Oru-Owerri Festival: Historical As Well As Cultural Celebration Of Life, Peace, Beloved As Well As Unity Alongside Igbo People Of Owerri Municipal Inwards Imo State, Nigeria

Oru-Owerri festival is a festival in addition to cultural carnival celebrated annually past times the Igbo people (ndi-igbo) of v traditional Owerri villages inwards Owerri municipality of Imo dry soil inwards Nigeria. The festival which is also known as the 'traditional Christmas' of the people of Owerri, is inwards remembrance of the founding of Owere (Owerri) historically, well-nigh 1463 AD or thereabout but inwards the 14th century past times Ekwem Oha Arugo. The primary importance of this festival is the celebration of life, honey in addition to oneness alongside the people of Owere nchi ise community.

Celebration of Oru-Owerri festival at Imo State inwards Nigeria. By http://infotainment9ja.blogspot.com/

It is this festival that brand Owerri Municipal to live the utmost hub of cultural activities or the melting dot of civilisation in addition to tradition in Imo State. The Owerri festival which is celebrated inwards July every twelvemonth in addition to lasts for a week, commences with roasting in addition to eating of particular yams.

Procession of Owerri virile individual historic menstruation aeroplane grouping during the celebration of Oru-Owerri festival at Owerri Municpal inwards Imo State, Nigeria. By http://infotainment9ja.blogspot.com

Culture or tradition of a item community cannot live consummate without i tracing the rootage of the people that exercise the culture. The civilisation of Owerri people cannot live completed without i tracing a niggling of their history. Ekwema, the virile individual nurture of v children, had squabble with his kindred spell living with them at a identify called Uratta which is real closed to Owerri. History has it that the problem which ensued betwixt Ekwema in addition to his kindred led Ekwema to travel into self-imposed exile with his v children. While wandering inwards the large forest, his children became hungry in addition to wanted to eat before continuing their journey. They eventually arrived at Ugwu which is at nowadays popularly known as Ugwu-Ekwema where Ekwema settled in addition to roasted yam in addition to fed his children.

Procession of woman individual historic menstruation aeroplane grouping during the Oru-Owerri festival at Owerri Municipal inwards Imo State, Nigeria. By http://infotainment9ja.blogspot.com

After eating, they became thirsty in addition to wanted H2O to drink. Apparently worried past times the province of affairs they establish themselves, they began to search for H2O around the expanse until they were able to draw Otamiri river which source began at Egbu, nigh Owerri. At the terminate of this, they came dorsum to settle downwards inwards Owerri having establish Otamiri river as a source of their drinking water. Ekwema had v children namely Amawom, Umurorojo, Umuodum, Umuoyima in addition to Umuonyeche which later on metamorphosed into Owere Nchi-ise villages that brand upward Owerri community with His Royal Highness,Eze Emmanuel Njemanze Osuruigbo V. Any of import personality that visited Imo State without a courtesy telephone yell upward to the traditional ruler Owerri volition live regarded as having non completed his visit. He commands honor inwards Imo State.

Overlord of Owerri, His Royal Highness,Eze Emmanuel Njemanze Osuruigbo V

Oru Owere is the kings festival which is marked past times a menstruation of the observance of peace, love, friendliness in addition to togetherness, all these devoid of bitterness, quarrels, antagonism in addition to physical confrontation. No weeping when expiry occurs during the period, no firing of cannon in addition to it's a fourth dimension to brand upward quarrels. Before the commencement of the festival, a xl twenty-four hr menstruation in addition to xl night-period is ordinarily declared inwards training for it. During this period, at that topographic point volition live absolute peace, honey in addition to unity amid both indigenes in addition to non-indigenes living inwards Owere. Whoever makes problem at this fourth dimension is liable to sure as shooting punishment. If you lot displace someone to sustain injury during fighting in addition to it happens that blood comes out of the person, that individual volition live inwards problem in addition to heavy penalty awaits the individual past times the Owerri people for violating their culture.

