MBOMUZO IN OKWUOHIA AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY,
OBOWO L.G.A., IMO STATE, NIGERIA.
Okwuohia is a Community in Obowo
L.G.A., of Imo state, Nigeria, that has enviable rich historical background and deep cultural heritage. Okwuohia is the only community in Obowo and the old ETITI District that has four markets covering the four market days in Igbo calendar, namely: Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo. All these have distinct locations and hold accordingly.
The community prides herself with many cultural festivals which include Mbomuzo, Ntumaka, Nrim-ji (Iri ji) among others. But the one that attracts people in their numbers to the community is, "MBOMUZO", a-k-a "NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA".
MBOMUZO simply means, "clearing of the roads ", otherwise known as environmental cleansing, especially with regard to roads leading to traditional centres and matket places. It is intended to make the roads passable again in order to give proper access to the markets and homes of citizens.
In Okwuohia, all roads are cleared very thoroughly starting from individual homes to the Eke-Okwuohia, Orie-Okwuohia, Afor-Okwuohia and Nkwo-Okwuohia market squares. Also, roads leading to major and significant rivers are cleared. For instance, the Onu-iyi-lolo-nwanyi (Onu-ngele) stream at Umuduru Mgbakam is usually kept cleared for the "AHIA-NGANGA" ceremony by the women of Okwuohia during the same period. It has to be noted that all the road clearing and cleansing must be completed on or before the NKWO market day preceding the EKE market day of the ceremony.
NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA: As said earlier in this write-up, MBOMUZO Okwuohia is also referred to as NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA. Why?
Ours, is an agrarian community. In those good old days, our people cultivated yams, coco-yams, maize, cassava and mkpokoro in large scales. Farming was done more at locations far away from homes. Due to this, farmers constructed make-shift structures there in the bush/farms, where they rested and had their meals during the toils of the day. Most times, people returned to their homes very late in the evening. Major foods eaten in the farms those days were bread-fruits (Ukwa), palm kernels, yams and coco-yams. The bread-fruits were eaten whole without removing the the shells or the outer covers. Farming took place between the months of January and May, during which period farmers fed on any available food items. When such farmers returned to their homes from their farms in the month of May, they settled down to enjoy more pleasant and well prepared food. They would no longer eat the bread-fruits with their shells. Also, they cleaned their environments that had been left bushy during the period of intensive farming activities in the farms. From their homes, clearing and cleansing progress to the roads that lead to other homes and traditional centres. At this time, people begin to exchange visits with relatives and friends both far and near to show that they have returned home after the farming period in the bush. Such visits are usually reciprocated. During such visits, entertainments are unlimited based on the dispositions of the parties involved. In Okwuohia, after the entertainment at home, people gather at the designated market square to demonstrate it the more. The venue is usually at the ORIE OKWUOHIA, where the EKWIRIKWE music music is played and danced in an organized manner.
EKWIRIKWE MUSIC AND ORDER OF DANCING:
After the presentation and blessing of kola-nuts by the traditional ruler of Okwuohia, who declares the ceremony open after his speech and brief demonstration of the dance, the ceremony begins. Ofeiyi people, who are the custodians of the EKWIRIKWE do a brief demonstration dance. Thereafter, the traditional order of seniority of the three sections of Okwuohia is strictly observed thus: MGBAKAM, OFEIYI and AMARAMOHIA. Finally, a general dance which is usually longer and more thrilling comes up and marks the end of the ceremony.
The EKWIRIKWE music delivers messages which present Okwuohia as place with people of remarkable mutual respect, prowess and noted for wrestling. EKWIRIKWE music is used to caution Okwuohia people not to eat the bread-fruits with the shells again after the Mbomuzo. Hence, "ONYE ATALA UKWA NA MKPEKELE" and "NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA". This is demonstrated by hitting one's back-side to symbolically discharge the ones eaten previously. Before the EKWIRIKWE dance arena is approached, people sing various songs and dance along the road according to Age Grades, socicultural groups and sections.
MBOMUZO AND THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF DATE.
Only the Eze of Okwuohia, in consultation with you Traditional Council has the powers to announce the date for MBOMUZO every year. Above all, it is a known fact that Okwuohia community is the first among all the communities in Obowo and even the old ETITI District to perform Mbomuzo every year, thus determining the cultural calendar for other communities that perform the same and or related festivals.
