Obi of Onitsha holds 2021 Ofala festival

Nnaemeka Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha in Agbogidi, has celebrated the 2021 Ofala festival.

The Ofala, which took place on October 6, is the highpoint of the Onicha ceremonial cycle.

Rooted in deep spirituality, the Ofala is primarily a celebration by the monarch and his subjects to mark his annual emergence from seclusion, during which he is said to have successfully negotiated the fortunes of the kingdom.

The festival was held this year without the usual display of royal dances, tributes, parades, music, and art, in addition to other associated events, which have come to characterise the beauty and elegance of the festival.

In a statement on Monday, Chinyelugo Osita Anionwu, the Obi’s chief of staff, said the monarch used the occasion of the Ofala to reiterate his prayer for the end of the turmoil, violence, and hardship that have befallen Nigeria.

“This year’s low-key Ofala is in line with the proclamation by his majesty that the community would fulfill its annual traditional and ritual obligations in a modest way to comply fully with the COVID -19 safety and hygiene protocols,” he said.

“There was no Azu Ofala celebration, the second day of the festival which is an elaborate display by Onitsha indigenes made up of age grade societies in their very colourful uniforms.

“The Owuwa-Ji (New Yam) Festival, which commenced on Friday, 24 September 2021 and will end on Thursday, 21 October with Ikelebe-Ji (the new yam celebration by the monarch) is also being observed very modestly.

“It is the hope and prayer of His Majesty and the people of Onitsha that the challenges of the previous years will come to pass, and circumstances will enable these festivals to return to normal next year.”