Igbo people of Owerri municipal. By http://infotainment9ja.blogspot.com

About 2 to 3 weeks before the commencement of the primary festival, each menage unit of measurement is expected to roast old yam in addition to invite friends to bring together it to eat the yam inside the family. The corn porridge amusement in addition to the twenty-four hr menstruation marker the terminate of the menstruation which are ever Orie marketplace days. Between the roasting of old yam (Oru Owere proper) in addition to the corn porridge repast is the GRAND FINALE which is characterized past times a colourful procession of AGE GRADE formations inwards Owerri Community through a given route inwards the old city.

Each historic menstruation aeroplane during the festival has its traditional attire to march the occasion. Both men in addition to women of each historic menstruation aeroplane necktie wrapper in addition to white shirt to march the ceremony. They start their procession at a identify they telephone yell upward Oha-Owerri where they start their procession to major streets in addition to roads inwards Owerri in addition to finally terminate the procession which involves each of the historic menstruation grades to Ukwu Ekwema where Ekwema roasted yam to feed his children spell they were looking for a identify to settle down.

Ndi-igbo Owerri age-grade guild members inwards procession on the streets of Owerri Municipal with a a fellow member carrying mamiwata carving. By http://infotainment9ja.blogspot.com

At Ukwu–Ekwe, the traditional ruler of Owere performs his violet part past times slicing roasted yam to declare opened upward the festival to the admiration of people who come upward to witness the ceremony. And roasted piece yams volition live given to the people who come upward to Ugwu Ekwema.
Invited guests are received in addition to made to cause got a experience of Oru Owerri with traditional dances, displays in addition to entertained. the firstly item of amusement after the breaking of kolanuts past times the King is the roasting of old yam.
The Owerri indigenes are complimentary in addition to begins to eat the novel yam after the MKPU KPU OZU (Corn Porridge) which is the twenty-four hr menstruation that marks the firstly of the NEW CALENDAR YEAR inwards Igbo Culture.

Masquerade trip the lite fantastic toe at Oru-Owerri festival inwards Imo State,Nigeria

ORU-OWERRI FESTIVAL
Indeed, culture, when considered holistically, clearly identified the way of life of the people. These include their beliefs, social norms in addition to other modes of existence, clearly manifested inwards ordinary daily life situations. The Europeans arrived with their religious in addition to mercantile exploits inwards Igboland. Some telephone yell upward this "European civilization". The local civilisation later on started suffering systematic reversal and, inwards some cases, outright extinction. One of the traditional observances that resisted the European in addition to Christian onset was Oru Owere - celebrated past times indigenes of Owerri, their friends in addition to well-wishers.

History of Owerri
From the Palace (Ibari) of Eze Owere His Majesty Pharm. (Dr.) Emmanuel Emenvonu Niemanze Ozuruigbo of Owerri OON, FPSN,
KSC. Paramount Ruler of Owerri
KNOWING ABOUT OWERRI AND ITS ORIGIN

His Royal Majesty, Eze Emmanuel Emenyonu Njemanze (Ozuruigbo the fifth of Owerri).

Owerri was founded well-nigh the 14th century past times our founding virile individual nurture Ekwem Oha.
His mother's holler was Arugo.
He fled from Umuori Village, Uratta inwards Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State when his life was threatened past times his younger blood brother Ndum. The threat to his life arose from the dispute over the sharing of the Funeral Cow slaughtered when their virile individual nurture Oha the aristocrat in addition to embodiment of royalty died. The firstly boy (Opara inwards Igbo) Ekwem was to supply the funeral moo-cow as demanded past times custom. He did non cause got the agency to do so. He appealed to his younger blood brother Ndum popularly known as Ndumoha to purchase the cow, which he did. Ndum asked for the head, pump in addition to other parts of the moo-cow that travel to the firstly boy inwards keeping with custom. His argue beingness that he Ndum, bought the funeral cow. Ekwem turned downwards his asking in addition to a quarrel ensued. The elders (Oha Uratta) were invited to settle the dispute. They did so past times allowing tradition to prevail. Ekwem was'entitled to the aforementioned parts of the moo-cow beingness the firstly son. Ndum did non accept kindly to this in addition to so planned to kill Ekwem inwards monastic enjoin to cause got his way. The plot leaked in addition to Ekwem fled with his menage unit of measurement at the dead of the nighttime to Egbu a neighboring town (Community) taking with them some stores in addition to domestic assistants. History has it that his sis was married at Egbu. His sis fearing that Ndum may seem for him asked him to travel along his journeying to an unknown in addition to uninhabited dry soil for security in addition to settle at that topographic point permanently. They laid out during the nighttime with the assist of owa (native torch) in addition to arrived at a colina exceed at nowadays known as Ugwu Ekwema in addition to settled there. They heaved a sigh of relief maxim OWERELA IHE MARAYA AKA important HE HAS TAKEN WHAT IS HIS RIGHT or what rightly belonged to him. He sounded the drum (as he was told past times his sister) to dot his location. His sis was happy to locate him in addition to his menage unit of measurement the next morning. She returned to Egbu thereafter.
The morn broke in addition to they took their firstly repast roast old yam together inwards a typical communion fashion (not served) with thank you lot to Almighty in addition to merciful Father our Lord God for their safety, the thick wood inwards the expanse beingness infested with unsafe animals such as lions, tigers in addition to snakes similar pythons, vipers in addition to cobras.

