From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Bishop of Ekwulobia Diocese, Peter Cardinal Okpalaeke, his Awka counterpart, Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor and Governor Chukwuma Soludo are among special dignitaries expected at this year’s Ofala Festival cum 14 years anniversary of Igwe Nnaemeka Godwin Obiora, the Traditional Ruler of Achina Community, Aguata LGA, Anambra State.
Sir Gabby Nwa Dimude, Chairman, Achina Ofala Organising Committee, who disclosed this at unveiling of activities marking the 4th Ofala festival during a press interaction in Awka yesterday, said the community will also bestow chieftaincy titles on 16 personalities and empower some youths too during the festival.
Dimude said the Ofala activities which starts on December 29 with lectures, talent shows and others, will climax with chieftaincy titles aimed at celebrating credible personalities across the country, on 30th December, 2024.
"This is very unique and the first in Nigeria because our traditional ruler will be bestowing this chieftaincy titles on worthy individuals with good character and manners. They are not paying a dime to receive the titles because they were chosen on merit. Achina respect and honour individuals who have impacted the society positively," he maintained.
He said the event will also feature church service (mass), youth and women empowerment, cultural displays, 21 gun salutes, among others.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Publicity Committee of Achina, Chief Pat Okpala, said they were excited for the 2024 Ofala event because the community is being governed by credible, development oriented and peace loving people, who have been courageous, patriotic and sacrificial.
"Achina as a community had her last Ofala six years ago, precisely in 2018 and we are happy to celebrate the 14th year anniversary of the enthronement of HRH Igwe Godwin Obiora as the Ezeidegwu III of Achina and his 4th Ofala festival.
"In the Ofala event of this year, we are not only celebrating our God-given royal father, we are also celebrating the dividends of having stable leadership in both the town union government and the royal institution. We are celebrating our return to be counted in the comity of communities in LGA within the network of roads undertaken by the government of Professor Soludo to uplift the town.
"We are celebrating our political resurrection with one of us Hon. Anayo Okpaleke being the only Achina man to represent Aguata I in over fifty years of political inactivity. We are celebrating the establishment of the only Catholic University in Anambra State, Peter University in Achina. We are celebrating the Chairman Civil Service Commission who is from Achina.
"We want to tell the world that we are back to take our rightful place in Aguata LGA and beyond. The dark days are over and Achina has come back in full force to take back its position in all things. It is not a birthright but it is the will of God. Remember Achina is the first, alphabetically, among the towns in Anambra State not even in Aguata," he stated.
Contributing, the Secretary Achina Ofala organising committee, Ichie Jude Nwanafio, and a member of the committee, Chief Okey Okpalaugo, said the festival would record mass turnout of people as their indigenes living within and outside Nigeria were expected to return home with friends, well-wishers and invited guests from all over the world.
On their parts, some cabinet members of Achina Igwe in Council, Ichie Ifeanyi Okpala and Ichie Chike Offoma assured guests of security of lives and property before, during and after the events, adding that Achina in its peaceful and accommodating spirit would provide enabling environment for the public to learn from their history and cultural heritage.
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