ITO-OGBO OBOSI FESTIVAL

ITO-OGBO OBOSI FESTIVAL (LONGEVITY CULTURAL FESTIVAL OF OBOSI KINGDOM). IN ANAMBRA STATE NIGERIA. Ito-ogbo Obosi festival is an aged-long cultural festival of Obosi kingdom started around 1450, to thank God for the aged ones (octogenarians ) in Obosi kingdom, It is a festival of celebration of longevity, A traditional mass birthday party for the age grade that attained the age of eighty ( 80 ) years, and above. During the occasion, the Octogenarians were honored with the tittle of Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi, or Nwanyi Nnokwudo eshi/efi in case of women, which people refers to as, Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi Nwanyi nowadays. The tittle Ogbueshi is a Powerful, Prestigeous, Respectable, Adorable, Admirable tittle in Obosi kingdom, which every true sons and daughters of Obosi, even the wives( non indigenes) married to Obosi men were praying to get, in his/her life time. Though there are two categories of Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi in Obosi. The first is that given to those that did Ito-ogbo Obosi festivals, that is the octogenarians. The second is the one given to those that may or may not be up to Eighty (80)years, that one is called Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi Odina-ana, Because of the records of the establishment of this Longevity cultural Festival of Obosi Kingdom dates back to 1450. And the presence of early Missionaries and Educationist in Obosi, Together with the Age grade group systems practiced in Obosi. Obosi People keeps accurate records of their ages even before the 18th. Century, unlike other towns in Igbo lands, and most towns in Nigeria and Africa even in the world, where ages were exaggerated or estimated through events or circumstances during the birth of their early people or fore Fathers ( OBOSI FURU-UZO NO OGE-GBOO) This account confirm Obosi kingdom as the FIRST Igbo town, the FIRST town in Nigeria, if not the whole Africa, that Celebrates LONGEVITY CULTURAL FESTIVAL, and as one of the Cradles of Igbo Civilization. In the olden days this Festival to Honor Ogbueshi takes place after every Six (6) years, for the people that attained the ages of 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, and 85 years, but later it was changed to Three (3)years covering people of 80, 81, and 82 years, unlike before only Male octogenarians were honored with the tittle of Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi and allowed to wear Red cap chief, then the female octogenarians were called Nwanyi Nnokwudo- eshi/efi but later years the Female Octogenarians joins their Male counterpart to celebrate the Ito- ogbo Obosi Festival and people refers to them as Ogbueshi/Ogbuefi Nwanyi, but without a cap or hat, until 2012 when Ogbo Udokamma(1931-1 933), celebrated their own, the Female were also capped with a specially designed hat. The Clebration is nowadays a weak long programs with different unique activities that attracts people all over the world, until the last day Sunday,( EKE), when the extreme Christians among them Prestigeously go to Their different Churches for thanks giving and the non-believers or the custodians among them Prestigeously decorated colourfully their native cows(bull)( Eshi- Igbo) with different cultural display to Eke Obosi ( IPU-EKE), where they will shoot guns into the air in Jubilation and to announce that they have attained the grand age with Ogbueshi tittle which every true Obosi man or woman aspire to attain. As they are going or coming back they sprinkle gifts( money, sweets, chewing gums etc.) to the children in appreciations to what The Lord as done in their lives, Some of the week-long activities were Free Seminars, Lectures, Talks on How to live long, Free Medical Checks, Free medical tips, Cultural Displays, Football Matches, Music Concerts, Masqurade Displays, Honoring outstanding sons and daughters and good friends of Obosi kingdom who has been contributing in one way or the other for the progress of the town, Beauty pageants to crown ADA-OBOSI, The Ito-ogbo EVE on Friday then the main Capping day on Saturday followed by the Prestigeous Thanksgiving on Sunday or IPU-EKE on that Sunday EKE day. The Federal Government, and the state need to join hand to sponsor this Festival to make it an International recognized Festival in Obosi, Anambra state, Nigeria. Obosi kingdom is again in top gear for the preparation of Ito-Ogbo Asika Age grade (1937-1940), coming up Around March 2021. My advice to Tourist, Observers, Media People, Journalists, Those that want to witness this unique, Prestigeous, Longevity Cultural Festival called Ito- Ogbo Obosi, to start now to book for hotels around Obosi, Nkpor, Onitsha, and Oba because by November all the hotels around these areas will be fully booked, except they want to lodge in neighboring state Hotels, I also advice those intending to witness Ito-ogbo Obosi Festival that there is no need of budgeting for food or drinks or meats for the week long Programs as Obosi kingdom is capable of feeding the whole world that period, words can never describe the kind of merriment during that Ito- ogbo Festival.

This is a dream come true for me!