THE NAME OWERRI (OWERE)
The advent of the British saw the anglicizing of Owere to Owerri but pronounced as though it was spelt Owere. All the neighboring towns (communities) of Owerri were founded in addition to existed on planet world centuries or decades before Owerri came into existence. It is a God given dry soil (DESTINY LAND beingness the slogan for Owerri Municipal) in addition to has remained protected with all the people therein past times the same God Almighty.
The British establish them real laid clean people. Recall the presence of Nwaorie and
Otamiri rivers flanking Owerri on the West in addition to South respectively. Owerri people
were caring, friendly in addition to accommodating thus *:he choice of Owerri past times the
British Colonial Government as first, Divisional Headquarters later on Provincial
Headquarters in addition to today a dry soil uppercase of Municipal status. It is distressing to banknote what
the so-called modern technology inwards culverting had done to both Nwaorie and
Otamiri rivers at the creation of Imo dry soil inwards 1976 when Owerri became the state
capital. The fine bridges that flew across the rivers that i time flowed with beauty
were pulled downwards to give way to the culverts which were perhaps
unprofessionally constructed. The rivers are at nowadays almost stagnant in addition to would
require millions of Naira to dredge. The influence of the 2 rivers on the culture
of Owerri people is at nowadays historical.

THE FESTIVAL OR FEAST OF OWERRI INDGENES - ORU OWERE

Oru Owere the annual festival or feast of Owerri indigenes cannot live written
without reference to the founding of Owerri. It has been mentioned before that
the firstly repast of the founding virile individual nurture of Owere in addition to his menage unit of measurement was roast old yam,
which they ate with crude edible bean salad at Ugwu Ekwema (Ekwema's hill) Our ancestral
home.
After breakfast on arriving in addition to settling at Ugwu Ekwema, at that topographic point was the demand for
H2O for obvious reasons. They knew that the source of Otamiri was at Egbu but
were ignorant of the course of report of the river owing to t(ie thick pelting wood of the area.
The communities or towns through which Otamirii flowed, were also known. It is
mutual noesis that peculiar sounds or noise|s are feature of running
H2O from streams in addition to rivers. That was Ekwem's experience that morning. He
ordered his men to role the management of the sounds/noise to come across if whatsoever could be
sighted. They obeyed his want in addition to past times surprise stumbled on Otamiri river, closed to
where Emmanuel College Owerri at nowadays stands. They ran dorsum inwards excitement to
Ugwu Ewema in addition to broke the word of the presence of what they described as
OGBU AMUMA - a pleasant early on morn sunrise experience of flashing rays of
the Sun on the waters of Otamiri river reminiscent:of the historical problem organisation human relationship of the
sighting of River Niger past times the Scottish Explorer Mungo Park- GLITTERING IN THE
MORNING SUN.
OTAMIRI RIVER SIGHTED: Ekwem straight off commissioned his men to clear the route to the river -IKPU UZO. The route cleared after which he feasted them with corn porridge.

