IKEJI FESTIVAL ARONDIZUOGU

Arondizuogu is situated in the western part of
Okigwe town in Ideato Local Government Area of
Imo state. It is bounded to the North by Akokwa
town and to the South by Omuobum. The east is
occupied by Umualoma in Orumba North Local
Government Area of Anambra state. It lies close
to the equator having its Longitude between 7o,
26 t, 7o 30 t and its latitude is between 5 o 275
and 5o 30 N.
Ikeji festival which is known as the most popular
festival in Imo state has four version of its
Origin/history.
First, Dikeji a warrior from Arochukwu went to
war to recover some occupied places in Ujalli.
There he conquered the people and instead of
loosing/ looting the place, his captive Eze Nwaka
(also referred to as Ike) vouched for an annual
celebration of his defeat in the presence of the
gods of ujali annually with fifty men and women.
But later he stopped the celebration and refused
to continue with the tribute, this angered Dikeji
who came and cut off his head and took it to
Arochukwu where the event was been celebrated
as "Ikeji Ugwo", (the straight that owes a debt)
the celebration started in Ujalli from where it is
now shifted to Arochukwu and gradually to all
the rest of Aro colonies including Arondizuogu
with time the name Ikeji Ugwo became
shortened to "Ikeji festival".
The second version has it that Izuogu the
founder of Arondizuogu on One of his
commercial trips from Arochukwu was kidnapped
and he left home without his traditional "Omu"
which is (palm frond) because he was to visit
his woman lover, the Omu is the symbol of
protection for any Aro man (in order not to incur
the wrath of Ibim-Ukpabi the Long juju of
Arochukwu every Aro man travels with his Omu),
when they kidnapped Izuogu and interrogated
him, he told them that he was from Aro, when
queried further on the source of his power and
wisdom, he told them that "Ike-jim-Aga Mba"
which means the power that leads me through
towns and villages unharmed. While still their
hostage, one Afor market day, there appeared
three masked figure which were believed to have
come from Abam They liberated Izuogu and after
the liberation they started the celebration as "Ike
Jim Aga" which was later called Ikeji festival.
The third version has it that the festival was
derived from slave trade. The Aros were popular
then because of their wisdom and might with the
traditional "Omu" (palm frond) Any Aro man is
free to go to anywhere during the slave trade
period but without Omu he could incur the
danger of being sold into slavery. Any Aro man
sold to slavery were identified by the secret
word "Aka Ike Jim" meaning strong hands are
holding me, on hearing that the merchants would
immediately release the victim or else they will
incur the wrath of Ibini Ukpabi the long juju of
Arochukwu. Aros who were slaughtered during
slave trade where remembered in the occasion
as "Aka Ike Jim" a feast like the Passover feast
of the Israelites that was later called Ikeji.
The fouth version was of the view that the story
on the Origin of Ikeji was widely accepted as it
is connected with New Yam festival celebration.
Since yam is the main celebration of Ikeji, it
cannot be unconnected with Yam. In traditional
Arondizuogu society only men plant yam. The
Aros take some of their names and titles after
yam, such names are as follows:
Ugoji- the eagle yam
Ezeji – the king yam
Ikeji – the strength yam
Umeji – the loveth yam
Okparaji – the son of yam
The feast was derived from "Ji Isi" which is the
uprooting of the first tubers in the soil during the
second harvesting season. Ikeji also mean the
method of preserving Yam by tying it on the
stakes in the barn. With also these, they believe
that Ikeji has its root and origin in yam.
Ikeji festival could not have been celebrated
today if it were not a practical handover pattern.
Aro man is a strong believer and worshipper of
God- "chukwu". They depict it by their respect to
Ndichies and elders as people close to chukwu.
Aro man believes and is convinced in all
knowing, seeing, loving care and guidance of his
ancestors (Ndichies).this respect for chukwu
through Ndichies resulted in a ritual like form
called Ikeji festival.
PERIOD/PROCESS OF CELEBRATION
Ikeji festival is a feast celebrated by almost all
Aros in Igbo land especially Arochukwu,
Arondizuogu and Aro Ajalli. In Arondizuogu it is
celebrated every April each year often falling
alongside Easter. It is a festival that signifies the
myth and power of the Aros all over Igbo Land
especially during the slave trade era. It was their
victories and achievement that motivated them
