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Ikeji Festival



An annual four-day festival called Ikeji, held by Igbo people of Arondizuogu, in Imo state, Nigeria, between the months of March and April, is a celebration of the harvest of new yams and the culture of the Igbo people. The festival celebrates the harvest of new yams and the culture of the Igbo people. The inception of the Ikeji festival dates back five centuries and is an Igbo festival that unites all Igbo race members across the globe as they travel back home (Igbo land) to witness and partake in the festival. Several masquerades dance in the villages during the festival, as well as music and Igbo traditional culture.

In terms of the history of the Ikeji festival, there are two major theories, but according to the people of Arondizuogu, the first Ikeji festival took place in the 16th century to express their gratitude to the gods of the land for providing them with a bumper harvest of yams. Nigeria generates revenue from the Ikeji festival through tourism as every year, foreigners as well as Igbos in diaspora as well as the Igbo community around the globe travel back to Arondizuogu to attend the celebrations.

During the Ikeji festival, various events are held; the most popular activity is a competition known as Ito-Ebule, which is a Japanese term that means "Untying of the Ram". Among the Ikeji festivals, it is one of the most anticipated events and is held on the last day of the festival. The Ito-Ebule festival, also called the untying process, is a foremost part of the festival. A ram is tied to a tree as part of the Ito-Ebule competition, and the sorcerers who have entered the competition have to untie the ram from its tie by going to the tree. In accordance with the traditional beliefs of Arondizuogu, the ram could only be untied by a man of the greatest sorcery power amongst all of them.

Pericoma Okoye, the traditional prime minister of Arondizuogu, was by fate the most successful sorcerer, who had won numerous Ito-Ebule contests by untying the ram annually, and he also happened to be the most successful sorcerer.

This festival has been most beneficial to the farming culture of the people of Arondizuogu. It has greatly encouraged more youths to take to farming in the hope of harvesting the biggest yams.

https://nico.gov.ng/2014/09/17/ikeji-festival-in-arondizogu/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikeji_festival

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