Enugu

There are different festivals in Enugu state, aimed at celebrating their culture and heritage. These include;

• New Yam Festival: The annual yam festival is generally applied in communities in Enugu state though at different intervals, usually during harvest period (between July and November). It is celebrated in appreciation to Chukwuobioma (Gods of the land) for his protection all through the farming year till the harvest time. The celebration is widely believed to open ways for good health and a better farming year ahead. During the new yam, friends and families exchange yams that they harvested and also other agricultural products like livestock. The new yam festival in communities in Enugu state is largely associated with masquerade display, feasting, dancing and other cultural performances. It is expected that an indigene of Enugu state should not eat yam prior to the new yam festival of his community. The traditional rulers of various communities will first appease the God and then offer the new yam to them before he and other members of the community will then begin to eat the new yam in their respective homes.

• Ofala Festival: A Celebration of Royalty, This is the official cultural outing of the king and members of the cabinet in the year. The Ofala Festival is an annual ceremony practiced mostly by the Igbos of Anambra and Enugu state especially Onitsha, Nnewi, Agulueri and Ukpo, Mmaku etc. The festival serves as a rites of renewal of the king or Obi. The festival is celebrated within two days mostly in October by the Obi. The festival marks the end of a period of retreat
sometimes called Inye Ukwu na Nlo when the Obi remains incommunicado and undergoes spiritual purification for the good of the community. At the end of the week long retreat the Obi emerges during the Ofala to bless his subjects and say prayers for the community. Ofala is celebrated annually beginning from the coronation of the Obi to his death, the latter of which is called “the last Ofala.

• Coal City Film Festival: Coal City Film Festival celebrates the originality of African and world cinematic expressions in the city that arguably gave birth to the Nigerian Film industry otherwise known as Nollywood. Enugu State Nigeria has played integral role in hosting early filmmakers and provided locations in the beginning days of the largest film industry in Africa and has continued to do so; what other way to pay the state back, than assembling filmmakers from all over the world annually to this tourist city with so much historical and archaeological significance to Nigeria and Africa as a wide. The Festival founded by African Avat-garde filmmaker and Screenwriter, Uche Agbo, is an Okike Media initiative with the goal of serving as the gateway to the tourist potentials of South East Nigeria.

• Mmanwu Festival: Igboland holds many festivities and cultural performances, most notably the masquerades and the new Yam festivals. Masquerades (Mmanwu) are held in accordance with the community native calendars during festivals, annual festivities, burial rites and other social gatherings. The masquerades are geared in colourful robes and masks made of wood or fabric. Some masks appear only at one festival, but the majority appears at many or all. Masquerades are associated with spiritual elements, as according to Igbo belief, they represent images of deities or sometimes even dead relatives. The identity of the masquerade is a well-kept secret and performed exclusively by men. In the past, masquerades were regarded as the means for maintaining peace and order and were primarily used as law enforcement agents. The whole village would come out for the ceremony of the colourful masquerades. While entertaining through dances and exhibiting extra-human feats, the masquerades would walk up to certain individuals and loudly expose any bad habits, crimes or misbehavior of that person. As people would always take corrections from these exposures, the masquerades were effective in keeping up with traditional norms and values in the communities. There are annual masquerade festival in most Igbo communities called ogbako Mmanwu (gathering of masquerades) where masquerades gather in village squares or open filed to entertain people. Notable among the masquerade festival is the annual Masquerade Festivals in November organised by Enugu State which involves masquerade groups from various parts of the state.

• Iwa Akwa Festival: The Iwa-Akwa festival is one of the most beautiful Igbo festivals which is celebrated within 3 years interval. The Iwa-Akwa festival is a cultural heritage of the people of Okigwe senatorial district of Imo State and Enugu west senatorial district of Enugu State, mainly celebrated by the people of Ugbo in Enugu State. This is one of the beautiful cultures that has refused to die despite the claims of Christianity which has wiped other beautiful cultures. It also attracts so many tourists both from within and outside Nigeria. The Iwa-akwa festival is a ceremony where young men who has come of age are been initiated into manhood and given the opportunities to make their contributions in social cultural and political affairs of the community. In this stage of life they can now sit with elders, wine, dine, discuss issues as it affects the community and suggests solutions.

• Omabe Festival: There was celebration galore at Imufu autonomous community in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of Enugu State, as the community marked its Omabe festival. The festival which witnessed the display of the people’s culture, attracted tourists from far and near, even as the sons and daughters of the community returned to identify with and socialise with friends. In parts of Igbo land, Omabe masquerades have been in existence for several centuries and they are seen as a sacred club for adult males alone as it is a taboo for a woman to come near the masquerade, as some of them are believed to possess some mystical powers.

• Omabe Festival: Ekpe festival is a masquerade festival celebrated mainly by the Igbos of Abia state, Rivers state and Nkanu people of Enugu state. Unlike the Mmanwu festival which is the gathering of tens and thousands of different masquerades, this masquerade festival particularly celebrates the Ekpe masquerades. Ekpe festival is a lively cultural festival that attracts people from in and outside the state. The Ekpe festival has existed for millenniums and involves so many kinds of Ekpe masquerades performing different kinds of cultural dance. Here, male and female (old and young) dress in their cultural attire, the male must tie a piece of George (wrapper) to make up for the cultural attire. Male children who have been initiated into Ekpe masquerade, and are skilled in playing the cultural music, show their expertise in their culture while the masquerade performs the dancing. People appreciate the performances of the masquerade, players and other individual dancers by donating money to them while the music is on. The apex of the cultural festival is when the Ekpe Masquerade will use a cutlass and behead a goat at a strike.

• Odo Festival: Odo is a term used to describe the returning of the dead who spend up to six months with the living during the festival. The Odo festival is celebrated among the northern Igbos of Enugu state especially among the Nsukka and the Udi people. The Odo appear as male and female masked figures played by men who are members of the death cult society, and whose identity is required to keep secret. The Odo are first welcomed back with celebrations, and then make visits to their former homes, which result in more entertainment and gift giving. Their departure is a sad one, and engages the community in an emotional leave taking event before the Odo`s journey back. This long festival is a celebration that requires extensive preparations and sacrifice for the community. Women are heavily involved in food preparation and performances as chorus members as well as audience. The creation of costumes and masks with plant fiber, leaves, beads, and feathers, although more durable cloth costumes are becoming more common in contemporary Odo plays. A musical accompaniment, featuring xylophones, drums, and rattles, which is known as obilenu music, meaning “that which lies above.” the development of these music groups and plays are all done in a sacred area outside of the central village where the Odo performers reside and help train new initiates to the cult. Tribal relatives from distant communities will renew their contact with their roots by spending long periods with their family while enjoying the dramatic presentations of the Odo characters. The transformation of the dead in Odo characters involve guttural speaking and large movements.
Odo Festival.

• Igwa Nshi Festival: Igwa nshi is a festival celebrated in Eke, udi LGA of Enugu. It’s a celebration that reminds heroes of the past victories against neighboring towns, during the festivals villages that make up the town always converge at the village square with their drums to entertain the guest. The events last for eight days.

Ede Festival: Ede festival also called Ede aro festival by the Abagana people of Anambra state is an annual cultural festival celebrated mostly by the Igbo people of Anambra and Enugu State. Celebrated during the harvest of cocoyam. The Ede festival is a very colourful festival that celebrates the cocoyam, Women believes that if sowing and harvesting of yam which is reserved for the males are celebrated, sowing and harvesting of cocoyam which is reserved for the female should also be celebrated.