Ajalli Community Celebrates Ikeji Festival

Culture they say is a community identity heritage and tradition as was handed over by their forefathers.

This was brought to fore as Ndi Ajali, Orumba North Council Area celebrated Ikeji Festival in a grand style.

Celebrated at Obuti Orji Palace Ajali, the festival which heralded the beginning of a new farming season in the community featured different masquerade displays and other cultural activities from  neighboring communities including from the women folks.

The traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Augustine Nwangwu made a royal entrance in company of other traditional rulers in Orumba North and South Local Government Areas and performed the kolanut rituals  praying their ancestors  to bless their lands for a new farming season  for bountiful yield.

Igwe Nwangwu noted that any nation that cannot feed itself is in trouble because the basics is to have food to eat noting  that they were fortunate to have  expense of land for farming, adding that modern techniques in agriculture have made it easier for people to go back to farm so as to have food sufficiency.

He maintained that Igbo culture is pristine, pure and  with strong moral  values, lamenting that many youths now practice idolatry in the name of culture even as he disclosed that the traditional institution is on move for cultural renaissance and rediscovery, for the youths to understand what culture is all about.

Another stakeholder in the community, Mazi Ikenna Oti-Orji explained that during Ikeji festival, the traditional ruler blesses his subjects for a new successful farming season as the community is  agrarian in nature, calling on all to be law abiding, respectful and be their brothers’ keepers.

The Woman Leader of the community, Mrs Joy Oti noted that the women folk embrace the celebration and participate in dancing,  and receive blessings from the throne as many of them are farmers, calling on the women to teach their wards positive aspects of culture and to participate in all activities of the community.

Also speaking, the Youth Leader of the community, Mr Chijoke Unaka, who asked the youths to shun all social vices that mar their future and to embark on agriculture as a major way to earn a living and sustain the economy.