New Yam Cultural Festival marks the beginning and the ending of a farming year, during which people give thanks to God for bountiful harvests and blessings of the year. Yam is a precious native food crop that the Igbo people of Southern Nigeria value and cherish. Chinua Achebe, in his “Things Fall Apart,” describes yam as “the king of all crops.” It is the most celebrated food crop in Igbo culture.
The culture of a people is the totality of their way of life. It includes their beliefs, festivals, food, dressings, language, norms, values, traditions, and customs, among other ways of life. Culture and tradition are passed down from ancestral generations to new generations.
New Yam Festival is one of the most popular cultural festivals in Igboland that Ndi Igbo cherish a lot. Some Igbo call it “Iri ji” (a feast for eating new yams); some call it “Iwa ji” (a feast for sharing new yams); some call it “Ikeji” (a feast for tying yams to stands in barns); and some call it Oriri Ani (a feast of eating the fruits of the land). Others call it Ifejioku, Ahijioku, and some various other names. In Arochukwu, New Yam Festival is known as Ikeji Aro. It is the most important annual cultural festival that promotes Aro culture and tradition. It holds every September for up to twenty-one days long.
Igbo communities celebrate their New Yam Festival in their own respective native styles.
- Anambra people celebrate their “Iri Ji” festival every month of August, some for only one day, and others for a few days.
- Enugu state celebrates their New Yam Festivals (Oriri Ani or Iri-ji) during the harvest period between July and November, every year; some for only one day, and some for three to four days.
- Ebonyi state people such as Uwanna, Afikpo, and Edda celebrate theirs in August. Ezza celebrate theirs on one Orie market day between July and August.
- Most communities in Abia state celebrate theirs between August and September of every year.
- Mbaise in Imo state celebrates theirs for one day on August 15th of every year.
- Arondizuogu celebrate their Ikeji in March of every year. Ikeji Arondizuogu is one of the most popular cultural festivals in West Africa. It lasts between four to eight market days. Arondizuogu is the biggest Aro diaspora community.
Aro diaspora communities derive their Ikeji festivals from the concept of Ikeji Aro, but not as elaborate in duration and other details as the Ikeji Aro. The Aro diasporas spread the concept of new yam festival to many other Igbo communities.
As culture is dynamic, so also are new yam festival programs and activities. Many communities are making necessary changes in their New yam festival programs to meet the convenience and desires of their people.
Some needful improvements in Ikeji Aro program calendar settings may make the festival more attractive and convenient to many Aro people. Ikeji Aro calendar may be made in such a way that Nkwo Ekpe Ibom Isii and Eke Ekpe Aro may always hold around weekend dates of every September. Aro had in the past enjoyed such privilege and convenience when Mazi Oji Kanu Oji was Arianzu Aro and also at the early stages of Mazi Vincent Ogbonnaya Okoro’s reign as Eze Aro.
The significance and purpose of Ikeji Aro festival in Arochukwu are manifold. The essence is to thank almighty God (Chineke or Chukwu) through the gods of the land and the good ancestors of the people for the bountiful harvests of the year and also for healthy life and other blessings of the traditional year that is about to end. It is also to pray for success and peace with greater expectations in the new upcoming farming year. Some Ikeji festival rituals tend to reawaken the good spirits of good Aro ancestors. Eating new yams that have been traditionally blessed and sanctified at the appropriate date during the Ikeji season provides a sacred communion feast for the people of Aro kingdom.
The season of Ikeji Aro is a religious and sacred season. Many rituals, traditional prayers, and sacrifices are made at Ovo shrines at Awada Aro, at Ugwuakuma, and some also at every traditional compound’s Inyama Avia, Ulonta, Awada, Onu mkpu, and even to some personal “Chi” deities.
