By Uche Onyeali
From the wee hours of Saturday, August 16, the vibrant town of Ihitteafoukwu in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State came alive with celebrations to herald the completion of the sacred traditional rights of HRM Eze Okwudiri Nwandu and Ugoeze Adaku Nwandu as Akaraka III and Ugoeze Akaraka III respectively.
The joy of the people knew no bounds, as they had waited for a long time since the demise of their previous monarch and were even more elated with the divine signs that surrounded the coronation ceremony, which all bore witness to the fact that Eze Nwandu was indeed a divine choice.
Celebration of the coronation events got to a crescendo with the Iri-Ji which held at the expansive palace ground of the Akaraka III.
The palace came alive with colour, grandeur and cultural magnificence, as the people turned out in multitude to honour the throne with traditional dances adorned in regal attire and radiant hues.
Sons and daughters of Ihitteafoukwu, alongside friends and well wishers, filed out to the palace with music, dance and unrestrained jubilation.
The coronation/Iri Ji event was not merely an observance, but a profound expression of loyalty, reverence and communal pride that defines Ihitteafoukwu people, a testament of the deep-seated devotion and admiration that they hold for their king, and a celebration of shared heritage and identity.
The traditional wrestling, which is a brainchild of Eze Nwandu, continues to be a majestic reminder of the richness of our culture and another great way of getting our youths off hard drugs, cultism, as well as encouraging them to embrace a healthy lifestyle, the total prize money for this year’s winners was N2 million, while Eze Nwandu announced an increment of N4 million for next year’s winners of the wrestling contest.
To spice it up, Chief Ignatius Okafor promised to sponsor the female traditional wrestling competition billed to debut next year with N2 million.
The event also featured the conferment of several chieftaincy titles on notable sons and friends of the kingdom.
The monarch charged well-meaning sons and daughters of Ihitteafoukwu to join in the proposed renovation of Ihitteafoukwu Civic Centre which he described as one of the symbols of unity.
Promptly answering the clarion call, Chief Okafor, who was conferred with the title of Oputa Obie 1 of Ihitteafoukwu, donated 200 bags of cement for the renovation of the civic centre.
The event was attended by members of Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers, Amity Friends International, among other dignitaries.
