Today 15th of August is a very important day in Mbaise. Apart from it being a day Catholics all over the world celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed virgin Mary in heaven, it is a day Mbaise people come together to celebrate their new yam festival. It is one celebration that is very sacred and so dear to them. No full fledged Mbaise man is to eat the new yam before this day. On this day of the iri ji festival every family is expected to either cook yam with chicken prepared as watering suace, well spiced or roast it and eaten with a well garnished and peperish palm oil. It is a cultural thing bringing family together and encouraging bonding and conviviality.
For years this celebration has provided a great platform for all the local governments in Mbaise to come together in a chosen place to celebrate this festival, of course under the admisstrative canopy of all the traditional rulers in Mbaise. It also provides an amazing opportunity for all the prominent and illustrious sons of Mbaise who have impacted their environment to come and speak on issues that would foster peace, happiness and development despite political differences and leaning. It is sad , very disheartening to say that what the Mbaise people cherish and hold so dear to their hearts as their pride, their heritage, that one thing that stands them out and makes them enviable among other people is gradually being politicised, turning it into an instrument of dirty political greymandering, giving what was once a cultural festival a coloration that suggests divide and rule instrument
It is sad to note that this year’s new yam festival wouldn’t be graced with the presence of His Excellency Emeka Ihedioha who before now had consistently graced the event not at his volition but on invitation. Couldn’t his non invitation be a deliberate thing? Showing how irrelevant he has become to them, who before now treated him like a bride of inestimable values? This will be a very bad and despicable impression the organisers of the festival will be leaving in the minds of other illustrious sons of Mbaise.
An impression of treating one like a king why in authority but throws them under the bus when the table is turned.
Isn’t it also shocking that General Jack Lincoln Ogunewe the gubernatorial flag bearer of Action Alliance in the forth coming Imo State election who is also from Mbaise was not invited to the festival. It is on record that General Jack is a bride in this election. He had values , he has integrity, his sense of purpose and direction to the much desired promised land for Imolites not in doubt. He has shown capacity to deliver Imo State from the shackles of insecurity, unemployment etc that have become an insignia in the state. It ridicules common sense that Mbaise has such a person gunning for such a position and he was not invited to use the iri ji festival platform to address his people, rather the organisers chose to invite someone who is not their son but a major player in the next election to come speak to them.
Iri ji Mbaise festival has become now a platform where politicians with deep pockets come to negotiate their votes, buy the loyalty of those whose stomachs are their gods. It has become an iri ji political forum, not anymore iri ji Mbaise that promotes culture and brotherliness.
Mbaise Nation has been marginalised in the political space of Imo politics. Not withstanding, politics is a game of interest and anybody can support anybody of their choice but using a cultural festival of people to advance political interest of selfish motive against one’s Kinsmen is the most silliest thing to do.
I have no problem inviting His Excellency Gov.Hope Uzodima to the event, what is good to goose is equally good to the gander.
My heart bleeds how the once revered iri ji Mbaise has been smeared. How low can one fall in pursuit of this money? The once symbol of unity, heritage and love has been balcanized. The once Eagle of white feathers, princely and adorable has been stained. The onces respected and well attended event has become one with fragmented body. Let it be on record that Imo redemption group, a non governmental organisation, driven by good governance, fairness, equity, justice and promotion of peace is against not only the balcanization of this sacred festival but the treatment metted out to both His Excellency Emeka Ihedioha and General Jack Lincoln Ogunewe who by the grace of God the incoming Governor of Imo State, a man whose depth and record of excellence speak deep with resounding powers. Izu ka mma na nneji( It is better to confere with your brother than with outsider) .
To those who have decided to use this heritage of ours as a political instrument for their selfish purposes should know that time ticks, and things will fall apart if they fail to revert to the glorious days where iri ji festival was revered and treated with every sense of sacredness not now it more of a pawn in the hands of those looking for change to survive.
Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
