town in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State, borders Nkpor, Umuoji, Oba, and Onitsha. Its nearness to Onitsha, the commercial hub of the Southeast area, has contributed in no small way to the rapid development of Obosi with Awada-Obosi being the home to many industries, schools, and churches. The well-known Metallurgical Training Institute is at Obosi, too.

Again, Obosi is an ancient town whose natives had embraced western education and Christianity when the white people came to Africa for reasons bordering on religion, economic exploitation of the black people, and Christianity. The Obosi people’s embrace of western education and Christianity is why countless natives of the town have achieved rare distinctions in their endeavours and careers. This has made Obosi gain global recognition and the attention of non-natives of Obosi.

Obosi is the home town of the revered international diplomat, Chief Emeka Anyaoku. He rose in his career to become the secretary general of the commonwealth. Anyaoku’s contributions to the growth as well as the deepening of our democracy is Immense. Another illustrious son of Obosi is Chief Chimezie Ikeazor (SAN). A legal luminary of no mean repute, the late Chief Chimezie Ikeazor was the founder of the free legal aids.

Other notable natives of Obosi, who came to limelight in Nigeria include, but not limited to, Chief Osita Chidoka, who was a onetime Nigeria’s former Minister of Aviation; and Chief Dan Chuke, who was a former Minister of Defence during the political administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. And Chief Mike Ajegbo was a member of the red chambers in the National Assembly in the past.

But Obosi town does not owe its popularity solely to the achievements of its sons and daughters, who are high flyers in their respective careers. Obosi has many diverse cultural festivals, which have become Obosi people’s cultural identities. Those cultural festivals are now synonymous with Obosi. In Obosi, the people of the town celebrate such cultural festivals as Olisa, Idemili, Obiora/Iwaji, Ito Ogbo, and others. Each of those cultural festivals has its uniqueness and peculiarities, which fascinate people.

But the Ito Ogbo Obosi festival, which came into existence about five hundred years ago, is the grandest and most popular cultural festival in the entire Igboland. Over the years, the custodians of the Obosi culture have guarded against the Ito Ogbo festival going into extinction. So the festival has gained global attention and recognition. People from neighbouring towns have modelled their own versions of Ito Ogbo Festival after that of Obosi, varying them a little.

But what is Ito Ogbo Obosi festival? Simply put, it is the collective birthday celebration of members of an age grade, who have recently entered the octogenarian age range. The Festival is a triennial event, which celebrates longevity and espouses philosophical teachings which are rooted in the benefits derivable from our living safely and having good health habits.

Against the background of low-life expectancy in Nigeria, those who live up to the grand old age of eighty years ought to throw lavish and elaborate birthday parties to mark their attainment of that milestone in their lives. In today’s Nigeria, daily, hundreds of people are sent to their early graves by dare-devil armed robbers, kidnappers, terrorists, bandits, insurgents, murderous separatists, and marauding herdsmen. And, daily, people die on our roads, which are pockmarked with craters.

So the significance as well as the symbolism of the Ito Ogbo festival, which is reverence for old people, is not lost on us. Don’t we hold gnarled old people who have aureola of gray hairs in reverential awe? And in many Igbo communities, Obosi inclusive, their leaderships are medleys of gerontocracy and modern democratic practice. That is why the people of Obosi mark the Ito Ogbo festival with so much fanfare and jollity.

Again, the festival has become the unifying factor in the ancient Obosi town. Obosi people living outside Nigeria whose parents are celebrating the collective birthday called Ito Ogbo would return home for the festival. So they would get the opportunity to make peace with their estranged relatives. And the gathering of the oldies who belong to opposing groups in the town for the bestowing of the title of Ogbueshi on them by the traditional ruler of Obosi offers them the opportunity to sink their differences, too.

Beyond all these, the Ito Ogbo Obosi festival has positioned the Obosi town as a tourist site, which if well harnessed, has the potential of yielding money to the people of Obosi during the periods of the performance of the festival. During the period of the festival, Nigerians and non-Nigerians will visit the town of Obosi to witness the festival and see the town’s monuments, archival materials, and old photographs of past traditional rulers of the town, which form the historical portraiture of Obosi.

Now, the applications for the inclusion of the Ito Ogbo Obosi festival into the National Calendar and the UNESCO’s Intangible Culture have reached advance stages. That is a proof that the Ito Ogbo Obosi Festival has many good sides to it, which are useful to the peoples of the world.

Regarding the forthcoming Ito Ogbo Obosi, a series of events like beauty pageantry, football matches, seminars, and masquerade displays will take place in the weeks leading to the event, culminating in the bestowing of the title of Ogbueshi on the celebrants, who belong to the Oforka Age Grade.

There is no doubt regarding the fact that the Ito Ogbo Obosi Festival is the grandest and most popular cultural event in the entire South-east geopolitical zone. The sight of spry oldies dancing sinuously to drum-beatings as they make their ways to the stadium to receive certificates for attaining old age will fill people with awe and delight.

The triennial Ito Ogbo festival, the provenance of which is Obosi, is a celebration of longevity. It stresses the importance of people to live safely and adhere to health practices, which will guarantee them longevity. Ito Ogbo Obosi festival, which promotes social harmony among the people of Obosi, has become the cultural identity of the Obosi people. The festival, which will take place on March 2, 2024, has become synonymous with the town.

•Chiedu Uche Okoye, a poet, writes from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State. He can be reached via SMS on 08062220654

Update news