Ubah -Agwa Autonomous Community and Agwa nation at large stood still as Hon. Oscar Chima Ukemezie (JP) was honored with the Ochiagha 1 Chieftaincy title on Thursday, 1st of January 2025, at the palace of His Royal Highness, Eze Herbert Chima Azubuike, Ohanyere 1 of Ubah Agwa Autonomous Community, Oguta LGA, Imo State.
The event took place during the “Blessing and Breaking of Kola Nuts” by the Traditional Ruler of the community, an annual event that is aimed at bringing peace, unity, and programme to the community.
The event also provided an opportunity for the Ohanyere 1 to brief his subjects, pour royal blessings on them for the new year, and deliver lectures on the importance of Igbo Kola nuts, their importance, and significance according to the number of lobes.
In his lectures, Ohanyere Kola nuts, all over the world, are a symbol of welcome or acceptance.
He opined that traditional Igbo were ubiquitous in their way of celebrating the Igbo Kola nuts, which have spiritual and physical significance and symbolism.
The Royal Father, however, maintained that explains the reason why it is very rare for one to break an Igbo kola nut that has two lobes.
However, if such happens, it signifies a bad omen and such Kola should be thrown away, hence, it didn’t represent the four Igbo Market days of Nkwo, Eke, Orie, and Afor.
According to the oldest Traditional Ruler in Agwa and the 4th in Oguta out of the 24 Autonomous Communities, Igbo kola with three lobes is good but not as good as the one with four lobes with full significance and representation.
Kola, with five, six, and seven lobes, represents abundance and overflow of physical and spiritual blessings, even as he used the opportunity to correct one of the misnomers that are fastly taking centre stage in Igbo kola nut blessing/breaking.
Eze Chima corrected that when buying a kola to be administered traditionally, the idea of buying a kola without it covered with the shell is wrong.
In his counsel, buying such Kola to predetermine the number of the lobes is like someone deciding his or her luck. He maintained that if anyone wants to buy Igbo Kola for traditional purposes, they should buy the ones that are covered with the shell, and whatever lobes they see in the kola are the perfect symbols of the kola nuts.
“I want to use this
opportunity to welcome everyone this morning who has come to honour this invitation. In our traditional manners, this occasion is an aged- long royal traditional ritual, but due to the crisis that forced us out for two years now, we thank God that peace has come”
He stated that are here to
consummate the peace of Ubah and Agwa at large, adding that, today, in his palace, on the 1st of January 2025, while sincerely thanking all the sons and daughters of Ubah for embracing peace.
“In our usual culture, Ubah used to host yearly traditional blessings of Kola nuts and lectures.
The programme heralds the blessings of the new year and friendship, but we have not been able to do it due to the deadly crises that happened in Agwa, where Ubah is one of the key actors.
Speaking, the former councilor of Mgbala/Ubah Ward also reminded the people of his kingdom and all who have come to celebrate with them that this year’s celebration is very historic.
“The 2025 celebration is very historic and cheering, because it is has two of their prominent sons who have carved a niche for themselves in business and society to be honored with chieftaincy titles.
The first is Hon. Chima Ukemezie, a proud son of the soil,who has made Ubah and Agwa proud. He has equally paid his dues in Oguta in his recent audacious outing during the 2024 Local Government Council Elections in Imo State, where he vied for the Executive Chairman of Oguta LGA and, through his philanthropic activities, was recognized by the Imo State Government with an award of Justice of Peace (JP) in 2022.
“We have another big personality whose character and contributions to the people of Oboabo, Izombe, are noteworthy and a friend to the Ubah Community.
He is a successful businessman and the Traditional Prime Minister of Oboabo, Izombe Autonomous Community, Chief Monday Onukameike. Both Hon. Chima and Chief Monday shall be honored with the Chieftaincy titles of Ochiagha 1 and Ugwu Mba 1, respectively.
HRH, Eze Herbert Chima Azubuike, after the lectures and reading the abridged citations of the two recipients, fully and publicly honored Hon. Oscar Chima Ukemezie with the chieftaincy titles Ochiagha 1.
In his acceptance, Hon. Oscar Chima Ukemezie, Ochiagha 1, and the Justice of Peace (JP), the President and Founder of 3Chis Foundation, a big player in the real estate business, gave his acceptance speech to the people.
He thanked Eze Chima, the palace chief, and the entire Ubah Autonomous Community for finding him worthy of the title.
The Chairman of Niger Delta Youths, Oguta South, pledged to do more for Ubah Community, Agwa, Oguta LGA,and Imo State with the little resources God gave him.
“I want to seize this opportunity to sincerely and proudly appreciate my King, HRH, Eze Herbert Chima Azubuike, for being there for me, especially the roles he played when I contested the Chairman of Oguta LGA and all of you here.
For a long time, I have been doing my little bit to help the community, and honoring today as the “Ochiagha 1” is a chieftaincy title that comes with more humanitarian works for my people.
“On my honour, I promised to use this title to further propagate peace, unity, and love in Ubah and Agwa. I will bring more development to my people, peace and not war.
Ochiagha 1, being overwhelmed with joy and wanting to further appreciate the people, announced to register 10 people for WAEC and JAMB each from Umuorogiri, Ndi Ihu, and Umuezike this year.
He also donated the sum of One Hundred Thousand Naira (#100,000) to the palace chief and fifty thousand Naira to the youth (#50,000).
He also fulfilled his promise of One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (#150,000) to the elders of Umuezike and Ndi Uhu.
In support of Ochiagha, Mr. Obioma Nwauwa Ukemezie made a cash donation of One Hundred Thousand Naira (#100,000) to the women, youth, and palace chiefs.
The event was attended by His Royal Highness, Eze Samuel Onuegbu, Udo Mba 1 of Mbano Agwa Autonomous Community; Chief Kute Umezuruike, the President-General of Ubah,members of the palace chiefs, the youth leader; the women, among others.
