RAYMOND OZOJI reports
Idemili-South council headquarters' playground quaked with various acrobatic cultural performances on 2nd January 2026 as all the communities brandished as well as showcased that which makes Idemili-South uniquely different from other local government areas in Anambra State.
The maiden Idemili-South cultural festival which was also a rain of encomiums and endorsement of the council chairman Dr. Mrs. Amaka Obi for another term in office following a consensus opinion that she has taken Idemili-South Local Government Area to greater heights, was equally an occasion for the Mayor to begin the new year with campaign on promotion of Igbo language and culture through the maiden cultural carnival.
The groundbreaking event which had in attendance the chairman of Idemili-South traditional rulers' council and traditional ruler of Nnobi community His Royal Highness Igwe Engr. Nick Obi, who also doubled as the royal father of the day, chairman of the occasion High Chief Hamilton Emeka Ezeonu (Ikemba Idemili) and his wife Lolo Thelma Ezeonu, the Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment comrade Don Onyenji, pioneer chairman of Idemili-South Local Government Area Chief Abasili and a host of other heavyweight stakeholders of Idemili-South added glitz and glamour to the cultural event.
It was indeed a colourful event as some illustrious persons of Idemili-South were conferred meritorious awards for their outstanding contributions to their respective communities, Idemili-South and humanity in general.
Amaka Obi while addressing the people, underscored the significance of the cultural event as a vehicle and veritable platform for the promotion of Igbo language and culture to save it from extinction.
She therefore emphasized the dire need for parents to endeavour to train as well as teach their children Igbo customs and traditions especially the use of mother tongue as first language and means of communication, adding that the maiden cultural fiesta was a replication of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo's giant strides in the promotion of the rich cultural heritage of Anambra people.
Meanwhile chairman of the occasion High Chief Hamilton Emeka Ezeonu (Ikemba Idemili ) who was equally an award recipient, in his remarks, stressed the need to support Dr. Mrs. Amaka Obi's development initiatives as she takes Idemili-South Local Government Area to more enviable heights.
Ezeonu who acknowledged the importance of the cultural carnival, emphasized that such programmes were necessary because they were avenues to showcase the cultural identity of the Igbo people in general and Idemili-South in particular, noting that such initiative deserved the support of all and sundry.
Also the very first elected local government chairman in Idemili-South, Chief Abasili, who equally received an award for his monumental contributions to the council area, said Amaka Obi's efforts are commendable and that stakeholders in Idemili-South are solidly behind her. He added that the cultural carnival was a good way to begin the new year.
High Chief Amb. Dr. Ikechukwu Edwin Azugo (Okenwa Nnobi), one of the award recipients, described the cultural carnival as very commendable and also a wakeup call to return to Igbo cultural heritage as he observed that the Yorubas and Hausas speak their native languages more but Igbos, according to him, seemed to do the contrary.
The Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment comrade Don Onyenji, who also hails from Akwa-Ukwu in Idemili-South Local Government Area, commended Amaka Obi for initiating the cultural carnival, saying that not all local government areas were able to organise such an elaborate event.
Onyenji noted that the cultural carnival was in tandem with the state government's Onwa Dezemba which featured lots of activities including cultural events involving masquerade festivals and a host of others.
He described the event as unique, stressing that the cultural carnival showed that Amaka Obi is audacious about delivering good governance to the people of Idemili-South Local Government Area.
Highpoints of the cultural event were acrobatic performances by masquerades, various cultural dance groups as well as conferment of awards on deserving individuals while Oba town cultural dance group won the first prize, Awka-Etiti cultural dance group won second prize and Nnobi community clinched the third prize respectively.
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