During any Ikeji Aro, people engage in deeper and sober reflections on the essence of unity, love, and peace in their families, villages, and Aro kingdom. Soul purging to rid selves of unwanted harmful thoughts is motivated. Conflicts resolutions, reconciliations, love and peace building, kindness, extending care, and philanthropy to some others are encouraged. People pray and pour libations to liberate themselves and others from the grips of death, bitterness, poverty, fears, and all manner of evil. Fighting, quarreling, and violence are discouraged. It is a taboo for anybody to die during Ikeji Aro season because mourning and burials are not tolerated.
During any Ikeji season, Aro people in the diaspora return home to join their kin and kin in Arochukwu to celebrate the festival. They may bring home some cultural dances and masquerades to support their native villages. They showcase them as part of their native village cultural presentations at Eke Ekpe Aro cultural day. Nzuko Aro worldwide, on behalf of Aro kingdom, organizes the best cultural dances and masquerades through Aro nineteen villages to entertain people at Eke Ekpe Aro and to compete for prizes and honor.
Ikeji Aro promotes tourism and the influx of people, guests, and visitors into Arochukwu. Umu Aro invite their friends to witness and admire Aro’s rich cultures and entertainments that come with every Ikeji Aro festival. Traditional marriages with rich Aro cultural contents are conducted. People build new social and business relationships; existing ones are also strengthened. Aro neighboring communities, business leaders, and top government officials are invited.
Ikeji Aro projects Ndi Aro as one of the most religious people in traditional Igbo setting. People fervently pray with kola nuts in the form of traditional “Igo Ovo”; they pour libations and do some sacrifices at their different shrines to appease and appreciate Chukwu Abiama and the saints of the land, Ndi Iche who are their good ancestors, for various blessings that the people have received from the beginning of the planting season to the season of lean stock, and to the season of bountiful harvests.
January to March of every year is usually the planting season; April to early July is the season of lean stock (Unwu); late July, August to October is the season of yam harvests, plenty of food, and merriments. That is the reason most communities celebrate their new yam festivals in August of every year. Arochukwu celebrates their Ikeji festival in September of every year, which is still within the season of new yam harvests. The season of plenty and merriments continues from August till December of every year.
Planning Ikeji Aro Activities is awesome. Essential Ikeji Aro traditional activities are centrally planned and organized into one Ikeji Aro calendar drawn and approved by Eze Aro, every year. Some of the Ikeji traditional activities are performed centrally at Aro kingdom level. Some others are performed at individual traditional compounds in every Aro village, while some are performed at the level of Amuze and Ibom Isii communities, respectively.
Drawing and approval of Ikeji Aro calendar is an exclusive right and sole responsibility of a ruling crowned Eze Aro. But where there is no crowned Eze Aro on the throne, the responsibility of drawing and approval of Ikeji Aro calendar falls on whoever is the Arianzu Aro (an Aro regent king). The Arianzu Aro, whether or not he has traditional competence to handle the matter, will still perform the duty, but with proper consultations with relevant arms of Arochukwu kingdom traditional governance. And no one shall deny him of this right.
There are certain traditional arrangements that are usually made outside Arochukwu before any Ikeji Aro calendar can be properly set to suit the convenience and desire of many Aro people.
Bianko people of Amuze community in Arochukwu usually assist Eze Aro to make necessary contacts with a neighboring Ututu community before Eze Aro draws his Ikeji Aro calendar. This is to ensure that certain preferred dates for Ikeji Aro activities are arranged to fall on some chosen dates in September of every year to meet the convenience and desire of many Aro people. Drawing Ikeji Aro calendar can therefore be handled in such a way that the date of Eke Ekpe Aro may fall on or about a weekend of the third or fourth week of September, every year.
Once Ikeji Aro activities commence as per approved Ikeji Aro calendar, nothing will stop the program from running to full conclusion.
There used to be a popular mantra that says: “Ututu riee’ ji, Aro eriee’; Aro buru uzo, echere agha’”. This means that Ututu should eat or taste their new yams first before Aro would eat any new yam at all; and if Aro eats new yams before Ututu community eats, something could go wrong. Ututu is a farming community and a good neighbor to Arochukwu. Historically, Ututu farmers used to produce most of the yams that most Aro elites used for their domestic use and, to some extent, for Ikeji Aro festival purposes.