TWO REMARKEABLE EVENTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON OWERRI (OWERE) CULTURE

The roasting of old yams the firstly repast in addition to the! corn repast amusement developed into a cultural festival or feast ORU OWERE with which indigenes commemorate the founding of Owerri. These events tell the even out of the founding of Owerri in addition to the fourth dimension or menstruation of the twelvemonth Owerri was founded viz the old yam in addition to corn meal, which are commonly consumed at that fourth dimension of the year, the rainy season. Worthy of banknote is the fact that the yam is old non novel yam, as novel yam had non nonetheless been harvested. Therefore Oru Owere is non novel yam festival.

ORU OWERE (ORU EZE)

Oru Owere is Oru Eze (the Eze's festival). The festival js marked past times a menstruation of the observance of peace, love, friendliness in addition to togetherness, devoid of bitterness, quarrels, antagonism in addition to physical confrontation, no weeping when expiry occurs during the period, no firing of cannon in addition to a fourth dimension to brand upward quarrels without 3rd political party intervention as stipulated past times custom. However Oha Owere is the traditional establishment responsible for its bear in addition to yearly observance. They determine the commencement of the menstruation past times a organisation handed downwards past times our ancestors. The duration of the menstruation is as guided) past times the same system. All the fundamental events namely the firstly of the period, the roasting of the old yam, the corn porridge amusement (MKPU KPU UZO) in addition to the twenty-four hr menstruation marker the terminate of the menstruation are Orie marketplace days. The menstruation begins inwards the calendar month of June in addition to lasts till mid August. Between the roasting of old yam (Oru Owere Proper) in addition to the corn porridge repast is the GRAND FINALE characterized past times a colourful procession of historic menstruation aeroplane formations inwards Owerri community through given routes inwards the Old City. The Civic procession assembles at Ugwu Ekwema Civic Center (the civic centre of Owerri Community) from where it talks off in addition to terminates at the terminate of the procession where invited guests are received in addition to made to cause got a experience of Oru Owere with traditional dances displays in addition to entertainment. The firstly item of amusement after the breaking of kolanuts past times Eze Ojwere is roast old yam. Ugwu Ekwema is our ancestral abode which significance informed our choice of locating the Community Civic Center.
Perhaps the reader may want to know when Owerri indigenes are complimentary to eat the New Yam. The eating of the novel yam past times Owerp indigenes start the twenty-four hr menstruation straight off after MKPU KPU OZU which is the twenty-four hr menstruation that marks the firstly of the novel calendar twelvemonth inwards Igbo culture.
Accordingly, it is pertinent to banknote that Owerri people the indigenes of the capital
of Imo dry soil do non celebrate the New Yam.
When growth inwards population began, at that topographic point was the demand to expand to other fronts. The sons of Ekwem in addition to their families moved away from the ancestral abode at Ugwu Ekwema, to dissimilar directions inside the confines of the 2 rivers closed to each other with their families leading to the growth in addition to evolution of the villages of Owerri which derived their names from the sons of Ekwem. The grave of Ekwem stands prominently on the grounds of Ugwu Ekwem Civic Center. Ikenegbu was the firstly boy followed past times Onyeche, Odu in addition to their sis Oyima thus the villages namely;

Umuororonjo
Amawom Children of Ikenegbu Umuonyeche
Umuodu
Umuoyima

The villages were named after the sons in addition to immature lady of the founder. Information has it that well-nigh 8 to 10 villages emerged. Some were sacked in addition to others migrated away to places far in addition to nigh inwards Igbo Land, East in addition to due west of the Niger with Owerri featuring inwards the holler of their novel hometowns as Owere inwards Diaspora. In recent times some persons who are non indigenes of Owerri, the dry soil uppercase in addition to who cause got never written or published for populace consumption whatsoever historical problem organisation human relationship of the founding or rootage of their abode town or communities cause got travel Owereologists who give unprecedented calculated simulated in addition to hopelessly distorted problem organisation human relationship of the rootage of Owerri as though Owerri town or community which was inwards existence centuries before the British expedition inwards 1901 had no known origin. Her indigenes are non past times accident of nascency but divine providence. Owerri is non a geographical expression. It has a local setting given past times the indigenes. It is non a meeting or displace of people from dissimilar places meeting to settle inwards a identify or a identify mixed with occupiers in addition to intruders or invaders. It is founded through i individual in addition to his family. Prior to the early on eighties of the lastly century, Owerri people the indigenes of uppercase of Imo dry soil did non intermarry for the argue of i blood.
Owerri people are peace loving, real friendly, dq non discriminate against whatsoever ethnic or tribal grouping in addition to care for you lot inwards a way to a greater extent than affectionate than they do to their brothers in addition to sisters. They are non criminal or vehement past times nature. Those who come upward to Owerri to travel or uncovering a source of livelihood come upward to remain in addition to non to render from whence they came for her peace in addition to security.

