Introduction
Arochukwu is one of the most historically and culturally significant traditional societies in south-eastern Nigeria. It has, in the course of its history, acquired unique legacies, practices, traits, traditions and institutions, for example, Omu Aro, its insignia that plays a crucial role in aiding bonding amongst the people as well as ensuring social cohesion.
Development experts insist that culture is fundamental to societal growth by providing identity and social cohesion, acting as a catalyst for innovation and economic growth, and shaping individual behaviours and values that influence collective progress. Also, culture is believed to be capable of fostering community solidarity and enabling active citizenship, so effective development strategies must be culturally sensitive, understanding existing values to ensure that resistance to change is removed or reduced substantially.
This is particularly crucial in the face of pressures of modernity which society must reconcile positively; without this, its identity, growth and development will be impaired. The Aro, just like other humans, are products of their culture, a social rather than biological trait which defines the totality of their personality. There is no society without culture as it is the basis of man’s existence, and it dynamically updates itself in the course of interaction by people and their environment.
Also, the traditions of the Aro are rooted in their past and found in various aspects of their cultural practices as sources of identity and gateway of continuity and change — the wheel that propels societal progress. Societal growth and development occur when the people deploy their culture and tradition to find solutions to peculiar problems they encounter in the course of their everyday existence.
Mazi T. K. Utche, Mazi S.W.O Okereke, etc. – An Honor Well Deserved
We are human only in the context of society and our culture and tradition are built up via our interactions and ingenuity as members of society. By implication, the Arochukwu of our dream will only be realized through structured interactions and inter-dependencies skilfully managed by people in authority today.
Therefore, the Aro Palace, Nzuko Aro Worldwide and the Central Planning Committee (CPC) of Ikeji 2025 deserve our commendation for focusing on Omu Aro whose 100 years of existence we are celebrating this season.
As the concept note rightly averred, in development, culture is everything and Aro
renaissance is gaining ground quickly and deepening its consciousness among umuaro all
over the world. Aro’s age-long civilization that showcased our achievements in commerce,
culture, peace-building, enterprise, education and community development is being refreshed
in various guises, especially bringing it to the consciousness of the people.
Aro civilization as captured through Aro Confederacy obviously harboured deep cultural roots as reflected in values such as Inya Akpa (mentorship), Izu Avia (commerce), Ogugu Isii (wisdom), Nkwaghi Ugwu (respect for elders), Mgbede (purity and chastity), Egwuru-Egwu (entertainment), etc.
But a very significant aspect of Aro Culture (identity) is expressed in our branded Omu Aro George which was patented and produced by Mazi Solomon Walton Okoro Okereke by the initial Omu Aro logo designed by Dr. T. K. Utchay (Ugwu Aro) in 1925. It was subsequently revised and approved as Aro insignia by Okpa Nkpo Aro in 1934 and its popularization and commercialization gained meaningfully from the efforts of Mazi Solomon Walton Okereke.
In a chat with Mazi Mike Okereke, Ugwuaro, the public relations guru and erstwhile PR chief at UAC and a direct son of Mazi Solomon Walton Okoro Okereke, he told me that his father was a well-known produce merchant. In a team that comprised other great Aro sons, such as late Mazi Mbonu Ojike, late Ozumba Mbadiwe, etc. they were at the forefront of Aro issues under the banner of THE PATRIOTS. Mazi S.W.O Okereke’s mission, according to him, was to promote and project Aro UNITY and IDENTITY. He was a visionary and innovative merchant. He wanted an identity for Arochukwu, so the PATRIOTS commissioned the late Mazi T.K. Utche to produce the Omu Aro logo. He, S.W.O. Okereke, cleared the design with Nzuko Arochukwu and got approval to produce the Omu Aro George. He got in touch with his manufacturer and briefed them on the design color scheme, etc. and samples were produced and approved by Nzuko Arochukwu. Mazi S.W.O Okereke took the financial risk and bank rolled the Omu Aro George project. ‘We sold Omu Aro George then for only N5, 000.00 (Five thousand Naira) per piece. Okereke Brothers own the patent. Many have been infringing on our patent’, he informed me. Ostensibly, further redesign of the logo and approval by Okpa Nkpo Aro in 1934 may have been concluded by Mazi T.K. Utche though these historical facts are not in the public domain.
This year being its 100th after its creation, the festival theme is: “Ikeji Aro Okeigbo 2025: Celebrating Omu Aro as a Symbol of Aro Culture and Identity.”
