𝗘𝗬𝗜𝗥𝗜-𝗘𝗬𝗜 𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗛𝗜𝗔: 𝗔 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗦𝗘

𝘉𝘺: 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘞𝘪𝘴 

Every August, the ancient town of Obohia Ekwerazu in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, Imo State, comes alive with the vibrant celebration of Eyiri-Eyi, a sacred cultural festival passed down by generations. This annual event is more than a mere gathering — it is the heart of Obohia’s identity, a time-honoured tradition that serves as a spiritual, cultural, and communal compass for its people and even for neighbouring communities.

But this year’s edition has sparked unrest and controversy, as a faction within the organizing committee—allegedly influenced by political interests—has unilaterally shifted the festival date to August 16th, defying the age-long custom and provoking the outrage of cultural custodians, elders, and true sons and daughters of Obohia.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 𝗡𝗸𝘄𝗼 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁

Historically, Eyiri-Eyi Obohia is celebrated between the 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁, anchored around 𝗡𝗸𝘄𝗼 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘆, which falls in the second week of August. This is not a random choice—it is a divinely inspired alignment established by the 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, who understood the rhythm of nature, the seasons, and the spiritual significance behind this timing.

For over a century, this tradition has stood firm. To tamper with the date is to tamper with the 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿 that governs Obohia and its neighbouring communities.

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹: 𝗘𝘆𝗶𝗿𝗶-𝗘𝘆𝗶 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀

One cannot overstate the significance of Eyiri-Eyi. It is so entrenched in the cultural fabric of Mbaise and its environs that even the annual short dry season—commonly known across West Africa as the August Break—is locally named “𝗢𝗸𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗶 𝗘𝘆𝗶𝗿𝗶-𝗘𝘆𝗶 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗮.” Villages up to 24 kilometres away refer to this season by the name of the Obohia festival, further emphasizing its influence as a regional cultural landmark.

Beyond the pomp and pageantry, Eyiri-Eyi regulates the agricultural, spiritual, and social activities of the people. It marks a season of harvest, thanksgiving, and community cleansing, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘇𝘂 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗯𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲. Its timing, therefore, is not open to arbitrary adjustments, especially not for political convenience or modern packaging.

𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

The claim by the festival committee that the date was adjusted in the name of modernization raises serious concerns. While it is acceptable to innovate in presentation, no modernization should come at the cost of cultural distortion. Shifting Eyiri-Eyi to August 16th, after the Ji Mbaise festival, is an aberration, especially when no record in living memory supports such a move.

Many community stakeholders have rightly questioned this unprecedented change. At over 40 years of age, I have never witnessed Eyiri-Eyi celebrated after Ji Mbaise, nor have the elders who are custodians of our culture. This year's shift seems less about modernization and more about hijacking the festival for political showmanship, to fit into private or partisan calendars.

𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲

Eyiri-Eyi is not a political rally, neither is it a platform for elite self-promotion. It is the sacred heritage of the Obohia people, and any alteration to its traditional structure should only come after inclusive consultations with elders, cultural custodians, and the general assembly of the community.

To the current organizers and the so-called cabal pushing for change: you do not own Eyiri-Eyi. You are only stewards, and your role is to preserve and protect, not distort and dominate.

We must rise in one voice to say 𝗡𝗢 to the politicization of our heritage. Let Eyiri-Eyi remain where our ancestors placed it—𝗡𝗸𝘄𝗼 𝗢𝗯𝗼𝗵𝗶𝗮, 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁. Let us defend this festival not only as a cultural event but as a sacred tradition that binds us to our past, strengthens our present, and guides our future.

𝗔 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿

As we mark this year's Eyiri-Eyi, despite the surrounding controversies, may the new year that comes with it bring us greater happiness, peace, and prosperity.

Iha! Iha!! Iha oo!!! (Amen! Amen!! Am-eeen!!!)

May the evils of the past year never re-occur.

May we live to see the end of another year in good health and unity.

Oh! Great event! Great Event! Thanks to God!

𝘞𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘣𝘺: 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘳. 𝘜𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘩’𝘶𝘬𝘸𝘶 𝘞𝘪𝘴𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘖. (𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘞𝘪𝘴)

𝘈 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦

𝘖𝘣𝘰𝘩𝘪𝘢 𝘌𝘬𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘶, 𝘈𝘩𝘪𝘢𝘻𝘶 𝘔𝘣𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘓𝘎𝘈