By CHIEDU UCHE OKOYE

Is the town called Obosi not in the consciousness of millions of Nigerians? Obosi, which is in Idemili North LGA of Anambra state, is a sprawling semi-urban town that is contiguous to Onitsha. Some of the town?s illustrious indigenes achieved renown in diverse fields of human endeavours.They?re, but not limited to, the late Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, Chief Dan Chuke, Chief Osita Chidoka, Senator Mike Ajegbo, and Chief Emeka Anyaoku. But it is not only Obosi town?s distinguished sons and daughters, who have made the town tick.

The town has colourful and unique cultural festivals, which are nulli secundus in the entire southeast of Nigeria. The Ito Ogbo festival, which is well-known in Nigeria and beyond, has its provenance in Obosi. And there is the Obiora/Iwaji festival that is widely celebrated in Obosi by natives and non-natives of the town. The fact now is that Obosi people?s cultural practices have melded with their socio-economic cum political beliefs to shape their communal lifestyle and group psychology.

So, at this juncture in our country?s political odyssey, it is necessary for us to tweak our constitution so as to incorporate our diverse cultural peculiarities into our practice of modern democracy. Therefore, discarding our 1999 constitution, and drafting a new one that will, unambiguously, delineate and spell out the roles of towns? monarchs in modern democracy has become a desideratum. As the local government areas are the governments nearest to the grassroots people, there should be constitutional provisions and bulwark to guarantee their seamless and hitch-free operations and protection from tyrannical and egoistical state governors.

Now, in many Nigerian towns, the traditional ruling institutions and the political wings, though having distinct roles, cooperate to offer effective leaderships to the grassroots people in consonance with the people?s cultural mores and democratic precepts. For example, in Obosi, which is in Anambra state, its town union government has become a fillip for the rapid development of the town.

The Obosi Development Union (ODU) has evolved a model of leadership praxis that is predicated on the creation of diverse committees, which are charged with tackling such matters as waste evacuation, road maintenance, provision of security, infrastructural development, and other sundry matters. Specialists/technocrats are included in the committees for which they are well-suited. And since the inception of the current Obosi town union government in 2023, the development of Obosi has been on the upswing.

Though the Obosi town union government and the traditional institution have recorded landmark achievements in diverse area, their focus or attention has not been shifted from the maintenance and sustenance of the Obosi cultural heritage. The town is renowned for its cultural festivals, which are nonpareil. The cultural festivals include Agwu festival, Ito Ogbo, Olisa, Iwaji/Obiora, and countless others. The spiritual significance of those festivals is rekindled through the Obosi people?s celebration of them.

Now, the Iwaji/Obiora festival is the forthcoming festival in Obosi land. The festival ranks next in popularity to the legendary Ito Ogbo. Obiora/Iwaji festival is the occasion when the traditional ruler of Obosi thanks God for blessing his subjects with bountiful farm produce and plenteous yam harvests in the out-gone year. His celebration of the Iwaji/Obiora festival must precede his subjects? celebrations of their respective Iwaji/Obiora festival.

More so, the celebration of the Obiora festival by the traditional ruler of Obosi provides the auspicious climate for people to forgive their offenders of their sins. In the spirit of Obiora, relatives and friends who are estranged with one another will let go of their grievances and grudges and reconcile with one another. It is wrong of a man to celebrate the annual Iwaji/Obiora festival while harbouring malice against his relatives and friends.

It should be noted that when the people of a town live in peace and harmony with one another, it will set the tone and provide the atmosphere for that town?s development. The reigning of peace and unity in a town is a condition that must exist in that town before it can record landmark achievement in diverse areas of communal development.

It cannot be gainsaid that the annual Obiora/Iwaji Obosi festival, which is slated for October 26, 2024, will offer Igwe Chidubem Iweka (Eze Iweka III) the ample opportunity to offer thanks to God on behalf of his subjects for blessing them with robust health, longevity, and bountiful agricultural produce in the out-gone farming season. The festival, also, marks the people?s fulfillment of their spiritual obligation of purging their hearts of malice, hatred, and bitterness. The spiritual dimension to the Obiora/Iwaji festival is not lost on the generality of the fun and peace- loving people of Obosi.

The melding of the Obosi people?s cultural life with their active political lifestyles has given the Obosi town a distinct and colourful communal hue that is captivating. Obosi bestrides political and cultural trajectories that propel it forward in time as a fast-developing town.

The Obosi people's interspersing of cultural practices with their political consciousness has given birth to a hybridised leadership model in Obosi, which should be protected and preserved by constitutional provisions.

Interestingly, the chief advocate for the drafting of a new constitution for Nigeria is an Obosi-born diplomat and former secretary general of the common-wealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

?Chiedu Uche Okoye, a poet, writes from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State. He can be reached via 08062220654 and 09125204141

Update news