MBOMUZO CULTURAL FESTIVAL

The Okwuohia community in Obowo is reputed for being the first to kick off this annual festival before other Obowo communities would follow. On June 5, 2019, the Community celebrated the MBOMUZO FESTIVAL at Eke Okwuohia market square with High Chief Johnson Obasi (Omeudo) saying the invocation.
The occasion was heralded by ritualistic seven (7) rounds of deafening cannon shots.

Clad in their colourful traditional regalia were His Royal Highness Dr Louis Uwuajumogu (The Okwu 11 of Okwuohia) and his Cabinet members. At the star of the festival, HRH, the Eze walked majestically round the canopies, monitoring the attendance of each ward in his community.

The Analechi cultural troupe added colour to the occasion, as the dancers showcased their wonderful artistry, to the excitement of the guests.

The Eze was so enchanted by their scintillating performance, consequent upon which he presented the troupe with a cash gift
For undisclosed reasons, two other cultural troupes, Udodiri and Dibugwu which were earlier slated to perform, did not show up,
A major highlight of the occasion was a lecture delivered by Chief Emma Anyanwu (Dikemba). Giving a historical background of “Mbomuzo Cultural Festival,” chief Anyanwu stated that this annual event is marked by clearing of shrubs and litters by the sides of the trails and tracks that lead to farmlands, in preparation for a new planting season.

Apparently to give support to this annual festival, Chief Anyanwu recalled an Obowo traditional parlance that says; “Atala ukwa na mkpekele.” Paraphraseably, -an exhortation for one to get rid of rubbish.

This was evident on this day as all the road, tracks and trails in Okwuohia were conspicuously clean. Chief Anyanwu observed that there was nothing fetish or diabolical about the MBOMUZO festival.

By all standards no deity is invoked or worshipped during this ceremony.

The festival was memorable as friends and relatives from afar and other Obowo communities were in attendance