A lawmaker representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Victor Ogene, has urged communities to intensify efforts toward preserving indigenous culture and transmitting ancestral traditions to younger generations during the annual Ulo Festival in Obeagwe community, Anambra State.
Addressing residents at the festival in Obeagwe, a riverine farming and fishing community in Ogbaru Local Government Area, Ogene warned that modernisation and inadequate documentation were fueling the steady decline of traditional values and cultural heritage.
“The Ulo Festival signifies the end of the planting season. For the people of Ogbaru, predominantly farmers and fishermen, it is a time to celebrate and give thanks to their deities and ancestors for a fruitful planting season,” he said.
Ogene described the biennial Onoli masquerade as an important cultural institution that initiates young men into adulthood and age-grade systems, stressing that oral traditions, rituals and community history should be preserved through cultural education and storytelling.
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The annual Ulo Festival marks the end of the planting season in the flood-prone Ogbaru communities, where farming activities usually begin after floodwaters recede around November. The celebration is traditionally observed with thanksgiving rites, prayers for protection and appeals for abundant harvests.
This year’s edition, popularly known as the “Onoli Ulo Festival,” attracted indigenes, visitors and members of the diaspora to the community. The Onoli masquerade, which appears once every two years, is regarded as one of the most prominent cultural displays in Ogbaru.
The masquerade emerged to the sound of gunshots, drumming and chants as crowds followed in a colourful procession through the community. Admirers sprayed cash while followers used long bamboo poles to lift overhead electricity wires to create passage for the towering masquerade.
Unlike some traditional masquerades in the region, the Onoli masquerade is open to public viewing, including by women, making it one of the more inclusive cultural festivals in the area.
Community elder David Nwabueze described the Ulo Festival as an ancient celebration that has endured for generations, noting that the community’s New Yam Festival, locally known as Okposi, is celebrated later in the year.
Another elder, Emeka Awaogu, said the festival traditionally begins on Nkwo market day and is marked by feasting, hospitality and peaceful coexistence among residents and visitors.
“The period is one of joy, celebration and togetherness,” said Onyia Augustine, adding that families and age-grade groups use the festival period to strengthen communal ties while elders perform traditional rites for peace and prosperity.
Cultural historians say festivals such as Ulo remain important symbols of identity in southeastern communities, combining spirituality, agriculture and social organisation despite increasing urbanisation and globalization.
