Observing The Rich Culture Of The Abriba Kingdom

Excerpts from the event ground

The Rich Cultural Heritage Of The Abiraba Kingdom

INTRODUCTION

I happened to have a friend who is from Abiriba in Abia state. Whenever we meet, we discuss a number of issues including sharing information about our different cultures. This time, it happened to be that he would be traveling to his village to participate in their usual cultural festival named “Itu Eye," which I will explain later. We had a nice time there but just that strangers are not allowed very close to the event ground. This made me to be far away from there. Right from the event ground, he kept sharing with me some bits of the activities happening live there.

Excerpts from the event ground

At a specific time of the year , people from far and near travel back to their various homes to participate in their cultural festivities. Their Participation in this cultural events enables them to uphold their accepted norms, values, beliefs, knowledge, arts, behaviors as well as laws that functions as a uniting factor and identification.

During this time, the people are seen to be wearing their cultural attires to make the event colorful. They sing, dance and walk around the community in an effort to display and uphold their cultural heritage.

Excerpts from the event ground

The Abiriba community is well known to have a well structured cultural festivities. They have a number cultural events which includes the“Itu Eye" as one of them.

About The Itu Eye Ceremony

The Abiriba kingdom is in Ohofia Local government with its geopolitical map in Abia North. The kingdom holds the Itu eye festival on annual basis and so arrangement are made for the ceremony.

The Itu eye ceremony is a cultural event during which the people of Abiriba kingdom gather to make new laws that would govern the people by their traditional ruler called “Enachoken". During the event, other traditional rulers from the kingdom would follow the Enachoken in traditional procession. The laws made, would be handed over to an age group who would enforce the new laws in the community.

Excerpts from the event ground

History has it that the Abiriba kingdom has existed for over 600 years and so the has been the Itu Eye Cultural ceremony. The ceremony is takes place at the village square where all the age grades would gather.

The kingdom has about 13 age grades that takes care of the community in areas such as security and otherwise. Every year while the event holds, a particular age grade picks a palm leaf which is a symbol of authority. By picking the Palm leaf, the age grades would be in authority over the affairs of the community for that year.

The most authoritative age grade is the one they call “Ukejiagbala." This age grade is in charge of enforcing the rules or laws enacted by the Enachoken of the kingdom and other prince of the kingdom for just one year up until the following year of the next Itu Eye ceremony.

Excerpts from the event ground
This is just one out other cultural practices of the Abiriba kingdom. This ceremony would also take place next year as it is yearly ritual.