𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐃𝐄-𝐀𝐆𝐁𝐀: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐍𝐎𝐖.

There was usually an aura around the big day as all and sundry traveled from their hustle towns down their ancestry to mark the beginning of a new dawn.

Even the families that lived in the metropolis were mandated by the pull of culture to fall back to base where it was best celebrated.

A day to it, very early, from Adikpo in Kwande L.G. where I was born, my father who worked as a Court Magistrate would make sure to take his entire family to Ameka-Owo, (the home of wisdom, knowledge and many waters) in order to meet up with pre-festival attractions, especially ‘uchi’.

Uchi literally means foolishness. Any family that failed to keep her surroundings clean, awaiting the D-Day was adjuged to be foolish, and the youths found in such compounds were stricken with palm fronts until some money is expunged as a fine.

It was so much fun for the task boys as such monies were used to buy local gin to up the tempo. That was in the early nineties.

My father usually brought home two goats, one for his kinsmen and the other for his immediate family.

On the morning of the main event, we would wake up very early and slaughter the family goat after presenting that of the kinsmen which came with a lot of blessings from elders.

Pounded yam was cooked and each family came to gather at the ‘epwedii’ with their delicacies. ‘Epwedii’ means koinonia, a lovely fellowship of one big family.

It was divided into segments as each age grade had their epwedii.

There, freshly tapped palm wine was used to drive the foods home as pleasantries were exchanged amongst those who haven’t met for a long time. The festival was an avenue to gather one big family together again after a while.

Afterwards, prayers were made to the Almighty God and the gods of our fathers, thanking them for the success of the past year while praying for another bountiful harvest in the coming year.

The people will then renege to their houses to take a rest for the big one in the evening.

The Hallmark of the Igede Agba was the gathering of the people at ‘Ojiya’, the playground where you must be a stone not to be driven to ecstasy by our diverse cultural dances like the akatanka, aita, obemu, ikpongini, ihi, ogirinye, etc.

Trust me, Igede Masquerades are the best you can ever have. The colours and dance steps would literally make you lose your job.

There were wresting contests, swimming competitions, forktales, and legends to strengthen our knowledge of where we came from.

The Igede Agba experience of the nineties were that of pure bliss, merriment, love and entertainment. We could not afford to miss it for anything. For it defined the rich cultural heritage of the people to the admiration of our neighbours who also came to celebrate with us.

Fast- forward to the 21st century, especially in recent years of the indomie generation, and you would notice a complete departure from what we knew as Igede Agba.

Today, a day to the festival, all hotels within the metropolis are fully booked, not by travellers who came home to celebrate, but by young people whose way of celebration is to do hard drugs and illicitly sex themselves out of consciousness.

The resultant effect is that, the festival is now ridden with cult battles, avoidable accidents due to recklessness, and the commission of heinous crimes.

For the more responsible people, epwedii still exists, but it is now held at beer palours, where friends meet and drink while discussing issues that matter. Palm wine has gradually gone to extinction as children of the old tappers have refused to take after their fathers, and so the white man’s drink must make up for it.

Also, the night parties have conveniently replaced the cultural dances at the Ojiya, as after the drinks, the next stops are wild celebrations at Igede Agba parties where all sort of youthful excesses take place.

ONA KINGSTON, [12.11.21 18:58] My only glimpse of hope from this year’s celebration was the marathon race anchored by the ever effervescent Bishop Ogi John and co. where young people gathered to celebrate in harmony. Special kudos bro. as I pray for its improved sustainability.

Yes, just like life, one striking characteristic of culture is its dynamism. But I believe when people change, they change for the better.

How has the westernisation of our rich cultural heritage improved us as a people?

Have we been more united as a family for replacing our culture with that of the white man?

Do the outside world still envy the once strong kingdom who was though small in number, yet mighty in power and influence?

Is there a need to go back to the drawing board?

What role should each one, ranging from the traditional institution to the politicians, and down to the ordinary people play if there is ever a need to go back to our roots?

Your reactions are very much welcomed.

Obo Wilson. 10/09/2021.