BY OSIBEROHA OSIBE
The ancient community of Awka, the seat of government and capital of Anambra State is agog with the celebration of the most popular Imoka Festival today. Imoka is an age-long festival that has continued to hold with the participation of the 33 villages in Awka. Before the event holds each year, the Calendar Calculation Traditional Leader of Awka (Akadiana Awka) from Okperi Village, Chief Patrick Nkwoekie Nweke popularly called Kpololo announces the year's monthly calendar of feasts at Ogbugbankwa Square, Amikwo Awka. Investigations by our researcher revealed that the 11th lunar moon (month) or onwa ili nofu is for collective prayer for peace and progress as it draws the lunar year to an end, returning to a new 12th lunar moon (month) of Onwa ede mmuo during which period ngu aro (chronicling of new lunar ca
lendar) takes place at the end of lunar year in April. During the 2026 Nguaro Awka (Awka Calendar pronouncement in April this year,, Chief Nweke announced that this year's Imoka Festival would hold on May 23, four days after the visit to Umuokpu by the 32 villages of Awka to inform their kits and kins about the forthcoming festival. Umuokpu, is one of the 33 villages in Awka that is sandwiched by another community, Amawbia. According to legend, members of a warrior-like Anya family from Amenyi Awka led by a certain warrior- leader called Okperi alias Okpu nwa gwari (shortened Okpu), while his descendants became known as children of Okpu - (Umuokpu) were unanimously mandated by elders of Awka to move to the outskirts of Awka and settle between a border with Nawfia community in the present Njikoka Local Government Area and Anawbia community now in Awka South Local Government Area. Over the successive years, it was gathered that Okperi's descendants multiplied in number and attained village hood that they today constitute the present Umuokpu, an Awka community sandwiched by Amawbia town.. Since the olden days, investigation revealed that four days to the celebration of Imoka Festival, the 32 villages from Awka usually undertake a tortious, energy-sapping trekking from Olulu Imoka (Imoka Shrine) at Amenyi to Umuokpu village to inform their kits and kins about the forthcoming Imoka Festival, which is seen as a culture of heritage and brotherhood. Significantly, each Imoka celebration is trailed by a shower of muddy rain, to show that Ezu, a river deity of Ugwuoba community in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State has arrived to take part in the event. The Imoka Festival, we gathered, is a traditional feast devoted in honour of Imoka goddess in appreciation of the deity's role in using protective monkeys to alert the Indigenes about an ambush laid by Okoli Ijoma raiding warriors.of Aro descent. From that olden days till date, Awka people are known not to eat a specie of monkey and regard treat same as sacred and dedicated totem to Imoka shrine for their protective role and and provision of abundance to the citizens of Awka. According to Eze Udo Chukwunedu Anene, the Chief Priest of Udo deity located in Amikwo, Awka, certain consultations and appeasement rites must be completed to get the blessing of the deity, otherwise she will abandon her shrine at Amenyi and find refuge at be a shrine at Amikwo until her spirit is appeased, citing last year's near- stalemate. According to him, Udo is revered in Awka as a deity of peace, reconciliation, and community protection. Eze Udo Anene who has served as the ritual servant and custodian of the ancestral shrine of Udo since 2002 explained that the date of Imoka follows ritual consent of Imoka goddess
At present, the popular Imoka Festival attracts Indigenes from the diaspora and residents and non-indigenes across the federation, It was therefore not surprising that recently when the State government of Professor Chukwuma Soludo attempted to shift the date from 23rd to 27th May for clashing with the National Assembly Primaries of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), majority of Awka people revolted, daring the government for interfering with its cultural heritage. Thus last Tuesday, masquerades accompanied by cane-wielding youths stormed the streets, trekking to Umuokpu after crossing Amawbia community to inform their kits and kins about the scheduled Imoka Festival on May 23 this year, after four days of their visit. On arrival at Ebe Square, Umuokpu, they rested and refreshed, and resumed their cane-flogging spree in entertainment of enthusiastic on-lookers. Throwing more light on the visit to Umuokpu, the Chairman of Imoka Festival from Umudioka Village, Chief Anayo Obiakor (Opia) noted that the coming to Umuokou was to officially inform them of the scheduled date of Imoka Festival.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Umuzocha Village, Chief Nwanemelife Enukorah confirmed that, after the next four days, Umuokpu people would pay a return visit to Awka at Olulu Imoka at Amenyi to celebrate the Imoka Festival on Saturday May 23, this year. According to him, the one-hour long muddy rainfall witnessed that opening day in Awka and Umuokpu is a confirmation of the arrival of the Ezu river deity to participate in the Imoka Festival, confirming that Awka and Ugwuoba town are brother born to Noshi, hence Awka Noshi, Ugwuoba Noshi, though both communities are today found in different states of Anambra and Enugu respectively. Enukorah reiterated that the Umuokpu people would come back to Awka on the 23rd May in what is called "Osonogba," a procession of trekking masquerades, accompanied by cane-wielding youths for the ceremony. Nonetheless, the 2026 Imoka Festival and future ones will lose its frills and thrills following the sudden exit of a community youth leader and Akajiofo Ngene Agu, Chief