Akalites urged to boycott the Etiokwe grand reception.

As the grand reception the Njaba Local Government Area planned to organize for her chairman, Chief Vitalis Obi continues to gather momentum; many people have called for the outright boycott of the involvement and participation by Akalites. From what Umuaka Times local affairs correspondents gathered over the weekend, a good number of Akalites has demonstrated an unwillingness to take part in the event slated on Saturday April 11, 2026 and called on all the autonomous communities in Umuaka Municipal Council to boycott the event.

The reason for the call for the boycott of the event is seriously connected with the death of Mr Charles Okoro (Chako) from Uba Umuaka who died under highly sensitive circumstances last month. The late Mr Charles Okoro was a member of Njaba Town Planning Authority and sadly enough, he has not been buried and the drums of the celebrations keep blasting from all corners of the LGA.  According to those who spoke to Umuaka Times, it is traditional in the locality that when someone dies within a festive period, the festival or event would be suspended as a mark of respect for the dead. This according to them has been the tradition in most parts of Igboland but Njaba wants to do otherwise.

Due to the sensitive nature of the death of Mr Charles Okoro known as Chako, all the persons who spoke to Umuaka Times preferred not to mention their names but each of them passed a highly strong message to the authorities of Njaba LGA.

A middle aged man who claimed that he shares the same surname with the late Chako wondered if Umuaka autonomous community towns indeed wanted to take part in the celebrations. “I just do not want to believe it that our Umuaka people are interested in this grand reception for Etiokwe. Do they not know that our brother’s corpse is still in the mortuary?”

Another fellow who disclosed to Umuaka Times that he is from the same kindred with the dead Chako called on all the 10 presidents-general in Umuaka to bury their faces in shame, went ahead to describe the event as an unmitigated insult to the spirit of the dead. “We all saw how our brother was murdered here in Umuaka and his body is still in the mortuary and we want to celebrate. Celebrate what biko nu?”

Umuaka Times gathered that the event which is to hold on April 11, 2026 was planned that all the PGs must take part in it alongside with some members of their communities.

A woman who only disclosed to Umuaka Times that she is a health worker and preferred not to mention her name also put it thus; “Igbo culture is highly communal. When someone dies, especially an elder or prominent person, the whole village is expected to mourn together. Suspending festivities ensures that everyone can participate in funeral rites and support the bereaved family.”

In Umuaka society, the suspension on festivals in times of death and pain isn’t just about mourning alone, it reflects a wide range of issues where the living, the dead, and the spiritual realm are deeply connected. In Igbo society, burials restore balance, and only then can normal life and celebration will resume.

A secondary school teacher who also spoke on the issue deeply wondered while speaking with Umuaka Times; “At what point did we lose our humanity? Even if we don’t remember anything to respect, can’t we respect the fact that Chako was a member of Njaba Town Planning Authority?”

As the people have said, the ball is now left in the court of Umuaka people to take part in the grand reception or not. But as the culture and tradition demand, there is a need for the people to at least hold on until the burial is done.