Ofala Festival
The Ofala Festival is an annual ceremony practiced by Igbo people, particularly the indigenes of Onitsha, Umueri, Umuoji and other neighboring communities such as Aguleri, Nnewi and Ukpo in Dunukofia Local Government Area. It serves as a rites of renewal of the king or Igwe or Obi and it is similar to the Igue festival in Benin and the ''Ine'', ''Osi or Ogbanigbe Festival'' in many mid-West Igbo communities of Nigeria. The term ''ofala'', is derived from two Igbo words - ''ọfọ'' ( English: authority) and ''ala'' ( English: land). The festival is celebrated within two days mostly in October by the ''Obi'' ( English: king) and is a customary obligation that must be performed every couple of years without fail. History According to some oral history sources, the Ofala Festival can be traced back to the 16th Century when Onitsha people emigrated from Benin to the eastern banks of the River Niger presently known as the city of Onitsha and brought with them among other customs, ...
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