KNOWING MORE ABOUT OWERRI

If you lot are inwards Imo State without knowing something well-nigh Owerri, the State Capital, your noesis of the State is hopelessly incomplete.
The facts to note. Owerrl i.e. Owerrl Municipal the uppercase of Imo State
A. The advent of the British - 1901
B. The Monarchy - the lastly quarter of the 17th century well-nigh 1670-1680.
The Title of the Eze of Owerrl - OZURUIGBO (The King whose ascendancy spans a
large expanse of Igboland).

The firstly virile individual monarch that is, the Eze-Eze Eke Onunwa

1. Eze Eke Onunwa

1690 - 1735

2. Eze Okorie Onunwa

1735 - 1788

3. Eze Iheancho Okorie Onunwa

1788 - 1845

4. Eze Njemanze Iheanacho Okorie Onunwa Ozurigbo the First

1845 - 1920

5. Eze Ihemeje Njemanze

1921 - 1931

6. Eze Onwuegbuchulam Njemanze

1931 - 1941

7. Eze Johnson Osuji Njemanze Ozuruigbo the 2nd

1941 - 1965

8. Eze Reverend Samuel Njemanze

1966 - 1970

9. Eze Reginald Anugwolu Njemanze Ozuruigbo the 3rd

1970 - 1976

10. Eze Alexuis Anumaku Njemanze Ozuruigbo the|4th

1976 - 1988

11. Eze Emmanuel Emenyonu Njemanze Ozuruigbo the 5th

is at nowadays on the throne as Ozuruigbo the fifth past times title, the eighth Njemanze on the throne in addition to 11th virile individual monarch of Owerrl, was crowned on the 11th of Nov 1989 (11/11/89) About 1840-1850, the kindred's of Eke Onunwa an;d Okorie Onunwa agreed to teach out the crown permanently with the Njemanze menage unit of measurement in addition to became the kingmakers of Owerrl who create upward one's heed the Njemanze that wears the crown. The oldest human being from the lineage of Akalonu Okorie kindred crowns the Eze of Owerrl.

C. The British Occupation: The peace with friendliness of Owerrl people was encouraging.
The British settled in addition to built;
a. Military Hospital later on named African Hospital which thereafter was renamed General Hospital in addition to today is the Federal Medical ; Centre Owerri. The Owerri General Hospital is relocated to New Owerri inwards Owerri Municipal.
b. Government School inwards 1906 in addition to added the secondary fly now
Government Secondary School Owerrl inwards 1935 in addition to moved the Primary School to
Wetheral Road Owerrl as Owerri Township School inwards 1952.

Owerri City Nigeria

Owerri non exclusively Divisional Headquarters but became the provincial headquarters
of the Old Owerrl Province was what is at nowadays Imo, Abia addition Afikpo upward to Diobu in
the Rivers State. The demand to cause got a seaport informed the edifice of Port
Harcourt from Owerrl the Provincial headquarters. When Port Harcourt was finally
built, Delta province was carved out of Owerrl Province with Port Harcourt as its
headquarters. Note that Port Harcourt was built from Owerri as Port Harcourt never existed before the advent of the British.
Physical Features:- Owerri is a dry soil approached as you lot descend hills. There are 2 rivers:- Nworie on the West flank spell Otamiri Is on the Southern flank. The 2 rivers influenced the civilisation of the people, Owerri people do non fish inwards Nworie River but do so inwards Otamiri River, they do non eat fish from Nworie River. The source of Nworie river had a deposit of Emerald a precious enterprise mineral but non inwards commercial quantity. There is also Lake Nwebere at Imo State University, Owerri.

