The Mbaise nation will celebrate the 2013 Iri-Ji festival on August 15th. The ceremony is expected to attract who is who across the globe.
Unveiling plans for the festival last Friday, the Chairman, Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Eze Chidume Okoro, said the Iri-Iji Mbaise is an annual ritual inherited from the fore-fathers of Mbaise.
Eze Okoro stated that the ceremony is in line with the tradition of the people, adding that arrangements are on top gear to ensure that the festival holds as expected.
He expressed optimism that the ceremony will be attended by prominent Mbaise sons and daughters who hold enviable positions, such as the Deputy Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Chris Anyanwu and Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Viola Onwuliri.
Part of ceremony lined up for the event include a town hall meeting between title holders and leaders in Mbaise nation, to be followed by a colloquium where there will be an intellectual harvest.
According to him, a carnival will be organized to be carried out mainly by students, as part of efforts to create awareness for the epoch making event.
He stated that the carnival will be led by Ada Imo, while the grand finale holds on August 15th.
In his remarks, a representative of the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Mr Oluwanti Oluwunne, commended the traditional rulers of the area for putting their acts together to organize the Iri-Ji Mbaise festival.
He added that he is delighted with the unity of purpose of the traditional rulers, urging them to keep it up; expressing optimism that the 2013 Iri-Ji Mbaise festival line up to expectation.
