FIRST IGEDE AGBA CELEBRATION EVER
Welcome to igedeonline.com, your number one reliable Igede online portal, where you have a total access to Igede news, music, culture, authentic historical documentation and latest gist. Today, we will be delving into a deeper clarification of the misconception surrounding the celebration of Igede Agba, by Igede people of Benue State. So, if you are looking for the authentic story of Igede Agba, how it is celebrated and how it started, you are in the right place.
MISCONCEPTION SURROUNDING IGEDE AGBA
So many people viewed Igede Agba from a very wrong perspective. Some say it is a festival set aside for the worship of idols, ‘akpang’, ‘achukwu’ etc. Others say it is evil. Some even say since yam, (the chief crop among the Igede people) has been attached to it, it is no longer pure for Christians to celebrate. I personally don’t blame the people who have these misconceptions, about the celebration of Igede Agba. I only blame them for settling for the false preaches from some religious extremists. Take it from me, any African tribe or nation without a culture, if well traced, might be slaves.
WHEN IGEDE AGBA WAS FIRST CELEBRATED
The first edition of the Igede Agba festival was celebrated on the first Ihigile market, which was the 3rd September 1957. Before I move further, be informed that, it is celebrated on every first Ihigile market day of every September of the year. The Ihigile might fall on any day between 1st and 5th of the Month. The festival which was originally called ‘Igede Day’ (as used in Igede Agba song by Befelow Yukay), was formed by the defunct Igede Youth Association (IYA). The formation was done under the leadership of the foremost Igede leaders like Amb. Ogah Okwoche, Pa. Eje Iyanya, Chief Ikande Idikwu, HRH A.A Okpabi and others.
REASON FOR THE CREATION OF IGEDE AGBA
Let us briefly talk about “Igede Youths Association (IYA)”. It was the then renowned Igede youth body who foresighted the need to have such celebration among their people. This group introduced the Igede Day to thank the goodness of God for a good harvest and the beginning of the planting season. This is because the major preoccupation of the Igede people is the cultivation of food crops such as yams, cassava, groundnut/peanut, millet, rice and yam; being their chief crop. The size of an Igede man’s yam farm is a manifestation of his wealth and a widely acclaimed farmer in Igede is called an ‘Ogreji’.
HOW IT IS CELEBRATED
Having told you the origin, let us go into how it is celebrated. Igede are very organized people. They believe so much in purity and orderliness. It is a well known fact that Africans worship different gods before the coming of Christianity. Because of these gods they worship, they have the dos and the don’ts of the land, as prescribed by the Chief priests (the same thing Bible and the pastors do today). It is agreed that nobody eats the chief crop until it’s the day to celebrate ‘Igede Day’. So, everyone obeys this rule because Igede are law-abiding people. Every Hamlet clears and cleans their environment in readiness for the celebration. When the first Ihigile market comes, all of them bring out their chief crop; yam and Celebration starts. The head of the house (aidepwa) provides as many as possible yams, live goat, fowls etc and give to the woman of the house (inepwa) and she distributes to the rests of the wives (in extended families). Cooking starts immediately. The men sit round exchanging pleasantries and banters as they sip palm wine (imwu) and Millet wine (oburukutu) while all the women gather in the kitchen and do theirs there.
There is also an order in which the food is served. The elders and all the male children sit in one dinning table (epwedii) while all the female children join their mother. After the merriment, the eldest tells them stories, folktales and histories. They will all move to the village square in the evening, where masquerades (ikwumwu) and different talented drummers display their talent and the people celebrate them.
Igede Agba is as old as Igede itself. Igede Agba festival is a special period for praising God, it celebrates hard work and dignity of labor. Moral values such as honesty, goodness, social justice as well as respect for the culture of the people, are celebrated. The young ones are advised and mentored during this period. Travelers return home, their plans are revealed and the elders among them advise them.
“Igede Agba celebration is an extraordinary period for adulating God, it celebrates difficult work and poise of work” Virtues like genuineness, godliness, integrity, hardworking and social equity are celebrated, as well. This time, some illustrious sons return to the land and execute great projects for their people.
So, Igede Agba is not a fetish new yam festival as wrongly viewed by some people. It is purely a thanksgiving day and a celebration of al’Igede across the globe.
In summary, during Igede Agba, the people’s activities include eating of pounded yam, cultural music, dancing, visiting of relations and other forms of cultural displays. The occasion also witnesses the drinking of pamlm wine (imwu), locally brewed drinks from millet and guinea corn called Apio, Oburukutu, Ogbete, Ogene, and others with different alcoholic content.
I believe this article “Igede History: How Igede Agba Started in 1957” has been able to elucidate the real celebration of Igede Agba and not the celebration of deity as you were told it is. My prayer for all Igede People both home and abroad this time is that, may this year’s agba celebration bring peace and progress to Igede land. Especially now that war has been waged against the people, we pray that God brings unity and understanding to the land and it’s environs. Amen!
