IGBO DAY IS BACK AFTER TWO YEARS: POST-MORTEM AWARD FOR LT. COL. ADEKUNLE FAJUYI; CHIEF SOLOMON OGBONNA SAYS ‘IT GIVES US OPPORTUNITY TO FLASH BACK ON RELATIONSHIP OF NDIGBO AND YORUBA’ • Obasanjo, Sanwo-Olu, Iwuanyanwu, Others to honor occasion
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: Governor, Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Former Vice President, Chief Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe and President Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene
The Igbo Day is back! The event showcasing the rich cultural display of Ndigbos all over the world is back after two years. This is after it was not held in 2019 and 2020 due to security challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, it is billed to hold on 12th December at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.
This information was released by the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene in a brief chat with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper.
The culture icon, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene said: ‘We hold Igbo Day yearly but because of COVID and security challenges, we did not do it for 2 years. We will have it on 12th December 2021. It is one of the most memorable days of Igbos. It gives us the opportunity to flash back on the relationship of Ndigbo and Yoruba from time past and to show that there is no enmity among us. Yorubas and Igbos should understand themselves and know that politics should not divide us. Look at the relationship that existed from time immemorial. Our intermarriages have increased after the war. We have been downplaying that position but if we want peace to be restored, we have to show it. It will hold in Police College, Ikeja because of the large number of people that will come and also to show our security consciousness.’
On the lineup of programmes for the Culture and Tourism fiesta, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader pointed out: ‘There will be a lot of undiluted cultural display of the Ndigbos. Dramas, masquerades will come from Igboland not only Lagos. Our guests are coming from USA, UK, South Africa, and other countries. There will be a display of undiluted Igbo culture. It will improve on tourism.’
‘We will showcase the good deeds of Lagos State Governor, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. We will be honoring Bonfrere Jo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Allen Onyema, His Excellency Ebitu Ukiwe, Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Odii, Obi Cubana, His Excellency Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Femi Otedola for what he did for Christian Chukwu, and others. We will also be given a post-mortem award to Adekunle Fajuyi for the role that he played when he said ‘this is my oga and friend, kill me first before you him’, Trek Africa Newspaper can authoritatively report about the array of awardees of the day.
H/E. Chief Ebitu Ukiwe
He made a passionate appeal to Ndigbos to close shop on that day so that they can jointly celebrate the rich culture. ‘There will not be business in the Ndigbo community on that day. I know that Igbos are democrats so everybody does what is good for them but I want everyone to respect that day.
There will be those who will want to violate it but the consequences will not come from us but from the God of Ndigbos because it is a cultural day.’