Aro would therefore want Ututu to eat their new yams first so that Aro would be sure that the new yams were well matured and safe enough for Aro elites to eat them. But Aro do not use the yams from Ututu farmers for their Ikeji Aro activities and other domestic uses as much as before these days. The rule that “Ututu riee’ ji, Aro eriee” was set on the basis that Aro would use only the yams from Ututu farmers for their Ikeji Aro feasts all alone. That rule was set only on that basis alone. But the rule is no more effective these days because Ndi Aro no longer use yams from Ututu farmers for their Ikeji festival anymore; they now use yams from various other places for their various needs.
Ututu community actually eats their new yams on their “Orie Mbu” day as it usually appears on their Ikeji Ututu annual calendar. This is their new yam festival day when their traditionalists taste the new yams of the year. It is the day when they sacrifice goats and fowls to their ancestors; they bring their Ovo and Ikoro drum down to mark their Ikeji festival. Comparatively, Ndi Aro eat their own new yam on their “Orie Egbugbu” day of every Ikeji Aro annual calendar. Any year, “Orie Mbu Ututu” comes earlier than the “Orie Egbugbu Aro”, it is said that Ututu have eaten new yams before Aro in that particular year. It is very much so in this year 2023. For example, “Orie Mbu” Ututu comes up on 6th September; while Orie Egbugbu Aro comes up on the 18th September 2023 per Ikeji Aro calendar duly approved and issued by Arianzu Aro.
Ututu community of Amkaofia and Ohomja people used to clear certain traditional road/farm path (Iboo Uzo) that links them from Ututu to Bianko city at Umuoti Asaga Arochukwu for them to pay their covenanted annual tributes to Bianko people as their farm landlord. Ututu used to renew the covenant they had with Bianko people and their ancestors every first week of August of every year to mark the beginning of Ikeji Ututu season.
Unfortunately, Ututu people rebelled and stopped this covenanted activity. They had even excluded it from their Ikeji Ututu calendar for almost twenty years till now, and no hell has fallen on them. Ikeji Ututu continues to hold in August of every year without Ututu fulfilling the annual “Ibooputa Uzo” to Asaga Aro.
They had also stopped performing certain rituals they used to do at Awada Bianko at Umuoti Asaga Aro before every Ikeji Ututu would start. And any year Ututu fails to establish their Ikeji Ututu calendar properly, Aro kingdom cannot be held to ransom in setting its own Ikeji Aro calendar. Aro can still establish their Ikeji calendar appropriately within the month of September of every year. It is not an abomination.
Culture and tradition are dynamic everywhere. The origin of the New Yam Festival in Igboland is not certain. Some people link the origin of the Ikeji festival to the origin of yam itself, which is also not certain. For some people, yam is a special gift to Ndi Igbo by nature, right from the era when man was searching for good food to eat. Some believed that the new yam festival is as old as that era. Some others believed that the new yam festival was originally ordained by Chukwu Abiama and sanctified by the gods and ancestors of Igboland, several centuries in dateless histories.
However, some believed that the elaborate celebration of new yams as an annual cultural or religious festival originated from Arochukwu. Aro were famous in religious extension services, oracular divinity, and long-distance trading activities, which included trading in yams. Some believed it was Aro that spread the elaborate celebrations of new yams to several Igbo communities through the influence of their famous Aro Oracle (Ivu Chukwu Aro), several centuries before the advent of colonial rule in Nigeria.
Some believed that Aro Oracle had divine powers to influence productivity and prosperity, which yam farmers needed most. They believed it was God almighty through Ivu Chukwu Oracle that made harvests of yams bountiful every year. Some successful yam farmers used to consult Aro Oracle to obtain powers that enriched their success in farming yams.
Ndi Igbo have special regards for yam as the king of all crops. They celebrate new yam festivals culturally louder than any other ethnic group in West Africa.
