All roads will tomorrow, Saturday March 2, lead to Obosi community, the country home of the former Common Wealth Secretary General, Ogbueshi Emeka Anyaoku, Idemili North Local Government Area, Anambra State, for the initiation into Ogbueshi title on over 180 octogenarians.
The initiation which will be performed by the traditional ruler of the community, HRM, Igwe Chidubem Iweka, will be held at Aforadike square.
News Agency of Nigeria media team paid a courtesy Visit on Friday to the Igwe and his council members.
Fielding questions from newsmen Friday, the monarch described the initiation into Ogbueshi society, (Ito ogbo), as an age long cultural heritage of the people in the community.
“With this initiation into the Ogbueshi title by those who have attained 80 years of age.
Iweka said ,that those who will be initiated into the longevity team will henceforth been exempted from all manners of levies and communal works.
We started this honour to these elders as part of respect to those who have attained the height of 80 years of age in life as it is regarded as a rare blessing from God.
” We believe that because we reverence old age God in His wisdom has continually graced the Obosi people with health bones and strength for younger generations to emulate good and right norms and values of life for sustainable development of the community’s culture.
“Some of our neighbouring communities have emulated us and today they come to us to know how we have been able to uphold this festivals for over 100 years.
Iweka said that the ceremony is not fetish as some people assume rather it is one of the values and culture bequeathed to us by our great great fathers with intention to promote brotherhood and respect and honour to old age
He said that after the ceremony the newly inducted Ogbueshi will go to church on Sunday Christians to thank God for a successful initiation while the traditionalists will also get to the Eke Market Square shrine to thank God in the means they believed to comnunicate with their God.”he further disclosed
Contributing, the Prime Minister,known as (Onowu-Iyasele Obosi), of the community, Chief Austen- Collins Anibogwu, while corroborating the Monarch’s position added that, “There are moves to make the occasion a tourist centre and affiliate it with other tribes’ National festivals.
“It is an age long ceremony that is celebrated every three years. As this Oforka agegrade will be initiated on Saturday, those age grade members that will follow them will be initiated in the next three years.
In every family that is celebrating the occasion a cow must be slaughtered and that is why they are called Ogbueshi,” he disclosed.
Pic shows the monarch
