Cultural heritage :Afikpo community revives “Ojeogwu Masquerade Performance ” after  64 years

 

. as Chief Igariwey urges youths not to forget their roots.

 

Afikpo Community in Ebonyi State consolidates its Unity / Cohesion through the revival of “Ojeogwu Masquerade Performance ” 64 years after its last performance -Clement Nnachi captures the hilarious and mood of the community.

 

Sociologists define Culture as the totality of the people’s way of Life , behavior and Lifestyle . It is the beliefs and attitudes about something that people in a particular group or organization share . Afikpo  is one of the major cities in present day Ebonyi State and the headquarters of Afikpo North Local Government Area of the State .

 

Afikpo community is an ancient community that prides its self  as custodian of its Culture and beliefs system.

 

The importance of Culture all over the Globe can not be over emphasized ranging from being a symbol of unity, togetherness, cohesion and an avenue to chart way forward for the advancement and development of the community.

 

Saturday, 26th  February 2022 will ever remain evergreen in the annals of the history of Mgbom Community in particular and Afikpo town in general.  The day marked the Ehugbo Cultural Revival through the “Ojeogwu Mgbom Masquerade  Performance ”

 

The day marked the re-enactment and performance of “Ojeogwu Cultral Fiesta” meaning “I hold the Dance” 64 years after its last performance in 1958. It is an age long cultural fiesta” performed by selected communities in Afikpo namely Amachara village performed “Ojeogwu Masquerade in 1959, Ukpa village had their own on December 1960, Mgbom performed in 1945 and later 1958, Amankwo community performed in 1984 , Agbogo Ndibe performed it in 1986 respectively .

 

According to an Elder Statesman and Octogenarian of Amankwo community Hon Chief Innocent Agbaraka, the masquerade performance was Special due to the nature of its performance

 

According to him ,”it’s  historical background can be traced to times immemorial till today, other masquerade fiesta performed in the community include “Akpoha Ngodo, Okunkpo, among others”

 

“Afikpo community likes Culture, we see it as our identity ,the Ojeogwu Masquerade Performance is a Culture Oriented,

 

The Octogenarian advised the youths to not to allow the Culture of the community to fade away stressing that it strengthens the unity and peace of the people .

 

In an interview, the member representing Afikpo North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representative Abuja Hon (Chief ) Iduma Igariwey Enwo, who was at home with his kins men at “Ogo Mgbom Theatre to witness the “Ojeogwu Mgbom Masquerade performance said that Afikpo was the Center of Culture.

 

According to Chief Igariwey, “From available records , this very performance hasn’t taken place in Mgbom community for about 66 years “the important message I want to say is that we are in a community where Culture means a lot .

 

Chief Igariwey said that Afikpo is a community of Culture. Culture is a thing that binds us together stating “everything we do reflects around culture, we believe that Culture is a reflection of our lifestyle , a reflection on how we live , how we inter-relate, how we marry , everything about our life’s is embedded in our Culture”

 

“If you are a Historian and you investigate about Afikpo Culture, you will notice that our Culture has been captured severally ,more than half a Century ago by people like Professor Otenberg who know everything about our Culture”

 

“For many hours today Mgbom was agog with human presence from far and near who came to grace this historic moment, every thing about our identity is embedded in our Culture , in terms of how we even interact with people both within Afikpo and outside has a foundation in our Culture ”

 

“What you have seen today “Ojeogwu Mgbom Cultural Masquerade happened Six decades ago, many of the people who witnessed it then are not here anymore, we are happy we still have people who are telling us one or two things about this festival, the  event made the entire Mgbom Community become one close unit irrespective of religious, cultural and socio-political affiliations”

 

“You can imagine a performance that took place more than 60 years ago, it is an epochal event ,it is a historic  event ,it is an event some of us are so proud to witness because what it means is that it’s possible one can only witness it once in a lifetime ”

 

Chief Igariwey reiterated that he attended the event with his son to enable him witness the “Ojeogwu Mgbom Masquerade Performance “describing the event as a reflection , a purveyor of Afikpo community .

 

“Culture is our identity, we  live and breath our culture, everything about how we started our life yesterday ,how we live it today and how we live it in the future, we are carrying the performance from the past to the present ,and that is the dynamic thing about Afikpo”

 

Chief Igariwey advised the youths comprising women and men , not to forget their past ,remember your past, bring your past to the present, take the ones that will progress your community and take it to the future .

 

“the young people should know they cannot condemn their past because if you condemn your past ,you have condemned your present and the future ”

 

“I am not one of those who will say let us throw away everything that our forefathers left behind, my father was a good man ,my grand father was a good man ,my son should also know that I am a good man , we reflect everything that is good about our society”

 

A Scholar and University Don Mr Egwu Oko, highlighted the significance of the “Ojeogwu Masquerade Performance” to include sustenance of Socio-cohesion ,this is where it comes .

 

“there is this idea that a little dispute is taking place between this community and the entire Afikpo clan ,but the entire Ehugbo said no more case/litigation, today is for this entire showpiece, ”

 

“also the economic values, from the costume adorned by the masquerades has a representative symbols attached ,  a lot of people at the theatre ,Camara men from all walks of life struggling to take clips of the masquerade performance

 

“What you saw today is a microcosm of the entire macrocosm ,a whole lot of things and consultations were involved in the making of this particular performance, that was why some came here very early to catch a glimpse of the performance ”

 

On what it portends to the people , the University don said that judging from the number  of people that came out to witness the Masquerade performance at the “Ogo Mgbom Theatre” will give an idea of how importance it is to to the people.

 

“the large crowd you saw today are not just people from this community, they came from outside the State to witness the fiesta, from what we have gathered it is a historic relic in the sense it has not been hosted in the last 60 years”

 

In his contribution, Dr Olughu Oko said that “‘Ojeogwu Masquerade Performance” was an age long performance inherited as a legacy from the ancestors .

 

“It is a Masquerade Performance that was not associated with any festival but rather associated with a Season, it comes once in several years ,this is about 64 years when it was performed last in the community

 

Dr Olughu Oko noted the significance of the “Ojeogwu Masquerade” as binding Afikpo community together, unity, Socially, Culturally, Aesthetically and spiritually stating “you can see  the social relationship involved in this masquerade performance .

 

Notable dignitaries that  graced the “Ojeogwu Mgbom Masquerade performance included the Legal Adviser of  PDP in Ebonyi State Barrister Mudi Erhenede, members of Onikara, Essas and Etoos Age -Grades , Hon Benard Isu, Dr Arua Oko, Dr Bismark Ikenna   Unya, and many other cultural enthusiasts .