However, Ndi Aro celebrate their Ikeji Aro more elaborately in terms of the duration of the festival, religiosity, and richness of its cultural contents than any other Igbo community. While many communities spend about one to eight market days to celebrate their new yam festivals, Ndi Aro spend up to twenty-one calendar days, with seventeen specific activity market days in the Ikeji Aro calendar to celebrate their Ikeji Aro cultural festival.
The seventeen specific activity market days within the twenty-one calendar days, and what each of the activity days represents in the Ikeji Aro calendar, are as follows:
Activity Day 1:
This is Avo Okpo Na-aza Awada. On this first Avo market day of the Ikeji Aro season, Awada Aro at Ugwuakuma is swept by the Okpo family of Agbagwu village of Otusi Amata Obin Orong of Ibom Isii. They are joined by some members of Umu Otusi Amaja to tidy up the Awada Aro in readiness for various activities of Umu Otusi Aro during the Ikeji Aro season that begins this very day. Otusi Amaja is the youngest Otusi clan in Aro and a junior kindred to Otusi Bianko clan of Amuze community in Arochukwu kingdom.
Activity Day 2:
This is Avo Mgbape Awada Aro. It comes up exactly four market days after “Okpo Zara Awada”. On this day, Umu Otusi Aro of Amuze community comprising the following Otusi clans: (1) Okennachi, (2) Ezeagwu, (3) Bianko, (4) Okwara Agwu Eke, and (5) Amaja join to perform the opening of Awada Aro. They go there carrying their handy gongs, with their bells tied on their waists to announce the traditional opening of Awada Aro for various rituals during the Ikeji season.
Activity Day 3:
This is Avo Ndulasa Nwaekpe. This takes place exactly four market days after the “Mgbape Awada Aro”. Nwaekpe is a symbolic expression of the good spirits of Aro royal ancestors. “Ndulasa Nwaekpe” is the reawakening of the spirits of the good ancestors of the land; it symbolizes their return to their ancestral homes at their Inyama Avia shrines in their respective traditional compounds in Arochukwu.
All the nine Otusi clans are involved. The nine Otusi Aro clans are made up of: (A) the five Otusi clans of Amuze (as already mentioned under “Activity Day 2”), plus (B) the four Otusi clans of Ibom Isii community which are named as follows: (i) Akuma Nnubi, (ii) Amata Obin Orong, (iii) Eze Alu, and (iv) Ivi ji-Oku.
The Umu Otusi Aro usually assemble at Awada Aro to pray, pour libations, and offer sacrifices to the Aro ancestors in accordance with Aro tradition, and in appreciation to God for granting Umu Aro success, good health, and bountiful harvests.
The participating Umu Otusi dance around joyfully as they beat their gongs and shake their bells that hung around their waists to the admiration of people who are already in the Ikeji celebration mood. This day’s activity usually lasts till night.
At the end of all the rituals at Awada Aro, Umu Otusi would go back to their traditional compounds in their respective villages to bring down their sacred “Uvie” talking drums; they play the Uvie so loudly to the excitement of people. The Uvie wooden talking drum is usually left hanging on a wall inside every Inyama Avia lodge in every traditional compound Ulonta or Awada at the end of every Ikeji season until the next.
Uvie is brought down on the “Avo Ndulasa Nnaekpe” day only if there is any man in the compound who is able and willing to slaughter a goat for sacrifices to his ancestors on the upcoming Orie Egbugbu day. The blood of the goat is usually used to prepare “Osu meal” in the Ikeji season.
To have Uvie brought down in any compound during any Ikeji Aro festival is a mark of honor and evidence of wealth in that traditional compound. People are free to play the Uvie within the permitted number of days during the Ikeji season.
Activity day 4:
This is Nkwo Nku. It is a day when women fetch firewoods (Nku) that will be used for cooking during the Ikeji Aro season. Wives fetch firewoods for their families and mothers-in-law, and for some elderly women around them as a gesture of love and care for the elderly. Nkwo Nku promotes love and cordial relationships among women within the family, especially between wives and their mothers-in-law.
