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Umatu festival is one of the six major festivities held in Onitsha Ado N'Idu every year. The others are Ajachi, Owuwaji, Ofala, Osisi- Ite and Ife-Jioku. The Umatu is celebrated when the first maize has been cultivated. [1] The people meet with the King (Obi) and his red hat leaders (Ndiche) to celebrate the prosperity of the maize crop. [2]
The Umatu Festival is inspired by Exodus 23:16: “Celebrate the Harvest Festival when you begin to harvest your crops. Celebrate the Festival of Shelter in the autumn, when you gather the fruit from your vineyard and orchard’’. With its Biblical derivations, the King and the chiefs of his Red Cap will dance to the egwu ota in order to celebrate the festival surrounding the Ime-Obi (King's Palace). This dance is usually hierarchical, from the bottom to the top. Onowu Iyasele (Traditional Prime Minister) is the highest ranking chief who dances himself before the Obi of Onitsha. [3]
The main aspect of the Umatu is the nni oka (corn meal), which is served with the ofe onino (drawing soup) and its cabinet following the Iba. The nni oka is normally served in a native bowl called an ugbugba. [4] Other refreshments served at Ime Obi during the Umatu are ukwa, okpodudu, and aku.
When Obi receives the nni oka, he cuts and shares with everyone present, beginning with his Red Cap leaders. Goats and fowls are also slain in order to make either dee onino or okwulu soup (draw soup). The people and the community in the entire area then pray for good health and prosperity.
The Umatu is of great significance to the farming community of Onicha at that time, as reflected in an old saying, ugbo eketalu okwulu olilijie elugonso, meaning the farmland which you could pick okro, signifies that yam harvests are approaching (New yam festival). [2]
The Umatu festival lasts 16 days, starting with the Obi of Onitsha private celebration. Then, for four days Eze-Idi, Ikpala Isi, Umueze Chima and Ikpoko Akwukwo Ogili joined the festivities on the following order; the last day was marked by a clearance of vegetable containers and packages. [5]
The Umatu festival in Onitsha in 2020 was organized in conformity with the Covid-19 safety requirements and protocols.
Onitsha is a city on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. Onitsha along with various cities and towns in southern Anambra State, northern Imo State and neighboring Delta State on the western bank of the Niger River, form a continuous metropolitan area.
Anambra State is a Nigerian state located in the South-eastern region of the country. The state was created on 27 August 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State and Rivers State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State to the north. The state's capital is Awka, while the state’s largest city is Onitsha which is regarded as one of the largest metropolis in Africa. Nnewi is the second largest commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, and also a known automobile hub within Nigeria and Africa.
Nnewi is a commercial and industrial city in Anambra State, southeastern Nigeria. It is the second largest city in Anambra state after Onitsha. Nnewi as a metropolitan area has two local government area, which are Nnewi North and Nnewi South, all centred around the Nnewi town. Even Ekwusigo local government area is now part of Nnewi urban area, as urbanization continues to spread from Nnewi to neighbouring communities. The Nnewi town which is the only town in Nnewi North, comprises four villages: Otolo, Uruagu, Umudim, and Nnewichi. Nnewi had been the centre of economics and commerce, being at a time the fastest growing industrial city east of the Niger, being the home of many industries such as The Ibeto Group, the Chicason Group, Cutix Cables, amongst others. The first indigenous car manufacturing plant in Nigeria is located in the city while the first wholly Made-in-Nigeria motorcycle, the 'NASENI M1' was manufactured in Nnewi.
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