Kwale: Nigerians have been urged to engage in actions which will deepen and revive their rich cultural heritage.
Chairman of Njedeh Farms limited, Utagba-Uno, Ogbuiji Odua Stephen Njedeh Ebinum made the call today (08/01/17) at the conferment of Ogbuiji Chieftaincy title on his son, Barr. Emeke Ebinum.
According to the nonagenarian, “Tradition is important and we should treasure our tradition, otherwise, we lose our cultural heritage.”
“I took the Ogbuiji Chieftancy title in 1978 at a time some prominent and educated persons were of the view that I was wasting my money but, today, I am proud to be a member of Otu-Ogbuiji, we should not only engage in actions to revive our culture but, should deepen and sustain what we met,” he said.
The Okpala-Ukwata – first surviving person to take the Ogbuiji Chieftaincy title, 89 years old Hon. Peter Odaiche who disclosed that he took the title in the year, 1972 said the title was elitist for successful farmers and was designed to encourage hard work in the society.
He used the occasion to call on Nigerians not to toy with hard word, stating, “our culture encourages hard work and we should be hard working and avoid engaging in anti-social activities in the bid to make money because, your source of money must be identified for you to be a member of Otu-Ogbuiji.”
Excited Chief Emeke Ebinum in a statement made available to journalists at the event, said, “the Ogbuiji Title (Egwu-Ukwata ceremony) is as old as Utagba-Uno community, a cultural chieftancy institution of the people of Utagba-Uno in Ndowka-West Local Government Area; other communities in Ndokwa ethnic nationality that perform the title in various degrees of sophistication are Onicha-Ukwani, Afor, Utagba-Ogbe, Beneku, Akoku, and Utchi; generally, the title holders in these communities accord each other with the rights and privileges whenever they meet in any traditional settings or social gathering and the generally applicable greeting is “Ogbuiji” or “Oshi-iji”
“Egwu-Ukwata is as old as Utagba-Uno and was only meant for farmers with bumper harvest of yams and affluence and it dates as far back as before the 16th century,” the statement read, reiterating, “The conferment of the Ogbuiji title on the successful completion of the Egwu-Ukwata ceremony by a declarant is a rank of honor in the community, which is likened to a meritorious professional award in the Arts or Sciences, but, with Utagba-Uno philosophy and the impact of modernization with the increasing in-roads of the modern sectors, every man’s occupation became his “FARM”, hence the Ogbuiji title was open to all successful indigenes in Utagba-Uno, wherever they may be, in other professions of trades other than farming.”
He added, “The Ogbuiji chieftancy title institution became an eminent and prestigious status, a rewarding motivator for even professionals in a farming community; during the initiation, the wives are conferred with the title “Ote-Ofe” of Utagba-Uno.”
The grand finale of the ceremony which lasted for three days was very colourful and was attended by prominent Nigerians from different parts of the country.”
