Igbo World Festival of Arts & Culture Took Center Stage in Brunswick and St. Simeons Island as Performers, delivered in big ways.
The two-day thrilling 2024 Igbo World Festival of Arts and culture ended recently with weekend with stunning displays. The festival organized by the Council of Igbo State in Americas (CISA) kicked off on Friday August 2 and ended on Saturday August 3rd, 2024. The event, which is the 11th in the series of Igbo World Festivals featured variety of impressive displays of special effects, top-notch musical talents/exhibitions, costumed cultural performances, intellectual presentations, interactive art, traditional cuisines, fashion show, drama, masquerades, youth, and women dances.
The legendary Ring Shouters of the Gullah Geechee captivated the crowd with an emotionally charged performance detailing the repressive nature of Black people livelihood in antebellum America. Equally mesmerizing is the stirring and dreaded masquerade display, the celebrated Ohafia war dance, and the youthful and electrifying Atlanta Igbo school acrobatic displays came alive to the glamour of the audience.
The ceremony commenced with rituals commemorating the historic Igbo Landing at Dunbar Creek, St. Simons Island as the festival’s Royal father HM Eze Dr. Chukwuemeka Eri took the center stage to offer prayers, invoked Igbo ancestors and God of Abraham for peace, goodwill, sound health, wisdom and prosperity for ndi-Igbo and their descendants wherever they may be. The rites performed by the Royal father honors the salvific and redemptive Igbo landing actors, whom he applauded for their heroic sacrifice and selfless mindset. In performing the rites, HM Eze Chukwuemeka Eri explained the symbolic significance of kolanut and its symbolic connection with Igbo market week of Orie, Afor, Nkwo and Eke.
Presentation and eating of kolanut in Igbo tradition is akin to holy communion offered in Christian churches. Present with
His Majesty at the time of performing the rituals at both the Igbo landing site and Selden Park in Brunswick, were chiefs, titled men and other high profile officials including the representative of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo worldwide and the PRO of the apex Igbo organization, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, the indomitable Onowu Abagana Chief Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Oba Odezuligbo, Chief Dr. Napoleon Onyechi, Nze Amadiebube Mbama, Prince Eluemunu Sidney Davies, Prof. chief Douglas Chambers, Prof. Anthony Ejiofor, Chief Ugonna John Gregg, Engr. James Umekwe, CISA President Dr. Mrs. Aguoji among many other eminent personalities. However, many interested parties have called for the building of a monument at the sacred Igbo Landing site to commemorate these Igbo warriors.
CISA 2024 festival celebration was full of grandeurs as enthusiasts and well-wishers garnered from all corners of North America, Jamaica, South Africa, Germany, and Nigeria to share with the Igbo the enduring legacy of their progenitors that blended the civilization that is now United States. Among the dignitaries who attended the events were representative of the Consulate in Atlanta, Brunswick City Manager McDuffie Regina, Chief Ugo Onymaobi, Rev. Fr. Dr. Jeo Bart, Prof Nwauwa, Queen Mother Eunice Moore, Queen Mother Emy, Commissioner Griffin Lotson, Dr. Claudette Anderson, and delegates from Jamaican, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, and Trinidad and Barbados communities. Interestingly, attendees were treated to a variety of cultural performances, educational programs, delicious Igbo cuisine. A cross section of African Americans in attendance came for the emotional cross-Atlantic re-union. Families whose DNA testing confirmed their Igbo ancestry took Igbo names and reconnection cleansing rituals performed by Eze Akajiofo Igbo to formally welcomed them back to their Igbo ancestral homeland.
Earlier in her welcome address, CISA President Chief Dr. (Mrs.) Josephine Aguoji welcomed and thanked all the quests for honoring CISA invitation and urged them to take time to experience the uniqueness of historic and heroic site of St. Simon’s Island and the charm characterizing CISA festival of arts and culture. The President identified CISA as a top Igbo diaspora organization, noting that “Celebrating the Resilience of Igbo Culture, Past, Present and Future,” as the theme of this year’s festival resonates with the historic capacity of ndi-Igbo to prevail over countless challenges, a phenomenon that is worthy of celebration. Dr. Aguoji further lauded the steadfastness of CISA festival planning team, adding that the event and the goodies that came with it are free for the guests. She, however, called for supporting CISA financially.
In his speech, the chair of the festival planning committee, Mazi Emeka Nwosu, specially thanked Dr. Sidney Davis, Commissioner Griffin Lotson and Ms. Jessica Jenkins for their bridge building roles. He outlined the events programs and expressed satisfaction that the legendary Gullah Geechee Ring Shouters will be on stage to entertain the audience. The Gullah Geechee communities are on record as the living offsprings of Igbo landing heroes. For in their own words, “our ancestors came way yonder from Africa from the Igbo tribe.”
