Amiyi Akah lifts ban on oghu activities with conditions.
2 min read
The blanket ban placed on all activities relating to Oghu festival in Amiyi Akah Autonomous Community has finally been lifted. It can be recalled that on Friday July 4 2023, the royal father of Amiyi Akah Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Francis Ahanotu after serious investigations and consultations banned every activity in connection to the celebration of Oghu festival in Amiyi Akah. This drastic measure employed by the royal father in checkmating criminality and abuse of people’s rights during oghu festival was widely applauded by Akalites who were eagerly waiting to hear such news. Umuaka Times gathered that the principal cause of the ban was as a result of the inhuman treatment employed by some masquerades that attacked spectators who came to witness Ogho Afor Amiyi shortly before the ban.
In a press statement issued on his official letter-headed paper which was dated April 10, 2023 and made available to Umuaka Times, Eze Francis Ahanotu, the Iyi 1 of Amiyi disclosed that the decision to lift the ban was reached following several meetings held with the members of his cabinet, “ndi ogbuluo”, “ndi isi oghu” and other stakeholders in Amiyi Akah Autonomous Community.
In truth the ban has been lifted but the Amiyi community in her bid to prevent such ugly and uncultured behavior in the community during oghu festivals in future, a set of new rules was introduced in the community. First, the new rules stipulate that if any masquerade wants to appear or tour Amiyi Akah community during oghu dance, be it local or foreign masquerade, the masquerade must abide by the laws and rules of the festival, which strictly stipulate no violence.
Another rule holds that anybody who wants to organize any oghu activity must do so with the rule of law and must follow the laid down rules by the royal father of the community and his cabinet.
Any masquerade that violates this new set of rules in the community will surely have itself to blame as the community has declared zero tolerance on violence and other forms of criminal acts in the name of Oghu festival.
