Tuesday , March 26 2024

Tourism! Onitsha: Our Culture is Our Pride

Ofalla festival in Onitsha

Written by Chukwuma Sonia, Nwufo Vivian Chidimma, Arubaleze Chinanu, Owuseraka Rejoice Kelechi, Godwin Ejedioghaobi, Nkechi Chukwunedu, and Lawrence Ndigwe

    Busy and rough road leading to Onitsha with sunny weather and a sad expression on the faces of the people from the entrance of Boromi to the Obis palace. The  Boromi junction usually busy and crowdy filled with treading activities on both side if the road and the okada and bus drivers driving roughly looking for passengers. Heading towards the Obis palace are glorious buildings built by industrious son of Onitsha known for treading in Onitsha main market.

Obi’s Palace

The word “Onitsha” came from the word “Onicha”which means “despiser or arrogant”. The first genuinely powerful Obis of Onitsha was Eze  Ardi. Onitsha people was prone to looking down upon the people of the towns Adjacent to them.
Onitsha people are known for their Ofala festival which is an annual festival that celebrates the rich culture of Onitsha people in the south east of Nigeria. Another festival celebrated by the people is the Igba Odu festival,  a female Chieftaincy tittle. During this festival,  the women put on Odu aka and Odu ukwu with white wrapper tied from their chest down to their feet, and these women are called “Nwanyi Odu”. This title taking, is the highest among the Onitsha women. It it a climax of nobility and expression of wealth among Onitsha women. This people are also known for their greatness in treading and fishing.
Onitsha people transformed from traditional religion to Christianity at an early stage due to the early contact of the  people with the missionaries, which gave them a mileage ahead of the rest of  the land.  This is because Christianity come with education and Onitsha produced most early educated people in Igbo land as a whole.

About Chinenye Nwabueze

Nwabueze is a writer with passion for cutting-edge news

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9 comments

  1. Wow! the culture of Onitsha people is indeed a unique one.

  2. The Onitsha people are a force to reckon with. They are very organised, rich in culture and unique. Interacting with them was quite an eye opener.

  3. Onitsha is a very nice place beautiful culture quiz number 33 name Godwin ejedoghaobi

  4. The Onitsha people are a force to reckon with. They are very organised, rich in culture and unique. Interacting with them was quite an eye opener.(103)

  5. Onitsha is very popular community and a amazing culture and a comfortable place for business Quiz no 22

  6. wow! the people of Onitsha indeed have a splendid culture.
    Quiz number; 15

  7. it is said that the immigrant settlers from Benin were helped by the Igalas to cross the river to settle in Onitsha in the 16th century, which was originally called “Ado N Idu”. Onitsha people are really unique as there are three groups that makes the place called Onitsha today. The Edos, the Ezechima team. The Igalas, they were the people that were fishing at the Niger by the time Onitsha people came to settle their. And the Igbos. Onitsha people are really amazing and fun to be with.

  8. Onitsha people is also known with ofala festival,it is an annual celebration, it is really interesting, that makes people abroad to come back for it. igba odu is another festival they usually do, it is only made for their women and also women capable and rich enough. igba odu, here the women are to put on “odu aka”, ” odu ukwu,”and tie a white wrapper chest down to their feet, their women are called ” nwanyi odu”.
    Another interesting it, is that anything black is not allowed in the palace and also, it is a big sacrilege for female to wear trousers to step into the palace.

    quiz no:98

  9. Chukwunedu Nkechi Francisca

    Onitsha people are unique,with their colourful festivals. Their culture is wonderful and the city is quite the most popular in Anambra.

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