Owerri people were subsistence farmers but cause got since abandoned farming when
it became a State uppercase inwards 1976 in addition to the arable lands acquired past times authorities for
other evolution projects.

Owerri is a good planned urban heart in addition to is listed past times the Federal authorities as i of the planned cities inwards Nigeria. It was planned past times Mr. Tetlow beingness the headquarters of Owerri province in addition to later on past times a Swiss Consortium - Finger Hooth in addition to Partners who designed New Owerri an catch conceived past times the firstly armed forces Governor the so Commander Ndubuisi Kanu at nowadays Rear Admiral Rtd. which is indeed an extension of Owerri Urban.

Education:- Embraced pedagogy ab initio with schools such as the Government School, Government Secondary School Owerri in addition to schools both primary in addition to secondary built past times the missionaries - Anglican, Catholic, Methodist, Baptist etc. in addition to later on the Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri the Federal authorities Girls' College Owerri many individual in addition to other missiorjary secondary schools. Today at that topographic point is Imo State University Owerri in addition to the Federal Polytechnic in addition to the Federal University of Technology Owerri inwards Owerri West Local Government Area.

All the missionaries cause got cathedrals e.g the Anglican, Catholic in addition to Methodist in addition to the Pentecostals spell the Moslems cause got a Central Mosque, in addition to the Cherubim in addition to Seraphim all inwards Owerri.

The Monarchy Revisited: All Traditional Institutions inwards Owerri are hereditary in addition to do non rotate. There are no ruling houses. The establishment stands inwards i family. The hereditary organisation is non necessarily virile individual nurture to boy but to a jibe in addition to proper boy of the violet family.
The Njemanze / Owerri dynasty is a firstly aeroplane establishment in addition to has been involved inwards Nation Building in addition to took part inwards the 1958 Constitutional Conference that ushered independence to Nigeria where Ozuruigbo of Owerri (my father) HRH Eze Johnson Osuji Njemanze represented the Old Owerri province of the quondam of Eastern Nigeria as part of the delegation led past times slowly MD Nnamdi Azikiwe as did the North in addition to the West led past times the slowly Ahmadu Bello in addition to slowly Chief Obafemi Awolowo respectively.

Eze Njemanze Ihenacho of Owerri was the Vice chairman of the Council of the Traditional Rulers of the quondam Oil River Protectorate with Calabar as its headquarters. The Obong of Calabar was the Chairman of the Council Diplomatic Ties: Owerri monarchy had diplomatic ties with Arochukwu, Nkwere in addition to the Republic of Benin Kingdom.

Igbo masquerade

Oil Prospecting inwards Nigeria: This began inwards Owerri before the minute world war. The Second World War broke out in addition to it was suspended. The country of war ended in addition to trounce D'arcy returned to Owerri inwards the forties of the lastly century to travel along the crude prospecting thus the trounce military camp inwards Owerri. Shell was inwards Owerri upward to the early on sixties before moving to Port Harcourt when their aeroplane of technology could non strike crude inwards Iho inwards Ikeduru LG.A of Imo dry soil a few Kilometers away from Owerri. However, today at that topographic point is a Chevron Rig inwards Owerri but non nonetheless commissioned.

Culture: As subsistence farmers had implements for farming, skillful crop rotation, built barns for the storage of yams, built native wooden bridges (Igbo) across the rivers to link their farm dry soil across the rivers Nworie in addition to Otamiri, had their cultural dances, songs, moonlight songs, musical instruments, the wooden xylophone, opi or oja in addition to odu as current of air instruments, drums in addition to percussions made of wood in addition to animate beingness skin, clay pot instruments etc. matrimony rites, nascency ceremonies in addition to funeral ceremonies penalty for crimes depending on the scene of the act.

Mbari Culture had its root inwards Owerri: It is at nowadays a affair of the past times as faith had dealt a large blow on the arts in addition to crafts etc.
Generally religion/Christianity inwards the primary relegated our culture.

source:http://www.njemanzeabroad.com/history.html