In Nnewi, there are many festivals, some of which are observable by a few sections only, others are by the entire Nnewi public. All jujus of great importance have important festivals which people observe in their names, whilst others have at times mere offerings and sacrifices. It is essential to note that not all public deities have festivals observed in their honour by all Nnewi people. It is also essential to note that not all domestic juju have festivals not observed in their honour by the entire people. Ndi ichie, for example is a house juju, but has a festival observable to it by all, whereas a public deity like Uzukpe has festivals observable only a section of the people.
Some festivals are shared amongst many deities whilst others are a monopoly of others. Ikwu Aru, for example, is observed primarily to Edo but other deities have still some share in it. But a festival like Okuka meaning, Superiority, is a monopoly of a single deity and that is Eze Mewi.
Minus the festival of Ilo Mmo, all other important ones are observable on Okwu days. The fact that a good number of these festivals should fall on Okwu is not any matter of accident. Very clearly, the ancients realized the necessity of ensuring that on feast days, people should move about safely. This is so because okwu days are days when people are expected to refrain from all violence or acts that may occasion loss of life because those days are regarded holy particularly to Edo.
Table of Festivals
Feasts | Time when observable | To whom observable | By whom observable | |
1 | Oghulu | Early January | Ufiojioku | Men (farmers) |
2 | Igu Aro | January or February – five native weeks after oghulu | Ukwu Enwe Uke Oba | Children |
3 | Ikwu Aru | January or February and , rarely March and April | Edo chiefly and other public deities nominally | Married people only |
4 | Izunata Mmo | March but at times April | Ndi Ichie only | Grown-ups (male) |
5 | Isi Ebili | April but at times May or June -seven native weeks after Onu | Edo chiefly and other public jujus nominally | Girls |
6 | Isi Oso | April but at times May or June | Different public deities | Girls |
7 | Ilili Umu Mmo Ji | June to July | Different public deities | Priests of public deities |
8 | Ika Mmo | July to August | Ndi Ichie only | Grown-ups (male) |
9 | Ilo Mmo | August but at times September | Ndi Ichie chiefly, and Ana and Izugbe to a small degree | Grown-ups |
10 | Afia Olu (New yam Festival) | August to September | Ufiojioku only | All |
11 | Okuka | September | Eze Mewi only | Grown-ups chiefly |
12 | Ikpukpo | October | Different public deities | All |
13 | Ota | September to October to November | Different public deities | Grown-ups |
14 | Ofala | Ending of December between 27th, 28th,29th | For Igwe | All |
Dr. John Okonkwo Alutu , Nnewi History (From the Earliest Times to 1980/82) fourth Dimension publishers
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