Activity day 5:
This is Eke Agba Udu. On this day, Umu Otusi Aro of Amuze community offer sacrifices at their respective traditional Otusi shrines. They gather to celebrate this unique day to remind all that Amuze people constitute the “Igbo bu Igbo” community of Arochukwu kingdom.
Activity day 6:
This is Orie Awa day. It is a day traditionally reserved for Aro Youth to show commitment, responsibility, care, and love during the Ikeji Aro season. On this day, young girls who are already engaged to marry proceed to do some chores in the homes of their proposed mothers-in-law. Young men are also expected to fetch grasses to feed their family’s livestock, including the goats that will be used for sacrifices on Orie Egbugbu day. Young men in search of girls to marry usually take bold steps to initiate discussions on their desires to engage the girls of their choice. New relationships are built. Newly married couples also go out to fetch some firewoods and water for their in-laws and families.
Activity day 7:
This is Avo Awa. It is a day Aro citizens abroad and in the diaspora are expected to begin to return to their ancestral homes in Arochukwu for participation in the ongoing Ikeji Aro celebrations. People hold family and village meetings to put their homes and villages in order. They clean their homes, compounds, village squares, and premises in the spirit of the joyful Ikeji season. Going to farms to work is restricted beginning from this day till “Orie Ubi Le Avo” day in the Ikeji Aro calendar. Women beautify their bodies with “Uri and Nkasi Ani” traditional cosmetics; they also make new hairstyles; prepare their beads and other ornaments that will make them look good and beautiful during the Ikeji celebration outings.
Activity day 8:
This is Nkwo Nzukoro. It is the last Nkwo market day meant for the last shopping of items to be used during the major celebration days of the Ikeji Aro season. Yams, rice, goats, fowls, fish, assorted food items, dresses, and dressing materials are sold and bought. Nkwo Nzukoro is alternately known as “Nkwo Erisi” because people go to Nkwo market on this day to buy erisi (rice) which they will cook to entertain their families and guests during the days of Orie Egbugbu, Avo Osu, Nkwo Ekpe, and Eke Ekpe. In the olden days, all the markets in Arochukwu, including Eke Ukwu, Ncheghe, and Amaikpe markets, are closed down after Nkwo Nzukoro day. All those markets will be reopened only during the Nkwo Nzupu Avia day, which is usually on the Nkwo Nwupu Mmayi na Ibom Isii, which is exactly four days after Nkwo Ekpe Ibom Isii. Nkwo Nzukoro day is also seen as the last day of the traditional year. In the evening time, all cooking utensils such as pots, mortars, and pestles to be used for preparing new yam meals for the Ikeji celebrations are soaked in water overnight for them to be washed clean the following day being Eke Odu, in preparation for Orie Egbugbu day.
In the night of this Nkwo Nzukoro day, women do not go out of their homes for fear of encountering evil spirits that are associated with any departing traditional year. Oboni and other dangerous traditional societies, with their members and masquerades, perform and parade to chase away evil spirits of the departing year. A new traditional year is born in the early hours of the following day being Eke Odu. But some Aro regard Eke Odu as the last day of the passing year while some believe it is Nkwo Nzukoro. You are likely to hear loud shouts of “Ajo Avo gbaraka la”. That is to say: Let the passing year go away in peace with all its evils, but go empty-handed with no casualties on the part of the people. Local fireworks with lighted firewoods are waved and thrown away along several paths to also chase away all the evils of the passing year.
Activity Day 9: This is Eke Odu. In Aro, “Odu” is a long wooden pestle used for pounding yams and cassava in a mortar to make ‘foofoo’. Eke Odu is the day women set aside to wash and clean their pestles (Odu) and mortars (Ntii), and other cooking utensils in readiness for use in preparing the sacred Ikeji meals using the meat of the sacrifices of “Orie Egbugbu” of the next day. The utensils are also used to cook other meals that are devoid of Orie Egbugbu sacrifices.
