We Have Exported Anioma Culture Beyond Borders – Ifeadi

MR. Kester Ifeadi is the President of Organisation For the Advancement of Anioma Culture, OFAAC, in this interview ahead the ten year anniversary of OFAAC, he disclosed that the organisation has restored the Anioma identity. Ifeadi also noted that OFAAC has become the rallying point for Anioma sons and daughters since inception. He spoke to CHARLES KUMOLU HOW has the journey of OFAAC been since 2003 andhow did you get the OFAAC story started? I am a typical and foremost Anioma son. It was during one of my trips abroad that I discovered that most people are where they are because they are conscious of their culture and where they come from. Anioma nation used to pride itself as a highly refined and cultured people. Some of our elite are losing that because of western influence and education. This shouldn't be because even the West is trying to trace its culture. We who have a closer tie with our culture are throwing it away. We have been in the vanguardof creating cultural awareness for our people. Our people over the year s have faced the crisis of identity because we are Igbo speaking generally, but the typical Igbo man does not consider us as Igbos. They call us western Igbos sometimes, but doeswestern Nigeria consider us as one of them? The crisis have got to a level where most of our elite claim other tribes. So, we decided to take the bull by the horn. We are Anioma people and there are unique features about us. This is inspite of our dialectical groupings. Our dressing is unique,and so is our culture; we are a peaceful people. Inspite of all the crisis in the history of Nigeria since independence, we have remained peaceful. Anioma is still one of the very few places you can go and experience peace and tranquility. With all these beautiful things, we felt there is need to projectourselves strongly as Anioma people. This is mainly to focus on our values and culture. So we have the festival which is the biggest vehicle of culture. How have you been able to sustain the festival all through the years? It is all about passion. You don’t succeed in anything you don’t havepassion for. We are passionate about it and that is why we are here today. There is also the support of God which is very fundamental. The reasons why we are growing bigger and biggeris because our people found this project a very important one and they have all given their support in every ramification. Specifically, our royal fathers have been supporting this project wholeheartedly. Today, it is the singular event in ourarea that attracts over 70 percent of the royal fathers in Anioma at one sitting. I need to also mention the corporate world, who after looking at us with their prism found the festival a worthy one and have come to identify with it. That is why we have big names like MTN identifying with us over the years. What new things are to beexpected in this 10th anniversary? I’ll say this 10th edition is going to be more of an assessment of what we have done in the past. It is going to be all the years in one. It is going to be the definition of where we are and where we are going to. It is going to be a definition of the way forward for our people. It is going to be a complete package of things that people have not seen before. What was the reaction to this festival 10 years ago? You know that in Nigeria, nobody does anything without people reading meanings into it. We expected all that. When we started, people thought it was a political platform that will fizzle out. Some even insinuated that we had agenda in terms of self determination. They had reasons to examine us year in year out and foundthat we are purely a cultural organisation for the advancement of Anioma culture.

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