By Magnus EMUJI
KWALE/Nigeria: A community leader in Onicha-Ukwuani Community in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State and the immediate past Permanent Secretary, Delta State Post Primary Education Board (PPEB), Ogbuiji Augustine Chukwuma has stressed the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of a people from extinction.
Ogbuiji Augustine Chukwuma , who is the Onochieze of Onicha-Ukwuani stated this during the annual new yam festival and Ekwuensu festival of the community.
He specifically said that Ekwuensu festival was designed to recognise the men who had demonstrated extreme determination to ensure that the community was in tact .
He described the festival as unique opportunity for the people to demonstrate the love, unity and peaceful coexistence among them, adding that the Okpala-Uku of the community used the opportunity to appreciate God for the bountiful harvest and protection of him and his subjects.
Ogbuiji Chukwuma said that as part of the celebration of the festival, their great warriors were appreciated for their resilient spirit and commitment to securing the community from external aggression.
Ogbuiji Augustine Chukwuma, who is the mouthpiece of the Okpala-Uku (oldest man) /Okpala -Ukwata of the community, Dinze Ogwa, however, admonished youths in the community to embrace skills that could give their lives meaning.
The former Permanent Secretary also told the youths in the area to always embrace their culture and traditions, adding that the festival was not in any fetish.
Ogbuiji Chukwuma reiterated his commitment to the growth and development of the Onicha-Ukwuani Community.
