The 2025 Ogwuaga Abba Ofala Festival: Celebrating Unity, Legacy, Leadership & Cultural Diplomacy

On Tuesday, 30th December, 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 Obinna Akwiwu (Dim Ohamadike ll of Ogwuaga Abba ) 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 at 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 Duru Oshimmiri Atata- Obinna 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, 21st March, 2025, followed by a colourful coronation ceremony on Sunday, 22nd March, 2025, the Ogwuaga Abba Autonomous Community under the dynamic traditional leadership of His Royal Highness, Eze Duru Oshimmiri Obinna Akwiwu (Dim Ohamadike ll ) 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, 13th September, 2025,  chaired by an illustrious son of the community, High Chief Johnbosco Chukwuma Ozigbu, Ph.D (Ogwuaga of Ogwuaga, Ngele of Nwangele, Ikenga Igboland), 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.

The 2025 Ogwuaga Abba Ofala Festival will be chaired by a highly respected  community leader, and British trained Solicitor, Nze Dr. Barr. Adolph Okoroha (Akaraka of Ogwuaga Abba, Bikku Bikku lll), and has as members of the planning committee: High Chief Paul Ozigbu, Chief Zubby Akwiwu, Chief  Barr. Martins Achonye, Chief Arinze Uzodimma Akwiwu,  Chief Barr. 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.

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 consent to attend the forthcoming epoch-making event at the royal palace of Eze Ogwuaga.