Iri Ji Ceremony is globally
acclaimed to be synonymous with the Igbos both at home and in the Diaspora and that
is the reason the Igbo Community Centre which has become the epicenter and
custodian of Igbo tradition and custom made it an annual ritual to gather all
the Igbo people in Lagos, their friends and well wishers to celebrate the Yam
Festival.
The Iri JI day is a unique
occasion mapped out by an Igbo community to celebrate the yam as the king of
crops in Igbo land; it is also designed for the people to eat together, drink
and make merry. Not just that, it is a day the people showcase their cultural
heritage in the form of masquerade, dance, songs, beautiful attires, food, in
fact when things have not falling apart, it was an opportunity for men and
women to find their suitors because the people came out in their best attires
and mannerisms.
No wonder Igbo Community
Centre under the indefatigable Leadership of Eze (Dr) Christian Uchechukwu
Nwachukwu as usual hosted the entire Igbos in Lagos for this year’s Iri ji
Festival.
Speaking to a crowd of
Journalists, Nwachukwu disclosed that Igbo Community Centre has been fully recognized
by the Lagos State Government as a house of Tradition and Custom. “The Igbo
Community Centre is the house of tradition and custom, we are here to perform
our cultural heritage which is the Iri ji, that is the New Yam Festival and it
is also a day for the commissioning of Igbo Community Centre by His Excellency,
the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who sent the
Director of Ethnic Community to commission the centre, today, Saturday,
November 14, 2020.”
Eze Nwachukwu used the
opportunity to express gratitude to the Lagos State Government for recognizing
the centre as the house of tradition and custom especially for mediation and maintenance
of peace between ethnic communities. “We thank the Governor, we thank the Chief
of staff; we also thank the Director that came to commission the centre. This
place is now purely recognized by the government of Lagos State, that all Igbos
in Lagos State should attend functions, events, and seek redress on any issues
that bring about disagreement among them and between them and other ethnic
communities in Lagos State, we have the Hausa community, Igbo community and Yoruba
community, our host community. We have a
relationship that is built over many years now under Governor Ashiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, followed by Governor Fashola, Ambode till our present able
Governor, His Excellency Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.”
The event which was graced by illustrious
sons and daughters of Ndigbo in Lagos including Hon. Jude Chukwuemeka Idimogu,
the lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 2 in the Lagos House of Assembly,
also played host to Sariki Hausa, other ethnic communities as well as
representatives of Government at all levels.
High point of the celebration was
the coronation of some illustrious sons and daughters of Ndigbo in Lagos, who
have excelled in their various fields of Human endeavors. “We have Ada
Igbo 1 of Lagos, she is a good
lady, the second is a police DPO, we crowned her Ocho
Udo 1 of Ndigbo for her effort in
resolving the crisis that emanated during the last election, she played a very
vital role and brought back the two tribes having misunderstanding and she
arrested the situation and assisted the person who supposed to be the injured man
and saved life, so with that we saw her as a problem solver who made that peace
to come at that point in time. Therefore we gave her Ocho Udo 1.
“Another one is DC Ops, he is
an Assistant Commissioner of Police Lagos State, he also assisted to have
mobilized the CP and AIG to come down to Oba of Isolo where we gathered and
arrested the situation. All the communities were there, and we resolved in
principle that everyone should now go and take care of his community and there
was peace. So based on their contributions and crime fighting intelligence, they
brought peace between the two communities, we appreciate them. The DC Ops we
gave Dike Ndigbo na Ala Igbo because he played a vital role.”
Speaking on his relationship with Igboburuotu Social
Club of Nigeria he said, “Igboburuotu is a very big association, a respected
one for that matter in Lagos State. They have really played a pivotal role in
mobilizing for many businessmen and women; they exist by helping themselves and
helping people the less privileged. The association president, Chief Chika
Nwokedi is my relation who is very honest and determined person. As a
God-fearing president he helps those members in their businesses, so I am their
patron. Igboburuotu and Igbo Community are working hand in hand, as patron and
president.”
Eze Nwachukwu thanked the
indigenes of Lagos for creating an atmosphere of peace and an enabling
environment for business to thrive. “We thank the indigenes for given us this
chance of relationship.”
Nwachukwu used the opportunity to sympathise
with the people and government of Lagos State over the EndSARS crisis. “We
sympathise with the government of Lagos State, we sympathise with Ashiwaju
Ahmed Tinubu, we sympathise with all the affected areas, organizations,
businesses that had issues during the EndSARS protest in Lekki, also we have
assured the government and party that Ndigbo
are not behind all the issues, we have also assured the governor that the Igbos will stand by him and his government in his policies
and programmes, we have a common understanding with Lagos State government and
we believe in one Nigeria.”
Advising the Nigerian youths,
Eze Nwachuwu said that the youth should see their protest as an honest demand
from the federal government but that they should also apply caution. “God never
leaves any man alone, it is only patience, endurance, forbearance that is the
key in life,” Nwachukwu advised.
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