Eke Odu is also the day new yams are allowed to enter into some traditional homes officially in readiness to be used to prepare new yam food on the Orie Egbugbu, the next day.
Just a few years ago, Ezeagwu kindred convinced Okwara Agwu kindred to join them to adopt Eke Odu day as their joint “Ezeagwu na Okwara Agwu” day during Ikeji Aro seasons. They started labeling “Eke Odu Aro” as Eke Odu Ezeagwu na Okwara Agwu”. They began to celebrate the day as their special day only since a few years ago. However, it is a festival merriment season; anyone can even celebrate and entertain oneself and others as one may desire.
Unfortunately, some of them, not well informed, have started arrogating and erroneously claiming that “Arochukwu eats new yam on ‘Eke Odu day”. That claim is totally false; it is not true in the history of Ikeji Aro. It has never been so.
If it were so or true, “Eke Odu” would have been appearing as “Eke Odu Ezeagwu na Okwaragwu” in the yearly Ikeji Aro approved calendar as has always been approved by Eze Aro for several centuries till now. It has never appeared in any Ikeji Aro approved calendar.
“Eke Odu day” may never be labeled as “Eke Odu Ezeagwu na Okwara Agwu” by Eze Aro in his approved annual Ikeji Aro calendar. It will always remain as Eke Odu day. However, any group or kindred is free to celebrate the day the way they would want to celebrate it; but without distorting the facts of history.
Activity Day 10:
- This is Orie Egbugbu Day.
- It is the most sacred day of the Ikeji Aro season.
- It is a day of rituals, sacrifices, and pouring of libations at various Inyama Avia shrines in every Aro traditional compound’s Ulonta or Awada in all the nineteen Aro villages.
- It is the day that Aro and their ancestors officially eat the new yams of the Ikeji year as a traditional communion feast in the entire Aro kingdom.
- It is a happy sacred day of the Ikeji festival season.
Fresh green succulent plants known as Okpoto are placed at the main entrance gate (“Onu mkpu”) to every traditional compound (known as Ezi). This is to indicate that the sacred traditional Ovo is now on the ground in that Ezi. Kola nuts, fowls, and goats are offered as sacrifices at the compound’s Inyama Avia to the spirits of the good ancestors of the land. Any domestic animal that carelessly strays to the Ovo site while the Ovo is on the ground is instantly killed to appease the ancestors because it would be accused of kissing the sacred Ovo. The blood of the goats slaughtered for sacrifices at Inyama Avia on this day is used to prepare traditional Osu delicacies to be shared and served to people the next day, being Avo Osu.
Orie Egbugbu is the day the good Aro ancestors (Ndi Iche Aro, the saints of the land) eat the new yams of the Ikeji festival. The yams are sanctified with the wines, kola nuts, and the blood of fowls and goats sacrificed to appease and appreciate the gods for the bountiful harvests of the year. It is after this activity that the elders of the land declare that Ndi Aro have traditionally eaten the new yams of the year. Aro therefore eat their new yams on the Orie Egbugbu day of any Ikeji Aro season; and not on the “Eke Odu” day. Any public presentation of yams at Eke Ekpe as is recently seen is an innovation meant to add glamour to the cultural public celebrations of Ikeji Aro at the Eke Ekpe Aro at Amaikpe Aro. It was not an old tradition. Such yams presented at the Eke Ekpe arena whether roasted or cooked are totally devoid of any spiritual rituals and sacrifices and can socially be eaten by all including the guests and tourists.
In the evening of Orie Egbugbu day, the Osu delicacy is prepared by some women of decency and purity with respectable Aro ancestry by birth. After the Osu delicacy is prepared, it is usually celebrated with “Mkpo na Ali” gun shot salute. Osu delicacy is prepared in separate pots for each goat killed. The number of “Mkpo na Ali” gun shot salutes one hears from any compound may tell the number of goats that are slaughtered in that compound. The more goats killed, the more Osu pots that are prepared, and the more Mkpo na Ali gun shots that will be fired to celebrate them. It is a thing of joy to hear many gun shots in many traditional compounds in the night of the Orie Egbugbu day. It is an evidence of success and prosperity in the celebrating traditional compounds.
