By Dom Isute
Those screaming blue murder and trying to stop Rt. Hon Iduma Igariwey from going back to the House of Representatives as the Member representing Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency for the fourth term may not know what damage their action is capable of doing to the two local government areas. If they eventually succeed, the implication is that the ongoing development attracted by the legislator would be halted because a greenhorn and maybe a dark horse may require sometime to learn to climb the ropes and begin to find his way in the legislative business. When you make a tie back to the massive and aggressive impact Igariwey has made in the past 11 years, then you appreciate the reasons why the people still want him. As Deputy Chairman Appropriation in the House, he has been able to build a network across the National Assembly and beyond and can lobby easily to attract amenities to his constituency. Even as the 11th legislative assembly draws close, the fear of Idu, their favoured not having a seat there sends shivers down the spines of the constituents for so many reasons. Not only that the legacies of the past years would be sustained and exceeded, the prospects of getting more will be higher if he gets another opportunity. The Hon Member by then would have qualified for election as a principal officer and would have expanded his reach to attract more, especially now that he has since joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). The people are currently relishing the achievements in the areas of roads, street light, water, healthcare, education, jobs provisions which has characterised his tenure so far. It is even more disturbing when one hears that if he doesn’t go back, those projects already listed in the 2027 budget for the Constituency may not see the light of day.
It was to show appreciation for a National Assembly member who has impacted positively on his constituents that the people on August 23, trouped out in their numbers to attend an enduring legacy of Igariwey – The 2026 Okpudo Ikeji Lecture, the sixth in the series.
Politicians from across the different political divides, academicians, traditional rulers, students, cultural troupes and dances, the traditional institutions, women groups, government agencies and constituents, not only attended this all important event but also participated actively in some respects.
Welcoming guests to the event, host Igariwey explained that the new yam festival was a prominent cultural practice that has contributed to social development.
According to him, it is the single most important heritage that is common to all communities in Igboland and fosters a sense of unity and shared historical experience among the people.
He said that the lecture series was set up as a platform for cultural revival and the showcasing of indigenous talents.
In his lecture, Prof Ogugua Egwu of the Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu Alike Ikwo suggested the transformation of the festival into into a platform for intellectual discourse, cultural tourism and community development.
“Government agencies, private organisations, development partners and members of the diaspora should support initiatives such as agricultural exhibitions, youth innovation programmes, public health campaigns, investment forums and academic conferences during the festival period”, Prof Ogugua suggested.
The Professor of Anatomical Anthropology and Dean Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of the AE-FUNAI whose lecture had as theme, “Anatomy of the Ikeji Festival: Assessing the Socio-Cultural Significance of a Shared Identity and Peaceful Co-Existencce in Afikpo -Edda, maintained that the future relevance of the Ikeji Festival depends not merely on preserving its ceremonial expressions but on translating its underlying institutional principles into practical mechanisms for contemporary governance.
Beyond celebrating the harvest, Prof Ogugua stated, the festival is a reminder that the strength of Afikpo-Edda lies not in uniformity but in the unity of its diverse communities, whose traditions remain deeply interconnected through shared institutions, values and ancestral bonds.
In his remarks, a former Vice Chancellor of Abia State University, Prof Mkpa Agu Mkpa commended Rt Hon Igariwey for the innovation of the lecture right from its inception and appealed that such programmes should be emulated and replicated across the South East.
The Okpudo Annual Lecture started in 2021 when Prof Arua Oko first delivered the lecture. In 2022, the lecturer was Prof Ngozi Emeka Nwobia.
The third lecture was delivered by Dr Maurice Uffiem in 2023 and Prof Henry Uro Chukwu in 2025. Prof Eseni Udu was the lecturer in 2025
