Ngwa Day 2024: Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha Harps on the Need for Ngwa People to Pursue Collective Interest
Ngwa Day 2024: Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha Harps on the Need for Ngwa People to Pursue Collective Interest
The 2024 Ngwa Day Celebration evokes a sense of nostalgia for the rich cultural heritage of Ngwa people and brotherly affection known as ‘Onyeaghala Nwanne Ya’ in Igbo parlance
The immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) and now, Executive Director of National Institute for Nigerian Languages (NINLAN), Aba, Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha has stressed the need for a strong and united Ngwa people urging them to put their collective interest above their personal interest.
He noted with sadness the extinction of their unique cultural heritage and kindred spirit or brotherly affection known as “Onyeaghala Nwanne Ya” and revealed how so much was achieved by their ancestors when that spirit of altruism was the order of the day.
The illustrious son of Ngwa land and renowned Professor of Linguistics and Igbo made this known while presenting a keynote lecture during the Ngwa Day Celebration held at Abayi Umuocham Primary School, Aba on Saturday, December 28, 2024 under the distinguished chairmanship of Elder Chibuike Nwokeukwu, a worthy son of Ngwa land and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN.
The epoch-making cultural event organized by members of the elite Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria ably led by Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN is a bold move towards the revival of the rich cultural heritage of Ngwa people comprising seven local government areas in Abia State (Aba North, Aba South, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Obingwa, Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South).
According to Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha, the event, which is celebrated every December 28 provides a veritable platform for introspection on the ties that bound them together and what must be done to ensure that they reclaim their pride of place in Abia State and the nation.
Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha who spoke eloquently in Igbo throughout his lecture commended members of Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria for bringing them together to celebrate their rich cultural heritage as well as to chart a new way forward aimed at actualizing their common goal or collective interest.
He spoke extensively on issues bordering on true Ngwa identity, traditional, cultural and moral values of Ngwa people, how to be a very good wife, how to take good care of one’s parents among others.
He said that a good Ngwa man should have the interest of Ngwa people at heart and exhibit those good qualities Ngwa people are known for such as love, integrity, hospitality among others.
According to him, Ngwa people know their child who would go outside and remain the food given to him, meaning that they know their child that is dependable and who would not betray the confidence reposed in him or fail to deliver an assignment given to him as well as the one who can be spoken to with mere eye contact or sign.
He pointed out that a good Ngwa man is honest and God-fearing and cannot divert the money that is meant for the people or the development of their place into his pocket for his personal use or betray his people because of personal gain or partisan politics.
He pointed out that betraying or sabotaging the people for personal gain is against their world view of “Onye Aghala Nwanne ya” or being their brother’s keeper, which he described as a motivating force of their unity and deep-rooted brotherhood.
For them, the collective interest of Ngwa people is all that mattered, not selfish or parochial interest.
He maintained that “Onyeaghala Nwanne Ya” represents the soul of Ngwa people, which is deeply embedded in their conviction that they are stronger together and would achieve far more when they fully embrace the value of speaking with one voice and acting with one accord.
Speaking further on the importance of unity in achieving their collective interest, Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha said that ‘Anyu ko mamiri onu, ya agbo ufufu’ to drive home his point reminding Ngwa people to come together and work towards the actualization of their common goals or collective interests.
He said that if the seven local government areas of Ngwa land including their Ukwa East and Ukwa West brothers come together and agree as a people, no nation or tribe would subdue them.
He emphasized for the umpteenth time that a good Ngwa man believes in being his brother’s keeper but regretted that today so many of them ask God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Just like Cain in the Bible said after killing his brother, Abel.
He disclosed that there is trouble in so many homes in Ngwa land today with brothers quarreling, poisoning and killing themselves because of land and other things in utter defiance of being their brother’s keeper and negation of the popular Ngwa maxim, “Oso su n’ama, agba la nna ji. Oso su n’ezi agba la nne ji.
Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha said that a good Ngwa man or woman is that person who does that thing Ngwa people decide to do without minding what he or she stands to gain or lose.
To speak with one voice and act with one accord, not saying one thing and doing a different thing is the best way for them to achieve their collective interest, he averred.
Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha expressed dismay that some Ngwa people expose their nakedness to outsiders because of filthy lucre while many of them have left the upright paths to walk in the ways of darkness because of inordinate love of money and material possessions.
