…As Igwe Ezeilo celebrates 1st Ofala, marks 3 years on the throne

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

The people of Nanka community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra state are already in high spirit as they host eminent personalities from far and near today as their revered traditional ruler, High Royal Highness, Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo celebrates his first Ofala cultural festival and mark his three years on the throne.

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Igwe Ezeilo, a successful business tycoon of international repute, ascended the Nanka Igweship throne in 2017 as the community’s third monarch shortly after he was issued with a certificate of recognition by Governor Willie Obiano.

The Ofala festival is expected to kick off with an inter-denominational Missa Cantata to be officiated by the indigenous priests, led by His Lordship, Most Rev. Dr. Paulinus Chukwuemeka Ezeokafor, Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese as a prelude, to be followed by Nanka Annual Lecture Series to be moderated by Nanka indigenous professors and academic gurus.

The guest speaker on the occasion would be the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, High Chief Nnia Nwodo, while Governor Willie Obiano will be the Guest of Honour, just as traditional rulers from all parts of the country would converge on Igwe’s palace, venue of the ceremony to be hosted by Nanka people.

Highlight of the event which is Ofala proper shall include traditional royal dance by the celebrant, Igwe Ezeilo, alongside the traditional Prime Minister (Onowu) of Nanka,Chief Kofi Ugochukwu Obijiofor and other members of the royal cabinet.

Also cultural displays, including traditional wrestling, cultural troupes performances and masquerades are expected to add colour to the epoch-making event.

According to Mr Clifford Iloegbune Okoye, a member of Igwe’s cabinet who is also the legal adviser and member of Ofala Planning Committee, “the entire Nanka people are in high spirit because when a good man is on the throne, progress and development accrue to his people”.

“Since his enthronement as Obu-Nanka of Nanka in 2017, His Royal Highness, HRH, Igwe Godwin Ogochukwu Ezeilo has brought tremendous development to the community in terms of infrastructure and human capital developments.

“He spearheaded the erection of court complex that presently accommodates Chief Magistrates and Customary Courts as well as ultra-modern Afor Udo market, to mention a few.

“Since his enthronement, community welfarism is now part of the culture of his people to the extent that the wealthy members of the community reach out to the less privileged in the spirit of conviviality. “Numerous members of the community have also developed the spirit of setting up foundations that empower the youths and less privileged. No Nanka indigene who is interested in education will cry for lack of money to train him or her because the attitude of the Igwe is :Operation reach out to the poor and empower them’.

“For the three years he has been in the office, individual members of the community are receiving tremendous blessings from God sequel to his annual royal prayers and blessings. He has also projected Nanka as a community to reckon with in the comity of towns.

“At the community level, road construction and rehabilitation is part of his agenda. The two secondary schools in the community are not left out as he uses his contacts and connections to reach out and attract development to them.

Today’s Ofala festival is seen by Nanka people as another period of mass return and the day for thanksgiving to God for the gift of Igwe Ezeilo.

It is worthy of note that upon his enthronement, Igwe Ezeilo sensitized his community to become political conscious and that culminated into one of his subjects, High Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo being elected as a member of the House of Representatives representing Orumba North/South Federal Constituency.

In the order of seniority, Nanka kingdom is made up of seven villages; Agbiligba, Enugwu, Ifite, Amakor, Umudala, Ubahu and Etti and the traditional stool rotates according to the traditional zonal structure. Agbiligba, as head village, produced Igwe Joseph Nwankwo Ezenekwe who reigned from 1997 to 1982.

Enugwu village being the second produced Igwe Gilbert Nwabueze Ofomata, the second Igwe who reigned from 1991 to 2015 and then paved the way for the incumbent Igwe G. O. Ezeilo who ascended the throne in 2017 from Ifite, the third most senior village. He is celebrating his first Ofala festival and three years on the throne.

Generally, in Igbo land, Ofala is a festival organized by traditional rulers, in conjunction with their communities as thanksgiving to God Almighty for the preservation of the traditional ruler on the throne.

Born in 1967, Igwe Ezeilo has been honoured severally by his community. He was first given the title of Ezekunie in 2007 but significantly, he was honoured with Ambassador for peace by the United Nations in 2017.

As a proven leader, as attested to by the various leadership positions he has held and his outstanding impact in each of the positions, in 2013, he was awarded entrepreneur of the year at annual business award.

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Presently, he serves as a director in the Board of Nanka Micro Finance Bank. He speaks over five languages and since he became the royal father, he has been involved in several conflict resolution programmes in many places both in Nigeria and in the United Kingdom. He is a man of his word who is loved and cherished by all even as he gives God the glory for all his successes and achievements.

Vanguard