Activity Day 11:
- This is Avo Osu Day.
- It is the next day after Aro has traditionally eaten their new yams on the Orie Egbugbu day.
- The osu meal delicacy prepared the previous night is now presented, served, and shared to some friends and well-wishers.
- People exchange Osu meals as gifts, together with some portions of cooked or dried meat.
- Visitors and guests are hosted and entertained with kola nuts, Osu delicacy, yam meal with fowl and goat meat, with some palm wines and hot drinks to wash them down.
- Merriments are visibly everywhere.
- People publicly announce that their ancestors had joined them to eat the new yams.
- Hence they carry “Osu delicacies” in Okwa or plates to share to some of their family friends, shouting aloud: “Aro Okoo, Avo Osu Aro is here again!”
- The day is also known as “Avo Osu Eze Aro”.
- It is the day Eze Aro hosts some Aro citizens and non-Aro dignitaries including government officials serving in Arochukwu as special guests in his Palace.
- He celebrates with all, prays for all and the kingdom; he thanks God for all the blessings of the Ikeji Aro season.
- He entertains his guests with kola nuts, Osu delicacies, yam meals with assorted meat and drinks.
- Obinkita people entertain people with their special Ekpo masquerades at Amaikpe Aro square.
- They also carry their Ekpo masquerades to Eze Aro Palace to pay him homage as a mark of honor and also to participate in the “Avo Osu Eze Aro” events. Some other villages play their Ekpo masquerades at their respective villages. Other cultural dances may be available at some villages. It is a second day of merriments; and a special day of love and care, extension of philanthropy and exchange of gifts with others
Activity Day 12:
This is Nkwo Ekpe Ibom Isii Day. It is a day specifically dedicated to the Aro Warriors of Ibom Isii to showcase and celebrate their bravery, creativity, and skills in battles of war, cultural dancing, and wrestling matches. Nkwo Ekpe ceremonies hold in the Ibom Isii community at the ancient Ibom village square. It is also more or less a rehearsal of cultural shows for Ibom Isii people, to help them prepare their best cultural dances and outfits that they will take to Eke Ekpe Aro carnival at Amaikpe Aro the following day.
On this Nkwo Ekpe day, all the Ibom Isii villages and their components in other villages gather at Ibom village square with their best traditional and cultural dances and masquerades to entertain people. Prominent Aro of non-Ibom Isii citizens, including top Aro traditional leaders such as Eze Aro, Eze Ezeagwu, Aro village heads, Nzuko Aro leaders, and non-Aro citizens are also invited. Wrestling performers and the various cultural dances and masquerades entertain the guests and compete among themselves. Prizes are won by the best performers in traditional dances and wrestling games. It is the third day of consecutive public merriments after the Orie Egbugbu day.
Activity Day 13:
This is Eke Ekpe Aro Day. It is the climax of the Ikeji Aro cultural activities. It is the fourth and highest merriment day after Orie Egbubu day. It is the day Ndi Aro publicly market their rich cultures to the entire world. It is the main Ikeji Aro carnival day.
Every Aro village, including some Aro diaspora communities, comes out with their best cultural and traditional dances, masquerades, and side attractions to perform and entertain people. They move from their respective Aro villages to gather at Amaikpe Aro cultural square where the Eke Ekpe Aro carnival holds. Aro people—men and women, young and old—come out in their best traditional dresses and attires to celebrate the Eke Ekpe Aro cultural carnival.
Each Aro village presents their best cultural dances and masquerades to compete for honor and prizes, and also to entertain the huge crowd that gathers to witness the events that speak volumes of Aro’s rich cultural heritage.
In the olden days, some Nwamgbede Aro came out at Eke Ekpe Aro to parade or display their beauty and glamour decorated in their best Aro traditional bridal fashion. This used to be one of the best exciting cultural side attraction shows that people looked forward to seeing.
