Igbos inhabit an area in the country referred to as Igboland found in southeastern region of Nigeria. They live in all the five states: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo, as well as minor parts of Delta, Rivers and Benue states
As a result of the transatlantic slave trade, Igbos have migrated to other countries including Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados, Belize, the United States among others. Elements of Igbo culture have been found in Jamaican patois and some other parts of the world.
However, Igbos are well-known for their entrepreneurial endeavours, both within Nigeria and around the world.
The United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) had in 2012 predicted that “half of the 7000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of the century”. It is estimated that one language dies out every 14 days. According to Wikipedia, an endangered language is “a language that is at risk of falling out of use as its speakers die out or shift to speaking another language.
Sadly too, the Igbo language is falling out of the communication choice of many Igbo people as a result of unguided modernity.
One central theme of the novel Things Fall Apart is the difficulty of maintaining traditional culture when the white Europeans took over the running of the communities they said they wanted to help. Okonkwo was particularly affected because of his prominent role in the Igbo community.
Therefore, globalization, therefore, can be said to have influenced almost the totality of the cultural heritage of the Igbo race such that the race its cultural values by the day. And, the danger is that as a people, we are in the verge of losing our cultural identity. Another fear is that the erstwhile cherished Igbo cultural heritage may be dominated by westernization.
With this speedy and forceful effect of mordernisation and pattern change, the Igbos should while accepting the good of globalization while at the same time guarding jealously the good aspects of their cultural heritage by preserving and maintaining them, for posterity.
Another sore reminder that needs a critical national attention is the fact that 52 years after, the Igbos are still living with the effects of the Nigeria-Biafran Civil War, that badly touched the fabrics and heart of the Igboland.
A war that raged for three years from 1967 to 1970, fought mainly in the Igbo land officially known then as Eastern Region was both ravaging and disorganising, leading to humanitarian disaster, hunger, starvation and annihilation of a people.
Yet, the Nigerian Government neither compensated those who lost loved ones and lost properties nor those who survived and returned to find their jobs taken, their properties and houses either destroyed or occupied, and their Biafran money worthless.
It is therefore reasonable that a sincere implementation of the Post-War Reintegration, Reconstruction and Reconciliation for the Igbos as was promised because the war equally caused Igbos some of their heritage ranging from culture to tradition. It is not too late yet.
Observably, ndi Igbo have shown very little respect, if not outright disregard, for their customs and values to the extent that very many persons who are highly excited Igbo inheritance and legacies are no longer at ease the ugly developments.
Many have found themselves discriminated against on account of their interest in propagating some of these traditions, wrongly dismissed by some culture-shy individuals as fetish. Obviously, few of the custodians of the culture are available today.
Even those around are not particularly willing to offer information on some aspects of the culture when approached.
Again, younger elements of the Igbo stock take great joy in being overly cosmopolitan and are unimpressed with the idea of going through hug to sustain a dying culture.
Maybe, it will take more than the passive and uncoordinated effort currently being made by few individuals like Ebubemba Ikeduru, to stem the drift. It is only among the Igbo race that you find a people not very eager to integrate the Igbo culture and be proud of it before other races. No other ethnic group does it.
Time-honored traditions of the people are treated with levity just as values that define their spiritual essence are reasonably scorned. Though some of these traditions have become distasteful with the passage of time and modernization, it still does not justify the brazenness with which Igbo culture and tradition is treated.
An extreme example of such obnoxious tradition that attracted public outrage but which has undergone reasonable modification is the practice of widowhood in some places in Igbo land. Even as there is nothing to be said in defence of such unwholesome practice, but the same cannot be said of title-taking, coronation, burial, breaking of kola nut, marriage, language etc some of which have suffered serious abuse if not outright disdain.
It is on the backdrop of these gaps that Clan Chief (Prof.) Chimezie Kingsley (KSC) (Ebubemba Ikeduru) elected to use his resources to revive, promote and preserve the highly cherished and honoured Igbo cultural heritage and tradition using his Ofala Festival as a veritable platform.
The Nigeria-Australian, academic and business czar who sits a CEO to a business conglomerate with concerns in various areas of endeavour from the News Echo-Newspaper and News Insider-Magazine to Deking Group of Companies, Nigeria Limited with expertise in Manufacturing, Construction, Real Estate Solutions, and Communication, he is as well, the Founder DeKing Group Pty Ltd, Australia.
The unquenchable philanthropist has a passionate Amazon with the heart of gold Chief Lady Maureen Nneka Kingsley as his amiable Lolo Ebubemba.
With his exquisite home and massive-sized Ofala ground at Umueziogwu village in Uzoagba community of Ikeduru Local Government Area, in Imo State, the plethora of exciting cultural and traditional Igbo heritage are revived, promoted and boasted by encouraging participants with empowerments and scholarship award, every December 30.
All Igbo Arts and Culture ranging from various types of Igbo dances, dishes, lectures on Igbo culture and values to language preservation including the assemblage of great and influencial Igbo sons and daughters from across the globe.