The Chair of CISA Board of Trustees, Onowu Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze welcomed all in attendance, adding that this festival is in keeping with the legacy of our Igbo ancestors. He lauded the rotational nature of Igbo leadership structure as exemplified in Ohanaeze, adding that the upcoming Ohanaeze Presidency is due to go to River State. Dr Anakwenze also called for the creation of Anioma State and a restructured Nigeria. Onowu Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze reaffirmed his position that CISA will not relent in its efforts in promoting the dignity of Igbo cultural heritage.
In his remark, the Royal father of the Day, His Majesty Eze Chukwuemeka Eri, Aka ji ọvọ Igbo of Idueri Kingdom, praised CISA leadership for this worthy initiative of promoting Igbo traditional values. He blessed all in attendance and prayed for the success of the festival, attendees, and their families. Eze Chukwuemeka Eri further called for sustaining Igbo language and culture and urged Igbo diaspora to work in concert with one voice.
The keynote speaker, Professor Appollos Nwauwa drew the attention of the audience to the fact that no ethnic group in Nigeria had experienced the ugly nature of challenges ndi-Igbo had gone through and remains as successful as ndi-Igbo has been. According to him, attempts to subdue the Igbo, ends up making them to rise again with vigor and vitality.
Dr. Claudette Anderson, a Jamaican of Igbo descent focuses her presentation on Igbo Calendar, which in her views can serve as a tool for reconnecting ndi-Igbo all over the world. According to her, the calendar is the foundation of Igbo culture (Omenala) and civilization, having provided our ancestors the basis for recounting time. Dr. Anderson highlighted the four-day Igbo market week and seven-week month of Igbo calendar and civilization. The calendar, she argued is earth based with Eke representing the sun, Orie for water, Nkwo for earth and Afor for air. Dr. Anderson called for using Igbo calendar to understand things of cultural value to Igbo people and expressed delight in her Igbo ancestry.
In his own speech, Professor Anthony Ejiofor, immediate past Chair of World Igbo Congress (WIC) gave a shout out to all the reconnected Igbos, welcomed them to the larger Igbo family, and urged them to contribute to advancing Igbo cultural heritage. As newly reconnected ndi-Igbo, Professor Ejiofor highlighted aspects of Igbo spirit such as doggedness, excellence, and achievement, and argues that these characteristics are embedded in our DNA. Prof. Ejiofor therefore charged the newly reconnected to exhibit their Igbo spirit of excellence without bounds. Speaking also, the Queen Mother Eunice of Igbo descendants of Gullah Geechee community in the region, identified her daughter as the 9th generation of Igbo Landing ancestors. She also spoke in favor of rekindling their historic site at St. Simons Island and consolidating the on-going bridge building initiatives between Ndi-Igbo, Igbo land and Igbo descendants of Igbo Landing ancestry.
Performing the iwaji and iriji ceremony, Oba Odezuligbo, Chief Dr. Napoleon Onyechi, extolled the place and significance of celebrating new yam in Igbo traditional life, noting its importance in yearly seasonal representation, its role in food chain and wealth creation. He applauded the perseverance and resourcefulness of African Americans who overcame enslavement and paved the way for us at this time and prayed God to strengthen African American families, ndi-Igbo, and humanity. Thereafter the yams were shared and eaten to the pleasure of all in attendance.
Overall, this year’s festival was a tremendous success. Ms. Chidindu Ojibe won the 2024 Igbo pageant crown. Undoubtedly, festivals of this scale require tremendous amount of advanced planning and CISA’s success was made possible in part by the efforts of its leadership and the hard work of the festival planning committee led by Engr. Emeka Nwosu, the management and students of Igbo Schools in Atlanta, the goodwill of our traditional rulers and by and large the support of all who find time to attend. Bravo to team members – Madam President Dr. Josephine Amaka Aguoji for the sumptuous food delicacies, CISA untiring Secretary General, Dr. Marcellina Ogbu, Oba Odezuligbo for the colorful yam ceremony, Nze Amadiebube and John Gregg for streaming the festival live, our prolific cultural Director Liliycent Ogbuagu, our able Moderator Ambassador K.C., Lady Chioma Ogueri fir the fashion show and pageant contest, Engr. James Umekwe for the DNA and naming ceremony, Dr. Elumuno Sidney Davis, Ms. Jessica Jenkins and Echiemeze Ofili for their coordination in ensuring free flow of events, Lady Mary Mgbeafulu, Mrs. Oluchi Umekwe and host of other CISA women for guaranteeing that all attendees are fed well. Mrs. Mbama and daughters are equally acknowledged for facilitating accurate cash flow during the event and Mrs. Queennette Ohaya for free flow of entertainment and off course the PRO Chief Mgbeafulu for ensuring that our records are taken care of.
Chief Mathias Mgbeafulu
DSG Media & Publicity, CISA
