Obosi Community in ldemili North Local Government Area over the Weekend went agog as they celebrated Ito Ogbo Festival 2021.
The event which was held at Afor Adike Square attracted people from all walks of life within and outside the State.
Correspondent Emengini Osadebe who covered the event reports that over two hundred Octogenarians participated in the celebration.
According to her report it was a Carnival of a sort as various dance troupes and masquerades were at the venue of the event entertaining the crowd.
In his goodwill address, the Minister of Information Culture and Tourism Honorable Lai Mohammed Congratulated Igwe Obosi and Obosi Community in general for sustaining and developing the age long Ito Ogbo Obosi which according to him has impacted hugely on the health and quality of lives of Ndi Obosi.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr Mrs. Ifeoma Anyanwutaku restated the President Bahari’s administration’s determination to diversify the nation’s economy by making culture and tourism an alternative to oil as a source of revenue for the country and pledged the readiness of the ministry to partner the Obosi kingdom to ensure that the ito-ogbo festival do not go into extinction by upgrading it to national festival.
The Minister of state for Environment Honorable Sharon lkeazor, congratulated the Igwebuike Age Grade for the success of the event and promised to assist in ensuring that Ito Ogbo Obosi is made not only national, but international festival by working with the federal Ministry of information and Culture to make the festival join the UNESCO CULTURAL festival.
Governor Willie Obiano represented by the Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Dr Kenneth Anierobi, felicited with Igwe Chidubem Iweka and the entire Obosi Kingdom saying that Anambra state is proud of the rich culture of Ndi Anambra and recognized the place of culture and tourism as a means of making Anambra state the investment destination in Nigeria.
In a welcome Address, lgwe Iweka who traced the history of Ito Ogbo Obosi to hundreds of years ago disclosed that there is nothing spiritually fetish or diabolical in joining or participating in Ito-ogbo, rather it is used to celebrate their Octogenarians in a special way, saying that the festival is the highest festival in Obosi.
Speaking to the ABS in separate Interviews, some of Ndichie Obosi expressed joy and gratitude to God for the Octogenarians and prayed God for more years ahead.
Some of the celebrants thanked God for keeping them alive to witness their Ito-ogbo, asking God to grant them good health.
Highpoint of the event were capping of the celebrants, handing over of barton of longevity to the celebrants, cutting of birthday cake while dance by various groups and masquerades added colour to the event.
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