Eze Aro, accompanied by Eze Ibom Isii and Eze Ezeagwu, usually stands tall to pray for peace and progress of Aro kingdom and all her people both at home and abroad. Eze Aro addresses the people on some critical issues on the ground in the kingdom. The President General of Nzuko Aro worldwide also briefs Aro people on every ongoing development project in the kingdom and any plans for the future.
People from all walks of life and friends are invited to come and witness a galaxy of one of the best Igbo annual new yam cultural festival shows.
Activity Day 14: This is Orie Ubi Le’ Avom. The term “Orie Ubi Le’ Avom” means: Let the farm take care of my stomach or my food needs going forward. This day, which is immediately after the Eke Ekpe Aro day, marks the beginning of the end of the Ikeji Aro season. On this day, all the traditional sacred Ovo paraphernalia that were brought down for sacrifices some days ago are all taken up. The sacred Ovo staff is returned to its original position and hung on the wall of every Inyama Avia in Ulonta or Awada of every traditional compound until an appropriate day of the next Ikeji Aro season.
Activity Day 15: This is Avo Ndula Nwaekpe. On this day, Nwaekpe, which represents the symbol of the spirits of Aro founding fathers, is solemnly “led back to the central Awada Aro at Ugwuakuma to continue to rest in peace. It is a purely solemn ceremony.
Activity Day 16: This is Nkwo Nwupu Mmayi na Ibom Isii. It is exactly four market days after Nkwo Ekpe Ibom Isii. On this day, Umu Otusi Ibom Isii gather at Eze Ibom Isii Palace to pour libations to lift every activity that was suspended during the sacred Ikeji Aro season within Ibom Isii community. It is also known as Nkwo Nzupu Avia, which marks the opening of businesses in Ncheghe market days. Farming and other businesses hitherto suspended because of the Ikeji Aro season are now lifted in all Ibom Isii community. This day marks the winding down of Ikeji season within Ibom Isii community. Some Umu Otusi Amuze join their Ibom Isii counterparts to celebrate this closing ceremony of Ikeji season for Ibom Isii community.
Activity Day 17: This is Eke Nwupu Mmayi na Amuze. Umu Otusi of all the five Otusi Amuze clans assemble at Eze Aro’s Palace at Oror with Umu Otusi Ibom Isii from their four Otusi clans to pour final traditional libations to mark the final closing ceremony of the Ikeji Aro season in all the nineteen villages of Arochukwu kingdom. Libations are also poured at Inyama Avia shrine in major traditional compounds in Amuze community in Arochukwu kingdom. Thereafter, Eze Aro declares the Ikeji Aro season closed and adjourned until the next year Ikeji Aro traditional year.
In Conclusion:
The Ikeji Aro festival is woven with a rich tapestry of Aro culture, traditions, and history. The festival showcases the Aro’s cultural and traditional heritage to the world. The Aro inherited the Ikeji Aro festival from their ancestors. Ikeji Aro is one of the most elaborately celebrated new yam festivals in Igboland, in terms of its duration, spirituality, and richness in cultural and traditional content. Even the activities of the “Ekpe Aro” society are fully suspended during the Ikeji Aro season. The Aro continue to promote their Ikeji Aro to the world, especially at its Eke Ekpe Aro carnival.
Some positive changes may be necessary to ensure that Ikeji programs meet the needs, convenience, and desires of the Aro people, but without necessarily losing the essential traditional and cultural glamour and flavor.
The activities of “Iwupu Mmayi na Ibom Isii” and “Amuze” separately remind the people that Arochukwu kingdom is historically made up of only two communities: (i) Amuze, of “Igbo bu Igbo” stock, and (ii) Ibom Isii, of fearless Aro warriors. Both communities solidly and intelligently combined to produce what we know today as Aro Oke Igbo: the great Igbo people of Arochukwu kingdom with a rich history and cultural heritage.
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