by Uzoma Ahamefule
Igbo people are unique people, very accommodating, generous and enterprising. Because of their zeal and determination to be successful one will find them in every remote village in Nigeria. As Yorubas in my view should pass as the most religious tolerant group in Nigeria so the Igbos are the highest investors in the project called Nigeria with their businesses and properties all over the country.
If you see ten Africans outside Africa do not be too surprised to find out that eight of these people may be Nigerians and five or six might be Igbos. The culture of the Igbos imbibes braveness and foresight, thus there is no part of the planet that you cannot find an Igbo man as long as life exists there. No matter the risks and slim chances of survival in such places, Igbo men will always flourish to the surprise of those that do not know them. The spirit of a true Igbo man is ‘never give up’. An Igbo man may surprise one by building houses in places where indigenes may be finding it extremely difficult to pay house rents as tenants. Give them a little space they will transform it jealously to full opportunity. They are very peace loving people, generous and hard-working. Those that are dazed at the pace of their success and may not be able to compete with them out of envy say “they are too domineering and money worshippers.”
Igbo people are very intelligent people with a very high IQ in business management. An Igbo man, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu, recently produced the first African made car called “Z-600”. The man that invented the formula that made it possible for computers to make 3.1 billion calculations per second was an Igbo man in the name of Philip Emeagwali, an immeasurable immortal computer wizard. The former US President, Bill Clinton described him as “the Bill Gates of Africa ”.
The cultures of Ndi Igbo are very rich and interesting and “Iriji” (yam festival) is one of those. As true sons and daughters of the soil, not even million miles away from home could kill the spirit of that ‘Igboness’ in the Igbos living in Diaspora. The Igbos in Vienna , Austria still practice the yearly ‘Omenala’ (culture) of ‘Iriji’ (yam festival) as if they are in Igbo land with all their traditional rituals observed.
“Omenala ndi Igbo” (Igbo culture) are the customs, practices and traditions of Ndi Igbo that include dances of different types, attire, art, language, marriage and cuisine. When you see Igbo women dance, they are beautiful to watch and could make the hearts of some people to beat faster as they wriggle their waists to the rhythm of the traditional music bumming out from traditional instruments like ‘ogene’ (an instrument designed from iron), ‘udu’ (forged from a clay jug) and ‘oja or opi’ (traditional flute) to the admiration of all. The Igbo women are very beautiful and homely.
The traditional attire of Igbo people are admirable with their chiefs and other traditional title holders like “Nze na Ozo’s’ having red caps to distinguish them. But modern people now wear the traditional hats as fashion and most times with the traditional dresses called ‘Isiagu’ to match.
The customs of “Iwa oji” (breaking of Kola nut) in Igbo land and “Iriji” (yam festival) are very important traditions. If an Igbo man comes to one’s house and one kills a cow or even a lion for him with a lot to drink and varieties of food to eat but one fails to give him Kola nut, it is regarded that one has neglected him and equally has not given him any food. “Iriji” (yam festival) is a very big annual event in Igbo land to thank the gods for the yam harvest with traditional rites before the new yam can be eaten.
However, the usual big celebration of the new yam festival was not done this year (2012), but the normal traditional ceremonies were performed at the “Akara Restaurant” situated in Koppstraße, 52 in Vienna , Austria on 27 October 2012.
The Igbos in Vienna, Austria have continually demonstrated that they have not abandoned their culture and heritage, thus giving hope that generations will grow to know that there is the “Iriji” festival.
Enough respect to the Igbos in Vienna and special thanks to the interim caretaker committee.
Africans, be proud of your cultures and preserve them for the generations unborn.