Written by Pita Obam13082020
As we approach this year’s Igede Agba, it is pertinent to put some records for posterity.
Often, you hear some people say Igede New Yam Festival to refer to Igede Agba. In this write up, I want to establish that Igede Agba is not the same thing as New Yam Festival.
First and foremost, let’s try to pose some salient questions: Who is Agba? What is Igede Agba? What was the origin of the festival? And what is New Yam Festival and its origin?
Agba is the name of Igede ancestral father who led the Igede people out of Oraa, Sabongida, present day Edo State. These movements were continuous until the present settlement in Benue South
According to oral tradition which was captured in my Master’s Thesis, “Igede Marriage Tradition” (Pita Obam 2012), Igede people had encountered several journeys and movements likened to that of Israelites from Egpyt to Cannan.
After their escape from the defeating war with Oraa tribe in present Edo State, over a broken pot imbroglio, they settled in a particular place, called ‘Edede’ where a tyrant, Ododo Omilega, grievously oppressed them, put them under a heavy yoke and was stuffing life out of any Igede person he came across.
One day, an old woman advised Igede Ancestor to escape before they are totally annihilated. This they did, passing under series of Agba trees with their big leaves.
When Ododo Omilega got up in the morning he was thirsty for shedding blood of any Igede person. He discovered they had escaped. He went on a hot pursuit only to lose trace of them as the Agba leaves covered and carpeted the road. He went back home frustrated. Thus, Igede people were saved by Agba leaves. Then the Ancestor was nicknamed, Agba.
Thus, Igede Agba is a celebration in remembrance of the day the Igede people made their successful escape from their several oppressors and vengeful adversaries.
Before now the celebration was observed on different days by the 14 clans of Igede Kingdom. However, Igede elite group (it’s called Omi ny’Igede now) met and decided that, for harmony, let there be a common agreed date for the event. (You can read more on this in the book ‘Igede Gedegede’)
Thus they decided for every first Ihigile market day in September for the common event. Igede Agba was formerly called Igede Day.
Thus as kids we sang this popular song:
Igede day, ori nyale (today is Igede day)
Angi nw’emwu (those who kill goats)
Angi nw’anu (those who kill fouls)
Ori nyale (it’s today)
Day, orinyale
Day, orinyale…
Indeed, Igede Day was changed by the foremost Igede Elites to Igede Agba to reflect its full cultural identity without English nomenclature.
The celebration marks the end of planting season and beginning of harvest. In Igede calendar, it signifies beginning of a new year. It is January for Igede people thus you hear them exchange pleasantries “obe ny’eka’ (happy new year).
It is a time of reconciliation and forgiveness with sharing of gifts and foods. Wherever Igede people are found, home or in diaspora, Igede Agba is observed with fanfare, dancing, drinking, eating and making merry.
It’s often celebrated with pounded yam and ‘oho nyevuna’ garnished with ‘ibeyi’ with ‘iyo nyobio’ (bushmeat). There are other Igede traditional soups such as ‘ehia’, ‘atanje’, and ‘ono’. But oho nyevuna is more popular during this celebration. This is, perhaps, because it catches on the pounded yam easily. Thus you hear women sing:
“Kungele gele
Kungele gele
Oho nyevuna kungele gele…”
The event is celebrated with pounded yam because yam is seen as the king of other farm crops in Igede land, coupled with the fact that yam is the sole farm crop enjoyed by the people at that time. It’s not celebration of new yam. (Copyright, Pita Obam)
New Yam Festival or rites, on the other hand, are observed and celebrated by members of Akpang fraternity, the traditional enforcement police of Igede. Akpang which was initially introduced to check mate diabolical activities of witches and wizards assumed a larger than life role in Igede traditional society. Prior to declaration of new yam, ogwu ny’akpang (a circle) is delineated round the villages, a footpath for Akpang members. After the ritualistic trek round the villages, they return to ojia where they offer appreciation sacrifices with yams to the god of fertility (ohe ogbadogogo). They would then return home with new yams.
Excitedly, the people will declare to one another, ‘iw’uju da le’. (new yams have been declared fit for consumption). This is done weeks before the day for Igede Agba.
Notice now that not all Igede villages have ogwu ny’akpang round them and are therefore not bound by Akpang rites. New yams could be eaten in such places before Akpang rites. As am writing now, new yams ate already in consumption across Igede land without Akpang declaration.
This practice of waiting for declaration before consuming new yam was necessitated by the need to control harvesting of yams before they get to full term. Because of famine (uhi) at a certain time of the year, farmers were anxious to harvest yams thus resulting into poor harvest season eventually. And like every issue of enforcement, Akpang was charged with the sole responsibility of monitoring compliance.
The rites preceding declaration of yams or tasting of new yams is known as New Yam Festival. It is basically observed by members of Akpang fraternity.
As mentioned earlier, Igede Agba is new year day for Igede people. It is the beginning of new harvest season. It also marked end of planting season. It is celebrated on the first Ihigile day in every September. It might be 5th this year and probably 4th of September next year but must not exceed the 5th within the 5 market and any other food of choice.
I have taken time to document this for my children and younger generation of Igede people to know more of their historical development. You can also contribute to the body of Igede research work. You don’t have to, necessarily, agree with every aspect of my narrative, but be encouraged to document this very important aspect of our cultural life in the way you best understood it.
Happy Igede Agba
Comments