By Patrick Ochei
The Royal Mother of Anioma Nation, Mother To All and Mother Without Borders, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu (Omu Anioma/Nneoha), has described Akwa Ocha, the local fabric of Anioma people as a symbol of spirituality, adding that it is identifiable only to Anioma people all over the world.
She made this assertion while playing host to the ‘Face of Anioma’, a Diasporan brand that was created in America to integrate the Aniomas at home into the global mainstream of indigenous cultures that are knowledge and technology driven to promote values and productivity amongst the younger generation of Anioma Nation.
Omu Dunkwu started by sharing information on the historical origin of Omu Institution with the management team of the ‘Face of Anioma’, the challenges and the prospects of the institution in the past 822 years, and of course, the role she had played since becoming an Omu, by way of ensuring a cutlural reawakening and renaissance amongst the communities and peoples of Anioma Nation.
The highly cerebral traditional leader who was elated that the Anioma people all over the world are taking over the awareness of our values to the world in line with the promotional efforts made thus far by her, commended the Face of Anioma Diaspora, a brand concept of an America based Issele-Uku indigene, Mr. Jude Banor for the initiative to showcase Anioma to the world while at the same time training our children in different skills and empowering them to become productively engaged.
Her words, “There is no art to find the mind’s construction on the face. I want to use this quote by Shakespeare to express how happy I am that my efforts all these years to propagate the Anioma Identity, is not in vain. We are already handing over the baton of leadership, knowing that the future is in your hands as youths, to take us to the next positive level.
“I support your project in all totality. We must know and appreciate who we are like the Americans, the Chinese, the Japanese, the Indians and other culturally established Nations of the world. This is because the world accepts you at your estimate of yourself.
“What is killing Africa is the limitation of knowledge. As Africans, we must be proud of who God has made us to be, love and cherish our culture, values and those things that are identifiable to us.
“God has blessed us with unique land, culture and language in Anioma; our land is devoid of natural disasters, we are peaceful and hospitable, and our children are doing well in various fields of endeavours. Education should not make us subservient to others, but it should be able to bring out the best of us in us, to showcase to the world that we are a special breed of people.
“I am an incurable optimist to the fact that we must get to our promised land. I am not one of those that believes that Anioma is finished, that Nigeria is finished or that there is nothing good about Africa.
“I came back home after studying in England and America, having seen them suffered too and how they were always determined to build their country. I decided that somebody must also build our own country, and I am part of those to build it; if not for me but for the future generations of our young ones.
“Let me tell you that the future of Anioma and by extension Nigeria, is in the hands of the youths. I don’t believe that our youths are failing, it’s just a matter of time, you will see a different breed of youths. It is our leaders that have failed them, and of course the mothers who had to abandon their motherly duties of inculcating sound societal values in their children to focus on some frivolities.
“All we need is retrace our steps as leaders, train the women who are the actual trainers of the children, to be able to train our children well as our future leaders.
“I want to sincerely appreciate you for this gesture. It is good to sensitize our people on what you are doing and why everybody must key in, starting with the traditional institutions.
“Most importantly, if this project can redirect the focus of our youths, reengineer their minds towards innovative technology to accept productive skills cum engagement, and reorientate them on our value system in the interest of building a virile society; then you must have done noble that generations of Anioma will never forget. Thank you and more grace for all your efforts”, Omu Anioma said.
Meanwhile, earlier in the programme, the facilitator of the advocacy visit and media practitioner with the NTA Asaba, Mrs. Helen Dunkwu took time to introduce the Project ‘Face of Anioma’ to Omu Anioma, explaining its essence and benefits to Anioma people at home and in the Diaspora.
According to her, “The Face of Anioma is all about creating platforms for the teaching of Anioma language, culture and values to our children, especially those living abroad.
“We intend to use this vision to inculcate sound moral values in our children as well as introduce them to more productive skills that will earn them genuine incomes other than Yahoo Yahoo that some of them are engaged in.
“The women will also play key role in the aspect of gender development and inclusion. This project is knowledge, value and technology driven to expose Anioma Nation as an entity to the world, bearing in mind our highly cherished cultural heritage and natural dignity.
“This initiative was conceptualised to have a symbiotic connection between our people at home and those resident abroad, in a manner that brings about unity of purpose and striving towards a common goal of showcasing the best of who we are to the world”, Dunkwu explained.
In his subtle vote of thanks to Her Royal Majesty the Omu Anioma, one of the lead delegates to the Palace, Prince Awele Idaboh, appreciated Obi Martha Dunkwu for the warm reception given to the delegation.
He eulogized the excellency of her public image and open heartedness, describing everything she had helped to put together in the shortest available time as unprecedented.
Idaboh on behalf of the ‘Face of Anioma’, presented an Akwa Ocha and exotic drink gifts to Omu Anioma, and also did same to Omu of Obior in appreciation for the enormous work they are doing in Anioma.
The courtesy visit ceremony was a huge success which changed the atmosphere of Okpanam community, making it agog with entertaining beats and sounds from the Omu Anioma Palace. Different sets of Anioma women were gaitly dressed and adorned in the Akwa Ocha attire, a dance group from Asaba (Egwu Amala) also put in their best show with a renowned Anioma flutist (Ogbu Akpele) doing justice to the traditional dance.
More interesting was an Akwa Ocha Exhibition stand, set up by world renowned Akwa Ocha Maker, Mrs. Precious Patrick Adigwe, CEO of Precypat Designers – dealers in Akwa Ocha, Akwa Oma, coral beads, red caps, Otulaka and all traditional costumes that make Anioma people who they are and identifiable anywhere in the world. She equally made a presentation of beautifully made customised Akwa Ocha to Omu Anioma.
The highpoint of the visit was the tour of the Palace ground, as Omu Dunkwu took her visitors to various arms of the Palace for their viewing pleasure. Part of the places visited include: the two buildings she donated to the Obi Martha Dunkwu Foundation and the Centre for Omuship and Women Development Initiative, Omu’s Water Temple, the Ani Ground and the Obi Martha Dunkwu Castle (a six bedroom Duplex built for her by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Constituency Project of the Minority Leader and member representing Aniocha/Oshimili Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu).
Some of the personalities with Omu Anioma during the visit were; HRH Omu Onyebuchibe Okonkwo, Omu of Obior, Comrade Patrick Ochei, Media Consultant to Omu Anioma, Ms. Rita Nwanze, Traditional Assistant to Omu Anioma and others too numerous to mention.
