Umuahia – The ‘Igba-mgbu-gba’ Traditional Road Show is a quadrennial display of the flamboyant cultural heritage and strength of Abiriba Youths.

The Road Show otherwise known as ‘Abiriba Nwere Okorobia’ precedes the ‘Igwa Mang’ Ceremony which is a milestone in Abiriba Entrenched Traditional Age Grade Structure and System. The ‘Igba-mgbu-gba’ Procession and ‘Igwa Mang’ Ceremony are Performed and observed in most major cities around Nigeria and the globe where Abiriba people have significant presence.

The quadrennial event in 2024 was performed and observed in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Cotonu (Benin Republic), Lome (Togo), Douala (Cameroun), Malabo (Equatorial Guinea), Valencia (Spain), London (United Kingdom) Dubai (UAE), Germany, South Korea, Canada, United States, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Austria. The Grand Finale and Mother of its ALL was in Aba, the Enyimba City. The rest of the rites will be performed and celebrated at Abiriba-Enachioken.

The last time the quadrennial display of Abiriba cultural heritage was performed and observed was in 2020 but the flamboyant display was dwarfed and diminished by inaccessible and impassable Streets, Roads and Environment. The Environment was littered with filthy dumpsites along the Streets and Roads, heaps of refuse and debris at strategic and major junctions/points and flooded Roads akin to lake with mangrove like forest on the middle of the streets. The city was an eyesore in ruins, rot and despair. The Abiriba People were proud of the display of their flamboyant cultural heritage in Aba, the Enyimba City and commercial nerve centre of Abia State where they constitute the most single and largest homogeneous community but were ashamed and not proud to showcase the Streets, Roads, Environment and Surroundings under which they were living and plying their trades and businesses.

Fast forward to Abiriba 2024 ‘Igba-mgbu-gba’ Procession and ‘Igwa Mang’ Ceremony in Aba, the Enyimba City and Commercial nerve centre of Abia State after Governor Alex Otti’s 18 months clinical intervention and midas touch. The whole stretch of the Traditional ‘Igba-mgbu-gba’ Procession Route which was by the way extended in the 2024 edition was accessible, passable and without potholes. The Streets, Roads and Environment were sparkling clean and healthy without filth, refuse or debris. Traffic and movement of the Procession simultaneously with vehicular movement was seamless.

The Abiriba-Day 2024 was a twin display of Abiriba rich and flamboyant cultural heritage and showcase of the Infrastructural and developmental strides of Governor Alex Otti.

AbiribaDay2024

AbiaToTheWorld

Ctz.UKOHA NJOKU UKOHA
Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
08-12-2024.