The people of Mba
Agwuru Ishi in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State have kicked off their annual Oganihi Mba Cultural Festival with a stiff warning to women not to attend any of the activities in trousers as it is against the people’s culture.
Chairman Mba Agwuru Ishi People’s Congress (MPC), Elder Sunday Njoku who dropped the hint while addressing the people.
Elder Njoku who described culture as a major mark of identity that distinguished a people from others urged Mba people especially youths to embrace their culture.
“African Communities are distinguished by their unique culture and tradition. Keep your culture alive irrespective of modernization. It is also wrong to believe that modern religion or modernization is against your culture”, he advised.
The congress leader told our reporter that MPC observed dividling interest in the Oganihu festival and for the past four years the congress had taken concrete steps to revive the festival and urged Mba people, especially the youths who are future leaders to keep their culture alive irrespective of western incursion.
He said the festival commence Friday with a novelty football match between Mba Owuahia 1 and Mba Owuahia 11 at Amaku football pitch and that on Monday 4th November there would be singing competition by women groups and Queen’s competition while Wednesday marks the closing of the festival with wrestling competition.
Chairman, Oganihi Mba Organizing Committee for 2013, Ezeji Ambrose Njoku reminded Mba people and friends of the Community that it is against the tradition of Mba for any lady to attend the festival in trousers.
He particularly warned trouble makers to stay away as fighting and other forms of trouble attract straingent fines.
He said there would be attractive awareds to active participants and exchange of gifts as mark of love and unity.
The Committee Chairman further challenged sons and daughters of Mba town in diaspors not to allow physical distance cut them away from their root and culture but to keep the traditional flag flying high.
One of the cultural music groups in Mba, the Eri Agala Musical Group of Etche has promised a big fiesta to the people.
Nwaija Boy, the leader vocalist told The Tide that it was vital for the culture to be preserved for posterity.
He urged the government at all levels especially the local government councils especially the local government councils across the nation to redouble their efforts in promoting culture stressing that it was dangerous to allow the peoples culture go extinct because of foreign culture.
He particularly appealed to the Chairman of Etche Local Government Area, Barr. Reginald Ukwuoma to  encourage Cultural Music groups in Etche by a way of improvement.
“Most of us don’t have required musical instruments. We are mainly remembered during cultural festivals only to be abandoned immediately after”.

Chris Oluoh