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By Saby Elemba, Owerri
A date has been officially announced for the celebration of the famous Ikeji festival of Arondizuogu Community in Ideato North local government area Imo State.
The yearly festival which attracts people from all walks of live to Ideato and Owerri, Imo State will officially hold on Thursday, April 28, 2022.
The Ikeji Festival is a week long yearly festival which will see creme de la creme of Ideato North sons and daughters who will as usual come from Europe , America, Asian countries with their families and friends to grace the unique and famous traditional festival.
Announcing the date of the traditional festival during a traditional function organised for the formal announcement at Iheme Izuogu in Ndi Aniche village, Arondizuogu on Tuesday, HRM Eze Ndubuisi Kanu, the traditional ruler of the community, said that the essence of the festival was to appease the gods and to hear from them before declaring the official date for the epoch-making festival.
However, the traditional ruler said the importance of the Ikeji festival cannot be thrown away owing to its unifying significances.
We value Ikeji festival more than the Christmas or any other celebration.
It unites Aro community both at home and in the Diaspora the traditional ruler said.
He also mentioned that the festival would span for one week adding that it was a home-coming event for the people of the area (the Aros).
Adding his voice, the sponsor this year’s Ikeji, High Chief Innocent Ezuma said that the Aros in Onuimo, Okigwe and Ideato North local government areas of the State and worldwide would be in attendance to celebrate the traditional ceremony.
Ezuma, who is the Lord Mayor of Arondizuogu further said that the ceremony of the day introduced the entry into the year 2022 farming season.
He said that the slating of Ndi Aniche venue for the announcement was to pay homage to the great grand father of the area, who lived in that area and bequeathed the culture and tradition to them.
“We killed the animals in front of the Ngwu Onwo (tree) to eulogize and feed our great grand father with them (blood of the animals) who bequeathed the culture and tradition we are today cherishing, celebrating and known with, “he added.
In his comments, another co-sponsor, Chief Ugochukwu Okoro stated that the Ikeji celebration would not have taken place without the pre announcement ceremony.