Source: Igede voice, Igede Traditional and Paradox of Modernism by Comr Egbodo Benson Akpegi, Agbaclassicmedia.com
I am your passionate Igede ambassador, Ukenya Ogbaji, popularly known as Befelow Mr Yukay. You can use the comment section below to air out your views about the article or add anything you feel was omitted.
Igede Ihyoo! Igede Ka Kilahi piyoo!
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This is just the whole Truth surrounding our Day, Igede Agba.
More ink!
Thank you, Ojackcares
Congratulations on this beautiful write up. You are doing a great job for the Igede nation at large. Since many of our people have no access to Internet applications, l feel these historical documents should be published as well. I am researching further into this all important cultural festival, lgede Agba, l will discuss with you later if this your presentation can form a chapter. Though I may be adding other details as the case may be. However your authorship will find its place accordingly. The future of Igede is the key.
I say Amen to all the prayers, and I Ask God for more wisdom in ur life as you set ur self out with this great passions for enlightenment as to show the world that our culture stand for peace purity and love, and not otherwise.God bless you sir
This is pure truth sir..
Great Job!!
Thanks so much, Belfelow for this eye-opener, the article did a lot of explanations and counter the usual belief that the Igede Agba celebration is to the deities of the hand. Now, we can all celebrate this year’s igede day without any reservation. Igede Ihior!
What day is this day’s celebration of Igede Agba?
Wow I love this, this is exactly what and how my father narrated the story God bless Igede land
Igede KAHA pyii Le
Please let keep educating our young ones so they won’t be mislead
Happy people
Thank you. Do share for others to see.
So true and feels fulfilling to actually read a well documented history of our New yam festival… proud of Us!
Happy Igede Agba in advance.
proudly an Igede man!
Good one there.
Thank you for that wonderful information, may God bless you sir, I am really proud of you sir
You are welcome sir. Do share the post.
Nice one
Well, I hv a question I wanted to ask many times, I’m very sure you will give me the correct answer when I saw your post.
So my question is, is igede people (both in Benue and cross river state) among those biafra nation. I mean is igede part of Igbo??
Thank you for the question. The first map that was drawn for the Biafra Nation had Igede and Idoma in it. However, the second one had them removed. But it was rumoured that Igede and Idoma will be added back.
In nutshell, the igbos and Igede have more cultural similarities than the other ethnic groups in Nigeria. The Igede people settled down in several parts of Igbo land, hence why they borrowed several of their names as well. I believe my explanation has done justice to the question.
For more clarification, you can write us at igedeonline@gmail.com
Great write up.. but my question is this.. since not eating yam or not bringing yam home until certain time is in respect to apan deity.. certainly everyone knows that, is this fact has nothing to do with the festival or not.
Gudo to big bros it is pure truth in 80s when my people use to come home with the vest they used in celebrity the mostly things written on it was IGEDE DAY but what we are seeing today is IGEDE AGBA NEW YAM FESTIVAL which totally give it different means from what the founder wanted
God bless you you remains our armbersador
Thanks so much sir for this great enlightenment, Igede history is just the children of isrealite who jurney to their promise land with so many enemies on their way to stop them but the mighty hand of God delayed them, if you read the book of exodus you will get the full story which applicable to Igede Nation today , just like the great writer had said, Igede agba is the celebration of how God delivered us from the hands of our enemies to where we currently settled ,so indeed it is a celebration of God faithfulness, protection and truthfulness on our labour for the year thank you so much
Very simple History and Clarification. Lovely.
However, I’d like you review this contradiction: “The first edition of the Igede Agba festival was celebrated on the first Ihigile market, which was the 3rd September 1957.” “Igede Agba is as old as Igede itself.” Igede Agba cannot possibly start in 1957 and still be as old as Igede itself.
Fact: one of the major gods (akpang) still holds an enviable position and a say before Igede Agba festival can commence. That majority of Igede people are now Christians and no longer want to have anything to do with akpang deity does not justify its nonexistence. Akpang worshippers still undergo the rites of Igede Agba festival. When you give us the full history we will chose how, where, with whom, even whether or not to celebrate it. One sees Christians go for morning service with first fruit (tubers of yam) on Igede Agba day, just as akpang worshippers do some 10 to 5 days to and on Igede Agba day.
Skipping that part makes it an edited history.
Thank you.
What a solid write up!! I’m proud of my cultural festival ✊✊ God will help each and everyone home and abroad finicially and give everyone the knowledge to develop our culture ?.
Nice work
Very Education & Elaborate write Up,
More Grace and Wisdom to You Dear.
May the Lord Restore back the Peace in Igede land & Nigeria @ Large.
Thanks for ur elucidation may God bless igede land
Thank you for this beautiful write up.
You’ve done well
Thank you for this beautiful write up.
You’ve done well .
Well done and more grease to you
To me, the fact that the celebration still attached the masquerade to it defiles the whole reason for the celebration. You want to thank God…,thank him without sharing His glory with masquerade.