Tochukwuu Nwokoye (alias Onye nwe Awka) who departed from this world just some days to the Imoka celebration. Nwokoye belonged to Otu Omenana Awka (Awka Traditionalists) who play a great hold in fixing and confirming holding of Imoka activities each year. In 2025, when Imoka deity insisted on shifting its scheduled date until the required sacrificial traditional rites of atonement of bloodshed and killings of the year were done, Nwokoye immensely contributed to its funding. Done, Awka shifted the previously-agreed date and thereafter celebrated what turned out as one of the most successful Imoka festivals in recent memory without the usual bloodshed and killings by cult groups. In a new development,, Anambra State in a statement okayed that the 2026 Imoka Festival should hold as earlier scheduled, soft-pedalling from its earlier tough-talking stance Giving insight why the State government eventually agreed to allow Imoka hold today, the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Chief Amedu Udoji observed that the ministry has extracted commitment from Awka elders that the celebrants would be law-abiding throughout the celebration on that day by conducting themselves respectfully to ensure that they do not block major roads. He warmed "masquerades and other celebrants against wielding dangerous weapons." Udoji observed: "Government had earlier said that with two big event holding on same day, it would be unwise to split security, hence the need for a shift in the Imo Awka festival, a cultural event of the people of Awka to celebrate the god of fertility and purification.
"But a letter released by the ministry of culture and tourism, which was signed by its commissioner, Udoji and addresses to the President General, Awka Development Union and copied to His Royal Highness, Gibson Nwosu, Eze Uzu Il (the Traditional Ruler of Awka and the Leadership of Ozo Awka Society, the state government said the celebration can go on."
The letter read: “Having received strong written assurances from the leadership of the Awka Development Union Nigeria, and Ozo Awka Society that they will provide additional security and ensure that the Imo-Awka Festival scheduled for the 23rd of May, 2026 will be celebrated in an orderly manner, and in line with the Government’s commitment to the promotion of the cultural heritage of our people, the Anambra State Government hereby approves the celebration of Imo Awka Festival on the 23rd May, 2026.
“Considering the status of Awka as the capital city of Anambra State which besides the major political activities scheduled for the said date, hosts a deluge of visitors daily, and based on the need to maintain law and order in Awka on the: said date, the State Government hereby issues the following directives to those participating in the festival.
“To allow free movement of citizens, there shall be no blocking or closure of any public road and there shall be no obstruction of human or vehicular movements on any public road on the date.
“There shall be no brandishing or wielding of any dangerous weapon by any masquerade or any person or group of persons on any public road in Awka on the said date.
“No road user shall be harassed, intimidated, flogged or assaulted in any manner whatsoever by any masquerade or person or group of persons and no violence of any sort shall be meted out by any masquerade or person or group of persons in Awka on the said date.
“All those participating in the festival are enjoined to be law abiding and decent in their actions and to celebrate the festival as a reflection of the cultural values of the Awka people," Udoji concluded. Amid the coincidence if Imoka Festivals and APGA Primaries, the State Police Command has warned against eruption of any furm of violence, use or brandishing of weapons , and obstruction of traffic on the day of Imoka Festival.
The police in collaboration with other security agencies, have therefore, intensified security deployments across strategic locations in the State ahead of the Imoka Festival celebrations and various political party primaries scheduled to hold on 23rd May 2026 in different parts of Anambra State.
In a statement issued by the State Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu through the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwuu Ikenga and made available to newsmen yesterday the Command further warned individuals and groups against any act capable of causing friction, apprehension, panic, or breakdown of law and order during the celebrations and political activities.
The statement noted that the Command has directed all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs), and tactical commanders to personally supervise operations within their Areas of Responsibility to ensure adequate security coverage, maintenance of law and order, and protection of lives and property throughout the period.
The Police -led joint security team specifically cautioned against any form of violence, intimidation, or attack on persons or groups, display or brandishing of weapons in public places; any conduct capable of inciting unrest or threatening public peace and indiscriminate erection of canopies or structures in ways that obstruct traffic flow or hinder public movement. It urged residents, political actors, supporters, and participants in the Imoka festivities to conduct themselves peacefully and cooperate with security operatives deployed across the State.
The Police Command reassured "Ndi Anambra of its commitment to ensuring a peaceful atmosphere before, during, and after the events. Members of the public are encouraged to remain law-abiding, vigilant, and promptly report any suspicious movement or security concern to the nearest Police Station or any security formation," the statement concluded..