Cultural Heritage

                                                                                                  AFIKPO CULTURAL MASKS

WRESTLING CONTEST BETWEEN VILLAGES

Organized wrestling is a dominant form of relaxation in Afikpo.Though seasonal, it is widely celebrated. It captures the interest of everybody, men and women, young and old. It is one aspect of Afikpo culture that modernity has not eroded. It draws out people from all walks of life to watch. People leave their businesses or close their shops to be at the wrestling arena or “OGO” (village square). Young women in large numbers dance excitedly to cheer the winners. Drummers add color to the event, dishing out martial and pulsating beats. Old men are not left out of the show. Though wrestling is equally recreational for them, the old folks have a role to play in decision making. They have the final say as to when a wrestling match ends.

Wrestling contests are organized and staged at the peak of the rainy season, biannually. Rainy season, known as “udu mini,” is a time to rest as the farming season draws to a close and the new yam festival (harvest season) approaches in August. Farming is a major occupation in Afikpo. During the rainy season, farm work is light and most people stay at home to rest. The wrestling contests, therefore, complement the relaxation spirit of the period. In fact, it is a dominant social event while the season lasts.

Young men engage in wrestling to showcase their physical prowess. Every young man before attaining a certain age grouping is eligible to participate in wrestling contests featuring members of his age grade (people born within a few years of each other are grouped into the same age grade).

Age grade system is an established time-honored practice in Afikpo, as it is in most Igbo communities. Wrestling contests are open to age grades from as little as age five (5) through about age forty five (45).

Three major age grades have been known to feature prominently in wrestling contests in Afikpo. They are “Ibuzo mgba,” “Isi ogu” and “Ikpo.” Ibuzo mgba group are children starters who set the stage for the next age grade. Coming next is Isi ogu, the age set that is between Ibuzo mgba and Ikpo. They engage in wresting bouts before the main show involving the Ikpos. The star wrestlers from the outgoing age grade, Ikpo, are the major attraction. They wrestle last. After a wrestling season, the Ikpo age group members graduate to the next stage of seniority in age-grade ranking. They become umpires, known as “Atamaja.”

In the course of a wrestling bout, Atamajas perform their duty with the assistance of drummers. A certain drumbeat, kpo-ti-kpo, is interpreted as a signal to the Atamajas that two wrestling opponents must be separated, especially when neither can throw the other. Additionally, elders act as moderators and final arbiters. An onikara, elderly man of more than seventy years, throws up sand to put an end to a wrestling contest. He also does this to prevent disorderliness, which can arise from an ensuing controversy.

A wrestling match does not last long. A winner emerges when a wrestler throws his opponent on the ground and this can happen within two minutes of action! The celebration of that feat is more exciting than the bout itself. Spectators go haywire with jubilation. The winner is carried shoulder-high round the arena while people throw money at him. Girls dance for him. If he is married, his wife and other family members join the celebration. The drum beats become more vigorous, spirited and heart-pounding. The hero is dressed in a special way and dances round the OGO while the spraying continues. Post-winning celebration is a thing of delight to watch.

WRESTLERS IN ACTION

ONE OF THE WRESTLING JUDGES ( ATAMAJA)

JUBILIANT WRESTLER (AFTER VICTORY DANCE)

YOUNG BOYS RE-ENACTING THE WRESTLING ( NGBA ) DANCE

IKEJI FESTIVAL

The yam festival marks the end of an abundant food-producing harvest. African people have always had festivals at the time of the harvest. In AFIKPO the Yam Festival (IKEJI OR IRIJI) lasts three days. The festival begins with a cleansing ceremony to honor family members who have died. Farmers give thanks to the gods who ensure a good harvest.

This festival is held once a year, usually in August or September, just as the rainy season is coming to an end, and crops are ripe and ready to harvest. There is plenty of maize (corn) as well as other vegetables, such as okra, beans, cassava, and yams.
Yams are usually the first fruits of the harvest, the staple food of many peoples of western Africa. The yam is a large tuberous root related to the sweet potato, but not exactly the same. American sweet potatoes are usually orange, but African yams can be white, yellow, or orange inside (but they still taste sweet) and come in many shapes and sizes: some can be up to a few feet long.

Yams are very versatile and can be cooked in many ways: roasted, boiled, added to soups and stews, fried, mashed, or dried and pounded into flour. The traditional dish is called fufu. This is boiled, mashed yams, with a little butter or palm oil, often still eaten in the traditional way---with the hands.
At the Yam Feast, the local people serve yams with fish, chicken or lamb; or with vegetables, such as oil bean, pumpkin, corn, or African greens; or in a soup. Isaac remembers palm nut soup, and Teddy coco yam soup. One of Isaac's favorites was yam porridge (pounded cooked yam reconstituted into a thick soup) topped with cooked goat. Dessert might be mangoes, guavas, pineapple or oranges. Drinks include fruit juices, palm wine and beer

On the first morning of the celebration, families make an altar in honor of their ancestors, the earth god , and the yam god, Ihejioku. Village men go out to the farms to dig up the new yams, and give thanks in the village square. Yams must be carefully dug up as they bruise easily. In their homes the men make an offering to the ancestors of new yams, some white chalk, and a chicken. The chicken is for slaughter, and the chalk symbolizes purity and well-being. Some of these traditions are changing now, as Christianity becomes stronger in the region. A feast with family, friends and neighbors follows
On the second day, the villagers gather to watch young men in wrestling contests. In the morning the wrestlers eat roasted yams, which they believe will give them strength, and village elders are chosen as judges. Drums welcome the wrestlers, divided into two teams, into the village square. When a wrestler wins a round, drummers beat their drums again, and young women come into the circle and dance. Eating, drinking, and talking also continue the whole day into the evening. It can be a noisy celebration with gongs, musket fire, calabashes, and flutes as well as the drums.

EZEJI-KING OF YAMS

ECONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF YAM

Nigeria realized N56 billion (US$380 million) from yam exports during 2008 according to figures released by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC)

World production of yam is 51.4 million tonnes per year out of which Nigeria accounts for an average of 36.7 million tonnes, Ghana for 3.6 million tonnes and Cote d'Ivoire for 4.8 million tonnes.. The failure of exporters in Nigeria to meet strict sanitary standards in Europe is however one of the major issues holding back exports.

Yams export substantial proportions of nutrients from the soil with the harvested produce. Increasing tuber yields through breeding and selection will thus lead to soil nutrient depletion if not accompanied by soil and nutrient management strategies. We use an integrated approach to soil fertility management. Current activities include assessing the nutrient requirements of yams, establishing varietals differences in nutrient use and response efficiency, and evaluating the impact of including cover crops in yam-based cropping systems. We have also established variations in white Guinea and water yams for the extent of root colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in different agro ecologies. Studies are in progress to establish the contribution of AMF to mineral nutrition of yams.

Our social scientists assess the financial viability and adoption potential of the technologies being developed. They are also working towards a better understanding of markets and demand for yams and yam products. This includes studies on seed systems, yam consumption patterns, industrial demand, export, marketing channels, effects of trade and market liberalization, and general competitiveness of the yam subsector.

CELEBRATION OF THE NEW YAM FEST IN PICTURES

The Celebration will feature, among others:

Traditional wrestling competition
Folktales (ilu)
Lyrics by traditional praise singers (Okwa-ebu)
Nkwa Umuagbogho Dance Group
Displays by assorted masquerades from all over Afikpo
Dance groups from all the five village groups and beyond

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