He warned such ones to retrace their steps and join them without looking back in their quest to make Ngwa great again.
Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha also frowned on the growing incidence of indecent dressing among the youth of nowadays.
He expressed grave concern about the ugly trend, which has led majority of their youths to wear bushy beards and unkempt hair as well as appearing almost naked on the streets.
He said that such development is alien to Ngwa culture stressing that those who copy it have abandoned the right track and followed the wrong path of life.
He harped on the need to maintain a balance between modernization and their culture as Ngwa people insisting that no matter how much they are copying Europeans that there are still some lines that can never be crossed. He called on parents to train their children well.
Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha observed with dismay the way Ngwa people have been presented in bad light and accused of cannibalism by people from other parts of the nation who have stayed with them for so many decades.
He argued that if they actually eat human beings as they alleged how come they have not been eaten since they came to dwell among them for over a century ago.
He pointed out that the people behind such malicious lies were born and bred in Ngwa land including their parents, grand parents and great grand parents, yet they have not eaten them.
According to him, they peddle such arrant nonsense to put them down because of greed and dismissed the allegation as spurious, baseless and unfounded.
In conclusion, Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha appealed to traditional rulers of Ngwa extraction to do the needful by promoting their cultural heritage.
He encouraged them to start organizing cultural events in their various communities so that after every Ngwa Day Celebration they would come to their respective autonomous communities to celebrate their own cultural event and by so doing everywhere in Ngwa land would be bubbling with the revival of their cultural heritage.
He called on traditional rulers to steer clear of partisan politics and face their core responsibility of ensuring peace and unity in their various domains.
Contributing, the Dean, Faculty of Law, Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU), Prof. Ezenwa Ngwakwe commended Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha for his brilliant and bold presentation.
He lauded him for highlighting the true identity and values of Ngwa people in his 17 – page paper adding that the way they behave and do things now differ from the way they used to do them in the past.
Prof. Ezenwa Ngwakwe flayed the betrayal of Ngwa people by their Ngwa brothers saying that ‘Aturu na anyure odu ya, osi na ona eme onye nwe ya’.
He also decried the undue influence of outsiders in matters affecting them including the cannibalistic stories bandied about Ngwa people describing it as a cheap blackmail to scuttle the actualization of their dream or collective interest.
He also called on traditional rulers to change their attitude for things to really change in Ngwa land.
Finally, he emphasized the need to write their own history by themselves and appreciated the organizers for given him the opportunity to be part of the panel discussion.
On his part, Prof. Sam Agu, the Dean, Faculty of Humanities, Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) echoed Prof. Ogbonna Onuoha’s assertion that Ngwa people should come together in order to actualize their collective interest.
He said that their mantra of ‘Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya’ would help them a great deal in building a strong, united and prosperous Ngwa nation and called on Ngwa people to be their brother’s keeper and refrain from betraying themselves.
He regretted that those from other parts of the state and the nation they welcomed with open arms and hospitality so many decades ago have turned against them and decided to pay them back with bad even as they are progressing in their land.
He called on Ngwa people to come together to pursue their common cause and urged traditional rulers to take the lead while they follow behind.
At the end, the President of Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria, Prof. Paul Ananaba (SAN) commended the discussants for their thought-provoking lectures and wished them more accomplishments in all their endeavours.
Thereafter, he presented awards to them in recognition of their unwavering commitment to the Ngwa Cause.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman on the occasion, Elder Chibuike Nwokeukwu, SAN, appreciated members of Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria for setting aside every December 28 to celebrate Ngwa Day saying that there is no better time other than now to revive the rich cultural heritage of Ngwa people.
According to the Aba-based legal luminary, the event provides a platform for Ngwa people to celebrate their rich cultural heritage and achievements adding that he is so happy and proud to be identified as an Ngwa man and prayed God to grant them a successful celebration.
In his speech, the National President of Ngwa National Association USA Inc (NNAUSA), Elder Ugochukwu Agu, PhD who flew into the country all the way from the United States of America (USA) alongside some executive members of the Association including Mrs. Comfort Ogbonna (National Vice President of NNAUSA) and Chief Mrs. Ihuoma Uzoije (National Secretary of NNAUSA) because of the event paid glowing tribute to members of Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria for fostering unity among Ngwa people through the historic cultural event.
