The yearly Ofala Festival sponsored by leading telecommunications company, Globacom, begins in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Friday, October 18. It will take place at the Ime Obi, the palace of Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, the kingdom’s traditional ruler.
According to a statement released by Globacom Wednesday, the festival begins with the Iru Ofala on Friday, October 18 and will culminate on Saturday, October 19, with the Azu Ofala.
On Wednesday, October 23, at the Ime Obi, Globacom will host a Royal Banquet in honour of Igwe Achebe, according to the statement.
Ofala, the largest traditional festival in the country’s southeast, is primarily a celebration by the Igwe and his subjects of his yearly return from seclusion, a time when he successfully negotiates the kingdom’s fortunes and serves as a means for the monarch to fulfill certain cultural obligations.
“Courage, Perseverance, and Self-Reliance” (Onye kwe, Chi’e ekwe) is the subject of the 2024 Ofala and it reflects the traditional ruler’s message of optimism and fortitude in the midst of what the nation is currently passing through.
“We are proud to once again partner with the Ofala Steering Committee to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage. The Ofala is a celebration of our nation’s diversity and resilience, and we are honoured to be a part of it”, the statement concluded.