On yearly basis, a considerable number of Ebira people troop to Ogori/Magongo, a neighbouring Local Government Area to celebrate Ovia/Owiya Osise. The festival, if at all it has any primitive aspects, has gone through reforms over the years and that is why it has attracted international community. If you go to Ogori/Magongo to celebrate Ovia or Owiya, you’re very certain that you will return home with all your body parts intact! Even if you are a virgin, you’re cocksure that you will return home with your chastity. I have been to the festival and I almost returned home with a beautiful damsel!
The Eche’Ane festival of the people of Okehi, Okene and Adavi LGA presents divergent realities even in the face of civilization prevalent in the 21st century. The erstwhile beautiful cultural festival meant to celebrate our highly industrious women has been hijacked by ogogoro-guzzling jobless youths. Pains, tension, fear and extortion have been the signatures of the new Eche’Ane festival which I believe need urgent reforms. We need to ask ourselves this simple question: Why are our Ancestors Always Angry?
If culture is a total way of life, breaking people’s heads in the name of festivity is never a part of the character of true Ebira people. At the height of the celebration in Ihima, masquerade ferociously broke people’s heads and inflicted pains on others to the applause of many Ebira culture enthusiasts. The same gory scene was repeated in Okene and recently, Adavi masquerades in the spirit esprit de corps, broke the head of an elderly man. I think there is urgent need for reform to put to check the activities of these ancestors that derive joy in shedding people’s blood.
Unfortunately, this unwholesome acts of these ever angry ancestors are being supported by people who have seen the four-wall of tertiary institutions. Ask yourself, how many non-indigene always come to celebrate with us. When the indigene are not safe to move about freely during Eche’Ane, how would you expect people from other lands to witness the supposed rich cultural festival. It is called Eche’Ane (festival to celebrate women) but women dare not to come close to celebration arena because of the palpable danger of doing so.
So, my admonition to the Abuja and Lokoja-based Ebira Culture Enthusiasts on social media is to endeavor to be the light expected of them. In all your endeavors, humanity should be prioritized and your years of studies in various tertiary institutions ought not to be in doubt. Let your light shine on the ignorant people as we collectively call for sincere reforms to this aspect of our lives. You can’t afford to be in the diaspora and be fanning embers of anarchy and acrimony in your place of origin.
– Zacchaeus Ozovehe writes from Kogi state.