into celebrating this festival and popularly is
referred to as Ikeji which means the power that
holds yam. Ikeji appears to be like a relay race
that holds meaning from the past, runs through
the present and it is geared towards the future
and is one of the secrets held by the Aros to
keep influence over the rest of Igbo people.
Certain preparations are done to commemorate
Ikeji festival before its celebration proper. After
harvest experience each year, Aro man has a
way of giving thanks and praise to "chukwu"
God. It involves a lot of purchase of food stuff
and provision for making sacrifices and offerings.
The festival celebration is preceded by "Eke"
market (the only market for the whole
Arondizuogu) and the market is popularly
referred to as "Eke Odu Ikeji". Animals ranging
from goat and fowl are bought as well as yams,
salt, oil, pepper etc in readiness for the Ikeji
feast .They believe that all the items sold on the
market day are provided by ancestors.
The second day which is "Orie day" is popularly
known as "Orie Ogbugbu" a day set aside for all
sacrifices to the ancestors in thanksgiving and
seeking for their blessing and protection during
the festival. They make the sacrifices in order to
balance the gap between him and chukwu.
On the "Afor" day which is the day of the main
festival celebration, where women exhibit their
cooking talent, different types of foods are
prepared in each family home, people eat and
drink as much as they like. All the masquerades
from the villages in Arondizuogu assemble at the
village square to perform on that day. They call
it "Agbaa-Anaa Ogu" meaning anything can
happen. They also thank the spirits for the
protection of everyone throughout the period of
the festival celebration and also blessings are
sought for, till the coming feast.
FEATURES OF THE FESTIVAL
1. Incitation into the Mmonwu society : The
incitation is often expensive, it takes place in the
month of September and is been conducted by
elders. The Ekulu Mmonwu society is constituted
by the elders and they always prepares
themselves for the annual celebration and life
time ceremony for the youths. During the
preparation they abstain from any type of sexual
relationship, injustice and lies. While most of
them also abstain from themselves from food
cooked by woman. From the above, the elders
also fast and pray for those to be initiated so
that they will be true patriots who would
enhance the spirit of the Aro man-ship.
2. Masquerading or "Oso Mmonwo": This is the
most interesting part of the festival; it takes
place in two days on Afor and Nkwo market
days. It is the greatest period of masquerade
performance in Arondizuogu. On that day people
move around in the whole town in search of
masquerade for their entertainment. The
masquerade perform during the festival each
with its own function, first is the "Mgbadike"
father of the masked spirit, "Aburuja" the mother
of masked spirit and their son "Ojionu" others
are "Okwo mma azuzu". The masquerades are
accompanied by flute player (Onye Oja) who
transmits spiritual messages to the masked
spirits. Also accompanied by the masquerade is
the praise singer called "Okwo mkpokpo" he does
not use instrument for role except his excellent
voice.
3.
4. Sacrifices before the festival : Aro man makes
sacrifices in order to balance the gap between
him and chukwu, the father of a family or the
eldest men in the kindred is normally entrusted
with the responsibility of promoting the rites of
Ikeji. He gathers all Ndichies in form of carved
symbolic scared woods and pours liberation on
them while calling upon all the ancestors of the
kindred to come and accept kola.
Ikeji festival holds a lot of potentials for the
burgeoning tourism industry. Tourists are
welcome to visit these festival and they have
rich culture of hospitality. The festival is
attractive, well organized and it varies from the
nature and that forms an amalgam of attraction
for the visiting tourist.




Relevance
This Ikeji festival, which holds in
the ancestral homeland of
Arondizuogu, is usually a forum
to bring back the sons and
daughters of the land from within
and in the Diaspora. The festival
has survived high measures of
antagonism and has come to be
accepted as an intangible
cultural heritage, worthy of
preservation.
The importance of this festival
lies in the fact that organizing
the festival is vested on the
traditional council, which
schedules and hands over to the
Arondizuogu Patriotic Unions, and
in turn, they promote and
organize the event.

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