By Patrick Ochei
The children loving king of Issele-Uku, HRM Agbogidi Obi Nduka JP (MNSE), yesterday celebrated the Iwaji Umuaka Festival at the palace with selected pupils from Omado, Burr, Adams, Martin, Egbune and Ogbe-Utu Primary Schools, including others from various private schools who were brought by their Head Mistresses and some teachers.
The monarch quickly set the stage in motion by welcoming the pupils and their teachers to Issele-Uku Royal Palace, briefing them on the reason he had invited them to celebrate with them.
He told them that the Iwaji Umuaka which is one of the series of Issele-Uku festival as documented down by our forefathers, has been a silent event in the Ine Aho traditional calendar but will no longer be so. He said it would now become a Children’s Day in Issele-Uku.
Obi Nduka assured the children that henceforth, Iwaji Umuaka Festival would be an event of reckoning in Issele-Uku; thereby calling on well meaning sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora to key into the project in order to reinvent the culture of inculcating sound moral and behavioural values in our children.
The amiable king further said he has taken it as a project of priority to get the children involved in issues of culture, affirming that Issele-Uku is so rich in culture and traditional heritage to allow modernity erode it.
His words, “I’m elated celebrating with you today. Be it known to you that Iwaji Umuaka Festival has become our Children’s Day henceforth. The essence of this day is to afford us the platform to teach you our culture and traditions which come with positive values.
“As part of the administration of Issele-Uku today, we have a Committee that oversees issues of Education. I want to use this medium to encourage our teachers to help us in uniting all children by harnessing their positive energy into becoming better and productive citizens in the future. In the past, children were seen as children of the community; everybody was involved in their upbringing, whether they were their biological parents or not. That is the way I want to see things with our children going forward, we must all join hands together to mold them up in positive ways for better families and society. That is what the holy scriptures recommend – that we teach them the way to go.
“It’s my intention for every child to be here today but we have to start from somewhere. It will be better next year and moving forward.
“Let me once again appreciate the teachers for their great role in the upbringing of these our children. Every valuable person in the society was taught by a teacher. We must continue to accord our teachers the regard and reward they deserve. We must support them. And it’s also instructive to advise that they always apply wisdom, calmness and patience in teaching our children to learn and behave well. You must avoid abuse in the name of discipline; we must all ensure that the rights of children are protected at all times”, Obi Nduka advised.
Meanwhile, apart from lavishly hosting the children, Obi Nduka presented a cash gift of #50,000 to Adams Primary School which came first in the dancing competition while all the participating schools got #20,000 each as transport support back to their various destinations.
In the same vein, Obi Nduka paid a visit to Great Saints Orphanage, Issele-Uku, immediately after the palace party, where he donated foodstuffs and toiletries to the management of the Home for the upkeep of the children.
The children’s delight king said, he is obligated to ensure that every child in Issele-Uku, whether privileged or vulnerable thrives and not allowed to go hungry under any guise.
He assured that he would always reach out to the Orphanage every Iwaji Umuaka Festival to ensure that they enjoy what others who are privileged to be at the Palace party enjoy.
In response to this uncommon gesture and vote of thanks, the Secretary of the Orphanage, Mrs. Confidence Nwaeke vehemently appreciated the Obi for his humane disposition towards Great Saints Orphanage.
She said, “In you, our children have found a father, and your constant show of love to them is a reassurance of selfless leadership, integrity and sincere purpose for charity. Your leadership is not only on the throne but in the heart. May the land of Issele-Uku continue to prosper under your reign, our dear Royal Majesty”, Nwaeke stated.
It was a visit laced in Royal love as the Obi was accompanied by his amiable Anasi-Obi Rosemary Chukwudumebi Nduka, the Okwalegwe of Issele-Uku, Chief John Ochei Ph.D, the Esogba of Issele-Uku, Chief Fidelis Jigide, the Ugegbe-Obi of Issele-Uku, Chief (Prof) Josephine Mokwunye, the Uweh-Obi of Issele-Uku, Chief Augustine Uche Maha, the Osodi of Issele-Uku, Chief Sunday Monyei, the Ozoma of Issele-Uku, Chief Peter Oduh, the Oloto of Issele-Uku, Chief Ignatius Memeh, the Ojugbana of Issele-Uku, Chief (Prof) Patrick Osiegbu, the Ashi-Obi of Issele-Uku, Chief Uche Ngbanwa and the Ezinne of Issele-Uku, Chief (Barr) Mrs. Josephine Ada Kachikwu and others too numerous to mention.