According to the young, handsome, amiable, eloquent, hardworking and quintessential NNAUSA President, they came to witness the ground-breaking cultural event stressing that it is in tandem with NNAUSA’s cardinal objective of uniting all Ngwa indigenes in America and improving their lot as well as promoting their cultural heritage.
He said that the 2024 Ngwa Day Celebration has caught their attention and promised to support them next year so as to give it international flavour.
He described the masquerades and cultural displays by various groups as spectacular adding that the showcasing of various aspects of their rich culture and tradition would create more visibility for Ngwa people on the world map as a cultural hub of Nigeria.
Dr. Ugochukwu Agu emphasized that Ngwa culture has come of age and supposed to be celebrated in major cities of the world adding that this can be achieved by further developing the Ngwa Day Celebration to bring the nation and the world to celebrate it on an elaborate scale and suitable venue.
He expressed satisfaction to be part of the event describing it as a wonderful day for Ngwa people here in Nigeria and also Ngwa people in the United States of America, Canada and other parts of the world and assured that they would take it along with them back to the United States.
On his part, Hon. Maxwell Nwadike, the Mayor of Obingwa local government area of Abia State expressed enthusiasm for the great cultural event.
He commended members of Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria for their colossal effort and sacrifice in putting together the all-important event aimed at reviving their rich cultural heritage.
He lamented that nowadays, majority of their youths do not know anything about their culture and tradition.
According to him, some do not even know how to speak Ngwa dialect. Instead of speaking their native language, they concentrate more on speaking English language. However, he expressed optimism that with the advent of Ngwa Day Celebration the narrative would change.
He described the event as a welcome development. He said that he came with his children adding that this is their first time of seeing masquerades and things like that.
He disclosed that they are all happy to witness the event and their prayer is that it would continue to be celebrated every year.
He assured the organizers of their total support in next year’s celebration to make it grander and urged all Ngwa indigenes to be proud of their culture and place.
The Chairman and CEO of Living Radio and Living Television, St. Moses Ogbonna Esq, the immediate past State Organizing Secretary of PDP described Ngwa land as an umbrella (Ochendo) that accommodates and protects all irrespective of nationality, state of origin or creed.
The renowned lawyer and National President, Nzuko Ohanaeze Ukwa Ngwa said that Ngwa people are hospitable and ready to sacrifice their all for the good of others.
He lauded members of Ngwa Social Club for organizing the great cultural event stressing that they have a rich cultural heritage, which binds them together.
According to him, politics would come and go but Ngwa people and their culture would remain.
In his address, the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti (OFR) represented by his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba thanked Ngwa people for coming together to showcase their rich cultural heritage.
He pointed out that his administration is working assiduously to improve infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and other sectors of the state.
He assured them that his administration would continue to prioritize the development of Ngwa land and other parts of the state.
In their separate speeches, the President, Ngwa Social Club of Nigeria, Prof. Paul Ananaba, SAN, the Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Vivian Irondi and First Deputy Chairman, Abia State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Eze Nelson Achilefu Nmerengwa among others disclosed that the event provided the avenue to showcase their rich cultural heritage and emphasized the need for constant cultural carnival in the area to save their culture and tradition from extinction.
The event featured interactive sessions, Ngwa Cultural Beauty Pageants, Masquerade displays, Ezenwanyi, Chief Priest, Nwa Mgbede and others.
The event was a huge success and attracted the presence of a galaxy of illustrious sons and daughters of Ngwa land both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, in-laws, friends, top government officials, traditional rulers, the clergy, captains of industry and other notable personalities including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Senator representing Abia South), Senator Nkechi Nwaogu,
Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, the member representing Isiala Ngwa North and Isiala Ngwa South Federal Constituency, Prof. Sam Erugo (SAN), Chief Eric Opah and his beautiful wife, Cynthia Opah, Dr. Chris Nwagboso, Barr. Emeka Nwaogu, Bishop Fortunatus Nwachukwu, Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu, Hon. Ucheonye Stephen Akachukwu, the member representing Aba Central State Constituency, Engr. Obi Uzu and his brother, Chief Darl Uzu, Obinna Oriaku, Nze Marshal Wokocha, Chief Bright Wokocha, Godwin Adindu, Chief Friday Omenihu among others.
