…Says Festival Now Baptised To Rreflect Modernity, Christain Values
From Rose Oranye, Anambra
The Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr. Law Mefor, Sunday, along with the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Udoji Amedu, attended thevOmaliko Festival in his hometown, Abatete, Idemili North Local Government Area.
Speaking in an interview after celebrating with his people at Afor Nsukwu and Agbaja Community Centre, respectively, Dr. Mefor said the festival’s evolution directly supports the Soludo administration’s drive to promote culture and tourism in Anambra State.
“The way this cultural festival of Abatete, called the Omaliko Festival, ties into the culture of Anambra State and the promotion of culture by the Anambra State Government is very fundamental,” Mefor said.
According to him, “the festival is used to commemorate the existence of Abatete as a town. It underlines what defines Abatete as a society and embodies everything Abatete stood for in ancient times.
“The advent of Christianity and its adoption of January 1st as New Year created no conflict for Abatete. Abatete has embraced modernity. Over 99.9% of Abatete people are Christians—Christians in the strictest sense of the word. We have dozens of Abatete sons and daughters who are priests and nuns. That shows we take Christianity seriously. But we also do not want to abandon our culture, because we do not see the celebration of Omaliko as contradicting culture, tradition, or even Christianity.”
He maintained that the festival now promotes unity, respect, and everything good, without negative elements. “If you notice, it is devoid of anything negative—just masquerades, people visiting one another, friends coming from all over. The Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism is here, and that shows we are not doing anything anti-government, anti-modernity, or anti-progress.”
He said that the community has transformed Omaliko into a carnival to suit modern times and engage the younger generation. “ We have long removed anything that contradicts Christianity. By that process, the Omaliko Festival has been ‘baptized.’ It is now done in line with modernity and everything good.”
“It is no longer just a festival. We have transformed it into a carnival so that our children can gather and see where we are coming from and where we are heading”, he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Udoji Amedu, said the Soludo administration was building structures to
partner with any community ready to develop its cultural assets.
He advised the people to uphold everything good and remove anything bad in relation to the festival and encouraged youths of the community to embrace hardwork to succeed in life.
In their separate remarks, the representative of the traditional ruler of Abatete, Igwe Engr Emeka Efobi, Chief Emmanuel Edeluga, (Ichie Okaka Osuofia), Chief Hyacinth Ilonze (Ichie Okaka Kpakpando Abatate) and Chief Okey Muo-Aroh (Ike Akatakwụanị), appreciated the people for their interest in upholding their culture, adding that the festival has become a social catalyst and agent of socialisation that reminds them of their roots.
The event featured cultural displays, masquerade performances, and visits by indigenes and friends of Abatete .