By Stephen obega
(Unedited and represent wholly the opinion of the author of the article)
Akpen who hailed from oral land in Benin had 12 children:
1) umale
2Ahiedu
3) Akhuaize
4)Obe
5)ivbiare
6)Eghonmi
7) Owato
8)uguanroba
9) Odu
10) ohela
11)Agba and
12) Ofebe.
Agba being the 11th son of Ora Akpen had 5 children:
1) Alege Agba
2)Bette Agba
3)Bendi Agba
4) Bekwara Agba and
5) Igede Agba .
According to John Ogumwu,
IGEDE agba festival dated back to the arrival of the Igede people to their present place of dwelling.
It was after their progenitor (Agba) the Igede Agba festival was coined.
The reawakened of this aged long tradition is attributed to the formation of Igede youth Association (IYA) Hence, this group introduced the unified Igede Agba festival in early 1960s.the founding members of IYA who have resolved sequel to their meeting regarding Igede Agba festival modernization were as follows.
1) Chief Ajene Okpabi
2) James ikpiragwu
3) Oga okwoche
4) Chief Ikande idikwu
Etc.
It's a set aside day to remember our father (AGBA).
It's just a pure celebration without any form of traditional ritual attached to it.
To prove the purity of such celebration, as a Christian predominant tribe, the celebrants do go to churches at early hours of that very day, gives thanks to God for spearing their lives to witness the event ,before coming home for celebration .
On this very day, children gathered round their parents waiting to hear words of wisdom, adages and riddles etc. Any disputes between person to person, intra and inter families are being resolved in the round table if both parties couldn't solve it before that day.
EXTERNALS: For those of you who may asked "WHO ARE IGEDE PEOPLE, WHERE IS THEIR CURRENT STATE OF ORIGINS ETC.
IGEDE is bounded with TIV to the north,
IGEDE is bounded with IDOMA to the west
IGEDE is bounded with IGBO to the east
IGEDE is bounded with OGOJA to the South. Igede located at Benue and Cross River State.
We called our 1ST CLASS CHIEF as ADIRAHU NY'IGEDE.
Our council of elders are called " IGABWO "
Speaker is called "Adikobia "
A beautiful Lady is called "Adiya "
Military are called "Idangeri "
etc this very Yuletide is called "IGEDE AGBA " celebrated at every 1st IHIIGELE MARKET of every September.
IN ADDITION: IGEDE people are well respected sect of people, doing business with an Igede person is like interacting with an angel because we despised stealings, cheating and embezzlement to the core.
Join me and say "HAPPY IGEDE AGBA TO IGEDE PEOPLE"
Or just echo IGEDE IHIO as our popular greeting slogan.
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