Mbomuzo holds in Okwuohia on the second EKE-Okwuohia market day in the month of June every year. Visitors, friends, in-laws and well -wishers of the community visit the community to enjoy the characteristic hospitality and conviviality associated with the ceremony. Entertainment items are unlimited especially according to the preparedness of the individual families and persons during the period. Such entertainment items include and not limited to polished bread-fruit meals, maize pudding, cassava foo-foo, oil-bean pudding and different kinds of drinks.
PROBLEMS:
The festival has suffered from various problems which include but not limited to wrong perceptions, misrepresentation, misconception, ignorance, ineptitude, iconoclasm and apathy. Many, especially the less informed and the neo-religious groups strongly hold to the perception that that the festival is fetish and wasteful (especially those who are not willing to spend their resources to host guests).
ADVANTAGES:
The period leads to keeping the surroundings clean, re-union of families, friends, in-laws and well -wishers, tourist attraction and advancing our cultural heritage including ensuring the acquisition and development of the EKWIRIKWE playing and dancing skills.
In the good old days, women who earnestly took part in the road and market clearing and cleansing and later took part in the AHIA-NGANGA activities after bathing on serious intents at the Onu-Lolo-nwanyi (Onu-Ngele) stream, would appear at Mbomuzo the following year either pregnant or as nursing mothers if they either prayed for or desired such thereby.
MODIFICATIONS SO FAR:
Since culture is dynamic, efforts have been made by the leadership of Okwuohia community, over time, to modify certain aspects of the festival and programmes there-of in order to exponge some questionable and undesirable aspects of it. For instance, the timing and declaration of the date of the festival are now done by the Traditional ruler of Okwuohia in synergy with the Traditional Council. Also, no shrine or deity is either worshipped or honoured before, during and even after the festival. Most times, the traditional rulership open the festival with Christian thanks-giving worship at an agreed Christian church here in Okwuohia.
CONCLUSION:
In line with the realities of the present moments, efforts should be made to allow for acceptable modifications while there should be insistence on protecting and upholding the soul, spirit and purports of the cultural heritage of our dear Okwuohia community especially as regards affects MBOMUZO.
Written by:
Chief Emma C. Anyanwu, (DIKEMBA),
1st Traditional Prime Minister and Currently the Chairman of Okwuohia Traditional Council,
Being a lecture presented by me at the 2019 edition of MBOMUZO festival, at EKE-OKWUOHIA Market Square.
MBOMUZO IN OKWUOHIA AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITY,
OBOWO L.G.A., IMO STATE, NIGERIA.
Okwuohia is a Community in Obowo
L.G.A., of Imo state, Nigeria, that has enviable rich historical background and deep cultural heritage. Okwuohia is the only community in Obowo and the old ETITI District that has four markets covering the four market days in Igbo calendar, namely: Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo. All these have distinct locations and hold accordingly.
The community prides herself with many cultural festivals which include Mbomuzo, Ntumaka, Nrim-ji (Iri ji) among others. But the one that attracts people in their numbers to the community is, "MBOMUZO", a-k-a "NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA".
MBOMUZO simply means, "clearing of the roads ", otherwise known as environmental cleansing, especially with regard to roads leading to traditional centres and matket places. It is intended to make the roads passable again in order to give proper access to the markets and homes of citizens.
In Okwuohia, all roads are cleared very thoroughly starting from individual homes to the Eke-Okwuohia, Orie-Okwuohia, Afor-Okwuohia and Nkwo-Okwuohia market squares. Also, roads leading to major and significant rivers are cleared. For instance, the Onu-iyi-lolo-nwanyi (Onu-ngele) stream at Umuduru Mgbakam is usually kept cleared for the "AHIA-NGANGA" ceremony by the women of Okwuohia during the same period. It has to be noted that all the road clearing and cleansing must be completed on or before the NKWO market day preceding the EKE market day of the ceremony.
NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA: As said earlier in this write-up, MBOMUZO Okwuohia is also referred to as NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA. Why?
Ours, is an agrarian community. In those good old days, our people cultivated yams, coco-yams, maize, cassava and mkpokoro in large scales. Farming was done more at locations far away from homes. Due to this, farmers constructed make-shift structures there in the bush/farms, where they rested and had their meals during the toils of the day. Most times, people returned to their homes very late in the evening. Major foods eaten in the farms those days were bread-fruits (Ukwa), palm kernels, yams and coco-yams. The bread-fruits were eaten whole without removing the the shells or the outer covers. Farming took place between the months of January and May, during which period farmers fed on any available food items. When such farmers returned to their homes from their farms in the month of May, they settled down to enjoy more pleasant and well prepared food. They would no longer eat the bread-fruits with their shells. Also, they cleaned their environments that had been left bushy during the period of intensive farming activities in the farms. From their homes, clearing and cleansing progress to the roads that lead to other homes and traditional centres. At this time, people begin to exchange visits with relatives and friends both far and near to show that they have returned home after the farming period in the bush. Such visits are usually reciprocated. During such visits, entertainments are unlimited based on the dispositions of the parties involved. In Okwuohia, after the entertainment at home, people gather at the designated market square to demonstrate it the more. The venue is usually at the ORIE OKWUOHIA, where the EKWIRIKWE music music is played and danced in an organized manner.
