TOPIC: OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE IN OUR CONTEMPORARY TIME
Hearts Magazine: Your Majesty, we are the members of the Editorial Crew of the Hearts Magazine and we are pleased to have this rare privilege of being granted audience. May we know know you?
His Royal Highness: I am H.R.H Eze Raphael Nanna Oparaochaekwe, the Ebube-dike lIl of Ulakwo Autonomous Community. I happen to be the first son of my father. I had my primary Education at the St. Joseph primary school, Ulakwo.
During these periods of scholarship, I got integrated majorly into numerous traditional practices of my people and was subsequently made king. I have been king for 42years now.
Hearts Magazine: What is your view about Culture and could be differentiated from Tradition?
His Royal Highness: Culture has long time been misappropriated with tradition. Culture is different from tradition. In culture we see the totality of people’s way of life. The Igbo expression “Ogwa mba na achi n’Olu n’olu” ” best describes culture. Tradition on the other hand, is a part of culture that is passed from person to person or generation to generation, possibly differing in details from family to family or groups. It is expedient for us to understand this swift difference between them to avoid misappropriation
Hearts Magazine: Your Royal Majesty, please may you explain the Igbo concept of “Igwebuike”?
His Royal Highness: The term “Igwebuike* is a concept that stresses on the sense of unity of those of African origin. It points to covivance “Ibiko na jiko Onu’. It is a sense of complimentarity. Though, in time, civilization seems to have destroyed this ideology of Old. The proto-ancestors of the Igbo origin used Obi Mkou to buttress the aforementioned ideology. Termites move, struggle and work together for survival. They never abandon of their biome nor think otherwise. They remain focused and fixed towards a common goal. This enables them to surmount obstacles, danger and famine. Consequently. success resonates on daily basis in their favour.That is why you hear concepts like” Ibuanyindada”.
Before now, Africans of the Igbo descent were one, undivided people, with a defined ideology. Unity and togetherness were qualities that fostered progress and stability then. It could be seen in the manner they interacted with all (foreigners as well) and shared Kola nut. It enabled them to delve into various fields of human endeavour in search of greener pastures so as to enhance and develop their community (a common interest). Ndj Igbo were Otu Obi. The concept “One ribe, ya nyetu nwanne* was never relegated to the background. In 1929, Ulakwo community witnessed a riot speartead, by Women protesting date marginalization imposition of taxes. Tie, showed no weakness and us, so United that their demerg was met. in 1970, after ter people came together to he each other. In this, we see urs and determination to cork. injustice; a just cause s. should not be neglected remains a joint effort towar the good. That’s the spirt “Igwebuike’.
