Iwa Uzo ceremony in Ezeagbogu-Mbaise EZEAGBOGU is one of the 13 communities that constitute Ezinihitte Local Government Area in Mbaise, Imo State. According to oral tradition, Ezeagbogu is the youngest of the three sons of Ofor Duru Nwaevule. The other brothers are Itu (the first son) and Okpfe. It is also recorded that the Eze of Ezeagbogu does not go to war. That is why the community bears that name Eze-Agbaghi-Ogu. This confirms the traditional ruler’s title, The Ogbo-Ogo of Ezeagbogu meaning ‘the peace maker of Ezeagbogu.’ Ezeagbogu is made up of five villages namely: Umuoparaoma, Umuebee, Umuchaku, Umuchie, Umunachi. Ezeagbogu shares border with Otulu Ahiara and Onicha on the west; Okpofe and Ihitte on the North; Eziudo on the East; and some parts of Onicha on the south. Origin No particular date is recorded for the beginning of Iwa Uzo. Through the years however, certain modifications have taken place, especially as a result of people’s contact with Christianity and modernization. Literally, Iwa Uzo means to clear a pathway so that people can walk through. For the people of Ezinihitte Mbaise, it has deeper meaning. It is a period to celebrate good neighbourliness between kindred that share common boundary. It is also a time of thanksgiving to the god for a good year and asking for blessing for the year ahead. It is a period when issues bordering on security and wellbeing of people who share common boundary are looked into with a view to foster better relationship among them. It was observed that people would steal from one kindred and seek refuge in the next kindred. So, to stop this crime, kindred that shares boundaries decided to form an alliance to fight against crime. The Iwa Uzo became an instrument for social control in Ezinihitte, Mbaise. Road clearing and construction Before the Iwa Uzo, people did not see the need to clear the roads linking them to other communities. Also, the people refused to contribute money to work on their link roads. It became a necessity to create roads for ease of access to farms, markets, streams, hence the festival became a platform for social work. This platform created an avenue where the communities levied themselves to construct roads. For unity and peace In the past, land demarcations and extensions gave rise to disputes where a community felt the other community had encroached on its property, hence the introduction of the Iwa Uzo. As a yearly feast, Iwa Uzo is celebrated annually between the last week in the month of December and the first week of January. This date is chosen because this is a period when less work is done on the farm and the rains are less. Today, this date is still adhered to because it is a time of great festivity which included Christmas, Igba Egwu ceremony, Oji Ezinihitte Mbaise and holiday which all combine to attract people to the village. The ceremony is performed on any day of the week except on Sunday and the market day of the visiting community. Procedure for celebration The procedure for the celebration starts four market days earlier with the announcement by a committee member of the proceedings for that year’s celebration. The announcement is done by sounding the gong (mkpo/igbugbo). The proceeding includes the traditional cleaning and cleansing of main footpath leading to the next kindred. This symbolizes cleaning of weeds and overgrown shrubs on the road for easy passage for people to the community that will host the Iwa Uzo for that year. It further indicates continuity in the relationship between Umuamadi and Umuekwenede kindred. As early as 6am, everybody (excluding the aged, the sick, nursing mothers and children) is expected to be at the meeting place with their working tools including Ogu (hoe), Mma (cutlass), Aziza (broom), Nighighi (unprocessed broom from palm fronds) and Avo (basket). Defaulters are always fined. If they refused to pay, their mortars would be seized until they pay. It’s expected that by 10am, they should have cleared the road up to the village square of the next kindred. Today, people look forward to that day for various reasons, chief of which is the opportunity it creates for people to meet with friends and relations. Mothers see it as an occasion to show off their daughters-in-law. For the daughter-in-law who is not from Ezeagbogu (they are called Osinamba), it is a time to learn the culture of the people. The day also reaffirms the spirit of oneness amongst the people because while they are working, songs are rendered and jokes are cracked. At the square in Umuekwenede, the elders will be waiting to receive the people of Umnaumadi as they work towards them. The people of Umuamadi with their songs will announce their presence. They come into the square as from 11 am and sing and dance with their working tools indicating that they have, indeed, worked. After singing and dancing, visitors will be entertained, this is called Igba awo oma. The actual ceremony starts in the evening from 4pm. In the past, the setting was arranged according to age and status in the community. Today, apart from these categories, wealthy sons of the community are given recognition; as the saying ‘nwata kwozie aka ya o soro ndi okenye ri e nri’ (when a child washes his hand well, he eats with the elders). Nothing has changed except in the area of making sacrifices and the fact that the ceremony has become a great feast featuring in-laws and friends as participants unlike in the past. Also, the ceremony is no longer a platform where offenders are punished, but basically for merry making. Every woman in Umuekwenede kindred contributes a measured portion of cassava meal (akpu, fufu) and melon seeds to prepare melon cake (usu). The men, on the other hand, levy themselves to provide money for meat and soup, usually okazi or oha soup (ofe okazi ma o bu ofe oha). The ceremony begins with an opening prayer. In the past, the priest of the first born male of the kindred (opera ezi) says the prayer but today, with the advent of Christianity, modifications have occurred. Various dances are presented by the women of both kindred. Such dances include: Omurunwa dance (nkwa omurunwa). This dance literally means the dance for mothers, agbacha ekuru nwa dance which means after dancing you will have your own child. These dances came up in the Iwa Uzo then because the ceremony was basically for married people only. Today, the ceremony features all categories of people. The money collected goes to the agbacha ekuru nwa dances. At other times when there are projects to be executed, this money realized is set aside for the project at hand. Apart from cases involving the Aladimma, the committee can settle cases of theft, the committee hands over thieves caught to their kindred for punishment. Significance of Iwa Uzo The Iwa Uzo is a unifying factor in the community. Today, it has gone beyond kindred level; it involves in-laws, friends and visitors from other communities. The ceremony provides both kindred the opportunity to renew the bond of brotherhood between them. The Iwa Uzo has helped in the development of the communities involved. Better roads have been constructed, etc. It has further strengthened relationships through the institution of marriage.
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 10:50:20 +0000