EKWIRIKWE MUSIC AND ORDER OF DANCING:
After the presentation and blessing of kola-nuts by the traditional ruler of Okwuohia, who declares the ceremony open after his speech and brief demonstration of the dance, the ceremony begins. Ofeiyi people, who are the custodians of the EKWIRIKWE do a brief demonstration dance. Thereafter, the traditional order of seniority of the three sections of Okwuohia is strictly observed thus: MGBAKAM, OFEIYI and AMARAMOHIA. Finally, a general dance which is usually longer and more thrilling comes up and marks the end of the ceremony.
The EKWIRIKWE music delivers messages which present Okwuohia as place with people of remarkable mutual respect, prowess and noted for wrestling. EKWIRIKWE music is used to caution Okwuohia people not to eat the bread-fruits with the shells again after the Mbomuzo. Hence, "ONYE ATALA UKWA NA MKPEKELE" and "NKUISI-MKPURU-UKWA". This is demonstrated by hitting one's back-side to symbolically discharge the ones eaten previously. Before the EKWIRIKWE dance arena is approached, people sing various songs and dance along the road according to Age Grades, socicultural groups and sections.
MBOMUZO AND THE PRONOUNCEMENT OF DATE.
Only the Eze of Okwuohia, in consultation with you Traditional Council has the powers to announce the date for MBOMUZO every year. Above all, it is a known fact that Okwuohia community is the first among all the communities in Obowo and even the old ETITI District to perform Mbomuzo every year, thus determining the cultural calendar for other communities that perform the same and or related festivals.
Mbomuzo holds in Okwuohia on the second EKE-Okwuohia market day in the month of June every year. Visitors, friends, in-laws and well -wishers of the community visit the community to enjoy the characteristic hospitality and conviviality associated with the ceremony. Entertainment items are unlimited especially according to the preparedness of the individual families and persons during the period. Such entertainment items include and not limited to polished bread-fruit meals, maize pudding, cassava foo-foo, oil-bean pudding and different kinds of drinks.
PROBLEMS:
The festival has suffered from various problems which include but not limited to wrong perceptions, misrepresentation, misconception, ignorance, ineptitude, iconoclasm and apathy. Many, especially the less informed and the neo-religious groups strongly hold to the perception that that the festival is fetish and wasteful (especially those who are not willing to spend their resources to host guests).
ADVANTAGES:
The period leads to keeping the surroundings clean, re-union of families, friends, in-laws and well -wishers, tourist attraction and advancing our cultural heritage including ensuring the acquisition and development of the EKWIRIKWE playing and dancing skills.
In the good old days, women who earnestly took part in the road and market clearing and cleansing and later took part in the AHIA-NGANGA activities after bathing on serious intents at the Onu-Lolo-nwanyi (Onu-Ngele) stream, would appear at Mbomuzo the following year either pregnant or as nursing mothers if they either prayed for or desired such thereby.
MODIFICATIONS SO FAR:
Since culture is dynamic, efforts have been made by the leadership of Okwuohia community, over time, to modify certain aspects of the festival and programmes there-of in order to exponge some questionable and undesirable aspects of it. For instance, the timing and declaration of the date of the festival are now done by the Traditional ruler of Okwuohia in synergy with the Traditional Council. Also, no shrine or deity is either worshipped or honoured before, during and even after the festival. Most times, the traditional rulership open the festival with Christian thanks-giving worship at an agreed Christian church here in Okwuohia.
CONCLUSION:
In line with the realities of the present moments, efforts should be made to allow for acceptable modifications while there should be insistence on protecting and upholding the soul, spirit and purports of the cultural heritage of our dear Okwuohia community especially as regards affects MBOMUZO.
Written by:
Chief Emma C. Anyanwu, (DIKEMBA),
1st Traditional Prime Minister and Currently the Chairman of Okwuohia Traditional Council,
Being a lecture presented by me at the 2019 edition of MBOMUZO festival, at EKE-OKWUOHIA Market Square.
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