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By Young E. Freeborn, Warri
The annual Igbe festival of the Igbe Orhe-Ofuafo Oghene Healing Home Inc., in Unenurhie town, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State has come and gone with multiple testimonies from adherents, and the preaching of religious tolerance to all religious sects in Nigeria.
The Igbe festival, which is usually celebrated on 23rd March of every year, runs for nine days, featuring various religious activities, according to the tenets and practices of the Igbe religion in Africa.
Addressing crowds of Igbe adherents from different parts of the country that graced the Igbe festival on the first day, which was celebrated as a night vigil, the leader of the Igbe religious group, Uku Simon Imoni Efedudu, popularly called ‘Ose-Isi’ by his members said, “On behalf of my family and the planning committee, I want to happily welcome all of you to this year’s Igbe festival.
“As you all know, I took over the Igbe religious throne from my late father, Uku Sunday Efedudu. He was the founder of the Igbe Orhe-Ofuafo Oghene Healing Home Inc. He was ordained Uku in 1975 by Uku Supreme Ibodje at Kokori Inland. Then, the Igbe religious home was incorporated in 2001 by the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja.
“After my father’s death, I was ordained Uku to take over from my father. I must therefore thank Orise, the Almighty God for his abundant blessings upon us and to also gather this year again to celebrate another Igbe festival. Since we are expecting much from Orise in this our Igbe festival, I therefore pray that Orise will supply all your needs accordingly. You will leave here better than the way you came. You are all welcome.”
Speaking to our correspondent on the second day when the ‘Uku’ and his Igbe members and guests processed round the entire Unenurhie community, according to their practices, the ‘Oyiko’ of the Igbe religion, Oyiko James Amuke, who could be described as the Igbe image maker, said, “The Igbe religion is a recognized African traditional religion in Nigeria.
“As we have different denominations in the Church, so also we have different denominations in Igbe religion. In this Igbe Orhe-Ofuafo Oghene Healing Home Inc, we don’t use herbs or make river sacrifices as part of our worship. We only depend and use the Orhe-Ofuafo which is the holy native chalk and the holy water which is the palm wine mixed with soft drinks. With these two things, we are healed of every kind of ailment or sickness.
“Here, we also make vows to Orise, the Almighty God over our needs or requests. When such needs or requests are fulfilled, we happily come to the service hall here to redeem or pay our vows. In a festival like this, so many Igbe members and even non-members that made vows will come to pay their vows. This Igbe procession round our community is part of our practices and is meant to cleanse the town of every evil or problem and to usher in shower of blessings to all residents.”
Also speaking after the processional dance were Olori Johnson Efedudu and Olori Charles Efedudu, the eldest son of the present Igbe leader. The duo sued for peace and religious tolerance amongst Nigerians to avoid continuous religious clashes between Christians and Moslems and between Christians and Igbe members in the country. The 2024 Igbe festival however ended with prayers, miracles and abundant blessings.
