Ogwuaga Abba 2025 Ofala: Celebrating Unity, Legacy, Leadership, and Cultural Diplomacy

The Ofala Festival is a major annual cultural celebration for Igbo traditional rulers in some Southeastern part of Nigeria; marking the King’s emergence from spiritual seclusion to renew his authority, commune with the ancestors, bless his people, and review his leadership.

It is a colourful traditional festivity that promotes Igbo rich cultural heritage, featuring vibrant parades, music, a display of cultural dance troupe and royal regalia; which symbolizes a divine connection between the traditional ruler, his people, and the land.

On Tuesday, December 30, 2025 , Ogwuaga Abba Community in Nwangele LGA, Imo State, shall witness yet another monumental celebration and historical event; a profund moment of cultural rebirth as His Royal Highness Eze Duru Oshimiri Akwiwu celebrates the first ever Ofala festival in the history of the community and entire state amid pomp and pagentry, as Ogwuaga Abba sons and daughters both home and in the diaspora rally support behind their highly revered traditional ruler — Eze Akwiwu — in a grand homecoming , solidarity, and cultural pride.

Over the years in communities like Onitsha, Umueri, Umuoji, and other nearby areas like Aguleri, Nnewi, and Ukpo in Dunukofia, Anambra State, the annual Ofala festival has served as a strong catalyst for promoting Igbo culture and tradition, strengthening communal bonds with neighbouring towns, fueling the demand for local craftsmanship, while serving as a powerful economic lubricant for empowernment and social cohesion through the increasing influx of visitors, enriching a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including local traders, hoteliers, transporters, tailors, and event planners as they all benefit from the surge of guests and international tourists.

A highly respected, well travelled leader and visionary, Eze Akwiwu; with a strong penchant for people- oriented based initiatives, community developmental projects, and cultural reforms is leaving another footprint in the sands of history for being the first coronated traditional ruler in Ogwuaga Abba, Nwangele LGA, and Imo State to celebrate this monumental cultural festivity in grand style.

Since the issuance of staff of office by the Executive Governor of Imo State, His Excellency Sen. Hope Uzodimma CON, on Saturday, March 21, 2025 , followed by a colorful coronation ceremony on Sunday, March 22, 2025, the Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community under the dynamic traditional leadership of Akwiwu has continued to bask in the euphoria of cultural renaissance, heritage preservation, and resuscitation of old abandoned festivities with a renewed commitment to sustainable peace, unity, progress and development as announcement of each event hosted by the revered king is always heralded with an eruption of communal celebration, rich attendance, and not just a mere crowd— a true testament to a man chosen by the gods, the people, and the land to lead Ogwuaga Abba community at a time like this.

After his ascension on the throne, his first ever celebrated new yam festival on Saturday, September 13, 2025, chaired by an illustrious son of the community, Chief Johnbosco Ozigbu Ph.D, was another epic traditional event well attended by both state and federal lawmakers, Imo political leaders, and traditional rulers who all came to honour Eze Akwiwu (Ohamadike ll of Ogwuaga Abba), and celebrate with his people, Njoku Macdonald Obinna , Media Consultant, insightful submitted.

The 2025 Ogwuaga Abba Ofala Festival will be chaired by a highly respected community leader, and British trained Solicitor, Nze Adolph Okoroha, as members of the planning committee: Chief Paul Ozigbu, Chief Zubby Akwiwu, Chief Martins Achonye, Chief Arinze Uzodimma Akwiwu, Chief Stan Chike Ofoma, Chief Iyke Okoroha , Chief Bona Akwuiwu, Chief Ozoemena Uju, Chief Uzoamaka Ozigbu, Chief Okey Uju, Chief Ben Mbanaso, Chief Kelechi Akwiwu , Lolo Franca Ozigbu.

While the planning committee is led by Chief Chukwuka Alakwem and Chief Chinedu Emmanuel Osuoha, as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, have all put measures in place to have a successful and hitch- free event.

As Ogwuaga Abba prepares for this historical traditional fiesta , the atmosphere is already charged for celebration in the spirit of the yelutide season as her sons and daughters, invited guests, industrialists, members of the ivory tower, leading banks’ executives, road construction experts, top-notch captains in the oil sector, business consultants, traditional rulers, political leaders, opinion moulders and ndi Nze na Ozo Abba have all given their consents to attend the forthcoming epoch- making event at the royal palace of Eze Ogwuaga.