By Olivia Obijiaku
Professor at the Department of Fine Arts, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Prof Ken Okoli on September , 22nd 2024 called on Igbos to be more united.
Prof Okolie made the call during 2024 New yam festival staged by Igbos in Zaria at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Pastoral Centre, Graceland Zaria
Speaking further, the professor who chaired the event, explained that the age long tradition was a time to show appreciation to the god for a bountiful harvest, though it has been assimilated into Christianity, as a time of prayer of Thanksgiving to God and giving tithes.
He described the Ndigbo as stretchy and peace loving people, even as he charged them to maintain the peaceful demeanour which they are known for, so that other people do not have any need to settle dispute between them.
“We are known for farming yam.” The captain asserted. “Among the Igbo who are geographically and aboriginally located in the South Eastern Nigeria, farming is the king of all vocation in the classical era of its development. Crops in the Igbo culture were categorized into male and female crops. Women were allowed to farm all other crops with the exception of yam. It was considered abomination in Igboland to find a woman farming yam or for a woman to have access to her father’s or husband’s barn. Yam thus became the male and king of all crops.”
“Consequently, a man’s status in the society was determined by the size of his barn which also determine the number of wives and children he can feed. Yam to be cooked each day by the wives were usually selected and given to them physically by their husbands. The title Eze ji was specically reserved for very successful; yam farmers. This feat even attracted brides to Eze ji by different families knowing that they would be well fed.”
“Ndigbo believes in the Almighty God whom they address as Chukwu Abiama, Chiukwu Okike or Chineke who had other lesser gods to assist Him in running the affairs of men. This spirituality was hinged on the principle of division of labour. Accordingly, at the helm of the production of yams and benevolence for a bountiful harvest was the god known as Ifejioku or Ahiajioku which is a dialectical variance of the same persona of the god of yams. No other god had a specifically designated god to intercede between its affairs and human beings except yam. We also farm yam because one is not meant to celebrate Ahiajioku with another people’s yam but the am from their produce.”
“In pre-Christian era, between the eight to the tenth month of what has become our modern calendar, the yam is venerated. It is during this festival that offerings are made in thanksgiving for a good harvest to Ifejioku. What is celebrated today is Christian acculturated version of the same festival. The New Yam Festival in these modern times has metamorphosed into an event, where the harvest and prosperity are celebrated and prayers are offered for a more munificent harvest in the coming year. This festival also manifests the Igbo innate character of working hard very hard and enjoying and celebrating very hard also.”
“Ndigbo is a resilient ethnic group of people. This is manifested in this never dying practice of the celebration of Ifejioku through the Iwa Ji/Iri Ji Festival despite the advent of Christianity and Islam and their belief in One Supreme God, who does not require the assistance of any subsidiary gods. But as we became Christians, we eliminated the idolatry in Ahiajioku. So. Today is our day of harvest as well as our day of tithing.”
“Ndigbo respect the people wherever we find ourselves. Even in places where we are given a place to live outside where the people live, we respect the culture of the people. We respect our culture. Our hosts call us Nyamiri Doron Doya because we respect and eat yam a lot. We are very friendly people. We try and make ourselves comfortable wherever we go while respecting others. It is a thing of pride to us.”
“It is a thing of joy to me, that you honoured me to be the Chairman of this year’s New Yam Festival. This New Yam Festival will bring progress to every Igbo person in Zaria. Peace is more important to us as we make progress. Let us remember that iwe nwanne na-ejedebe n’uru, n’ọdi eru n’okpụkpụ. We desire peace among ourselves. It is shameful when outsiders step in to settle dispute between brethren. Please, anyị gbuo, anyị abọ, nke fọdụrụnụ, anyị enie ya na-ana. Onye iro ama mma. We love peace. Even in the whole of Nigeria, we are known for peace. We were peaceful during the protest. Let the peace we are known everywhere not be lacking in our midst in Zaria. Please, let us make progress in peace.”
Prof Okoli had during his Inaugural Lecture at the Assembly Hall of ABU, Tuesday, 21st May 2024, attended by Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, enumerated his achievements in his field of endeavor, including the sculpture before ABU Senate Building (his undergraduate project); a Feeding Cadet (executed during COVID-19); the sculpture at the Entrance of Nigeria Military School, 2007; motifs on GTB in ABU; among many others.
On mentorship he exemplified, “I want to know that each time I work, I work with my students. The monument, sculpture at the ABU Main Entrance was ninety percent my postgraduate students and ten percent me.
He clarified that the original design at the ABU Main Entrance was designed and executed by Mofi Aji who has left the services of the university, explaining that when it was brought down, the current management of the university, led by the vice Chancellor, Prof. Kabir Bala. Following complaints from different quarters, the VC set up a committee to ascertain public heartbeat, which response was to restore demolished the monument.
“He dissolved the committee and tasked us to go and raise fund.” He went on to say. “I have never been smartly dealt with like our VC dealt with me. We went begging, promising that we are going to deliver, and this is what we have today.”
In my scholarship, I have drawn from natural synthesis to drive sculptural scholarships. I have produced sculptures of Zaria landscape to make a social commentary. I have drawn a programme, ‘Sculpture in Landscape Design’ in Department of Architecture. I have gone to Mechanical Engineering, I was accepted and we have made exploits. I have shown that interdisciplinary studies pay.”
The sculptor invited Ndigbo to maintain the culture of craftsmanship and other vocations they are renowned for. He told those outside the homeland to respect the land where they reside so that it bless them.