A theme such as this helps to engender focus, emphasize different aspects of facts, take a cause a notch higher, etc. Also, it teaches an important lesson and directs thoughts and energies towards what shall propel or trigger collective survival and growth. Omu Aro, the insignia of the ancient kingdom, is arguably one of its greatest sources of cultural identity and its importance is easily revealed in the aggregative role it plays in harmonizing the energies, aspirations, thoughts and actions of people of Aro descent in over 350 communities in eastern Nigeria and beyond, including those in the diaspora.
Omu Aro provides a concrete basis for Aro development by making the pursuit of common goals possible. That Arochukwu is a great and historic centre of culture is not in doubt. That our forebears achieved great exploits by expanding the frontiers of our noble civilization which earned the kingdom great repute in the annals of history is equally not in contest. But how is this enviable achievement being sustained in the last 100 years? Are there concrete evidence of forces threatening to destroy efforts to reposition the kingdom on the path of peaceful development? Doesn’t this call for a new attitude to rediscover ourselves and redirect our energies towards a common objective?
This is where culture has a major role to play, and the celebration of Omu Aro, one of our major sources of cultural identity which the insignia signposts, is the surest bet to achieving this goal. Accordingly, several articles have been curated to provide us with lessons on ways to ensure deliberate socialization and inculcation of leadership qualities and values by Umu Aro of every age, but particularly the younger generation to ensure that Aro renaissance is non-stop and the examples of Mazi S.W.O Okereke, Mazi T. K. Utche and their ilk whose efforts pioneered this feat, are emulated.
Challenges to Development in Aro – Focus on Our Youths
The youths of our kingdom are the leaders of tomorrow through whom greater posterity will be assured. So, as we celebrate the ingenuity of the patriots who originated the Omu Aro logo this season, let’s ponder on the major impediments to development in Arochukwu. Development is a multi-dimensional thing, with material and non-material components, but essentially humans are at the centre of it. Advanced societies place great premium on education because of the belief that the human mind harbours the greatest engine of societal development. An untrained mind is believed to be basically sick and incapable of harnessing non-material things for the betterment of mankind.
Hence, the way we take the education of our people may determine our reach, development- wise. Was it a coincidence that Mazi T. K. Utche, whom we celebrate today, was equally a champion of education? Was it not Chief Emeka Ojukwu who once counselled that even if the devil gives someone a scholarship to go to school, it should be taken with both hands? How many Aro children of school age are actually at school and how many that are capable of learning skilled trades are provided such opportunities? What opportunities are being created for the educated ones to gain useful employment or to be self-employed? How much do our elites give back to the society that nurtured them? How many of our leaders understand the imperatives of youths being true leaders of tomorrow?
Does the local government have accurate statistics of our people of various ages and any idea how they could be assisted? Without proper planning, how can development be achieved? Of course, some societies achieve growth without development whereby positive results are recorded in economic indices without corresponding improvement in the living standard of its people. No wonder some great nations of the world concentrate only on three things as development strategy – health, education and infrastructure. The logic is clear: health is a prerequisite for someone to be educated and excellent infrastructure is a necessity for a viable industrial base.
So, we can locate impediments to development in Aro within inept leadership, not recognizing and harnessing the potentials of the youth, selfishness amongst the elites, youths challenging those in authority, certain cultural practices begging for reform, and many more.
Omu Aro – Greatest Cultural Tool for Aro Development
A few years back, a novel event tagged “Arochukwu Got Talent” was introduced while I was chairing the Ikeji Planning Committee. It usually takes place on the eve or immediately after Ekekpe and it turned out to be a harvest of thrilling entertainment and talent discovery. The audience were held spellbound with fascinating displays of talent and creativity by the youths. Impressed with the array of talents paraded at the event and the enthusiasm exhibited by the youths, it was adopted as part of the Ikeji Festival to help in deepening Aro culture and tradition among the youths and also provide a platform for harnessing their rich potentials for community development.
Thus, Ikeji Festival has always aimed at using culture to drive the development of Arochukwu kingdom. Aro has a rich cultural history dating back to several centuries and the people are always proud of their ancestral heritage which is expressed in their mode of addressing, tradition and festivals, etc.
According to Carolina Tylus, the impact of culture is visible in areas such as creating intellectual potential and building human capital, popularization of cultural diversity, social integration, identity and bonding, etc.
Therefore, culture is a strong part of our lives as it influences our views, values, humor, hopes, loyalties, worries, fears, etc., and its aggregation and channelling towards a common goal makes for quicker attainment of results.
In essence, a strong Aro cultural identity is important to our wellbeing, particularly because a strong sense of our cultural history and traditions promotes unity and progress. Aro society is in a constant state of flux and culture is not static but progressively adjusts to new social order.
So, as long as culture is the biggest tool for the development of mankind, Omu Aro, our significant source of cultural identity, remains one of our biggest tools to achieve cultural rebirth and renaissance that would engender true development in the kingdom.
