The palace of the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe, has announced the date and theme for the 2026 annual Ofala festival.

The announcement is contained in a statement signed by the chairman of the Ofala strategic marketing and communications subcommittee, Nnaemeka Maduegbuna, in Onitsha on Monday.

According to the statement, the festival will be held on Friday, October 16, with the theme “Igba mbo Iga n’iru” (meaning “to strive and advance from resilience to progress”).

It further quoted the Onya of Onitsha, Okechukwu Areh, who is the chairman of the Ofala festival steering committee, as saying that the theme reflects the collective spirit of the Onitsha people.

“Igba mbo, Iga n’iru captures our collective resolve from resilience to progress, and this theme calls every Onitsha indigene to strive forward and advance our heritage and future together,” Mr Areh said.

The statement further stated that the Ofala festival is rooted in deep spirituality and marks the high point of the Onitsha ceremonial cycle.

It also added that the festival is primarily a celebration by the Onitsha monarch and his subjects of the Obi’s annual emergence from seclusion, during which the monarch has successfully negotiated the fortunes of the Onitsha kingdom.

“The festival also re-enacts the joy shared by the monarch and his people at the discovery that yam is non-toxic and remains a valuable source of food.

“It also serves as a rite of renewal for the Obi and a renewal of the bond between the royal throne and the people of Onitsha,” the statement added.

It further stated that “while also retaining its essence as an annual traditional and ritual obligation, the Ofala festival has equally evolved into a major festival encompassing many events”.

It listed some of the festival’s events, including an international art exhibition, the Ofala youth carnival, and the Ofala medical health and wellbeing community outreach. 

(NAN)