300 Umunumo youths perform age grade induction ceremony
ABIODUN JIMOH, in Umunumo, Imo State
History was made, and record was set on Thursday, January 3th, 2019, when the joy of people of Umunumo Community, Ehime Mbano local government area, Imo State knew no bound as no fewer than three hundred youths from the community performed the age grade induction ceremony.
The community was a centre of attraction, and a theater of funfare when the long awaited dreams of these youths aged between 29 and 31 came into reality in their lifetime, having witnessed the last edition of the ceremony held three years ago.
The ceremony, in some communities in the state or other parts of the Igbo land entirely was devoid of any rituals to gods or initiations to any deities that could have prevented or denied many youths and their families from participating in the event.
The 2019 edition of the induction ceremony themed ‘Ihenadiwo Age Grade’ witnessed the largest number of youths in the history of the community, and was adjudged the best organised and frenzy due to the fun and pageantry that characterised the event.
The triennial ceremonial road walk started from the Ori-Umunumo market square in the morning, stretched through two kilometers road network and finally ended at the Afigbo market square in the afternoon to the waiting arms of thousands of families members, friends and well wishers who had come across the country and abroad to felicitate with the new entrants into the league.
The elated youths dressed in their various traditional attires alongside their families members had the biggest fun of their lifetime with lots of singing and dancing from local musicians, brigade bands ad many other means that added glamour to the event.
Similarly, the the next set of youths to be inducted in three years time, who performed the functions of ushers at the event experienced difficult tasks in persuading the celebrants to move forward, as many in an attempt to express their happiness deliberately slow down the pace of movement for others celebrants coming behind them.
However, the joy of all the families were sighted especially at the final destination whereby celebrants were marched into the waiting arms of the guard of honour mounted by the ushers before being carried on shoulder by a relative or friend through to the market square waiving and adoring everybody on sight before returning to their different compounds.
Some of the celebrants who spoke on the necessity of the induction ceremony noted that it became necessary for any youths that have attained the age to be part of the event, because it is being done once in a lifetime.
Also, they remarked that it was part of the reason to thank God for keeping alive till the day as many of their age mates were either dead or hospitalised while some were no where to be found.
However, the duo of Francis and Chisom from Iwuoha’s family thanked the Almighty God for sparing their lives to be part of the epic ceremony which is being done once in a lifetime.
They added that having witnessed the last edition held in 2016, they had been longing to be part of this year being their own period of induction. “As everyone can see, the age grade induction is not about performing rituals to gods or initiation to any deities as in some other communities in Igbo land. Ours is purely funfare ceremony full of entertainment and open.”
They also appreciated their parents, family members, relatives and friends who traveled from different places to the community to rejoice with them on the occasion.
Meanwhile, the aftermath of the ceremony was the gathering of family members for party that followed in their different respective compounds within the community to entertain their guests who defied the early morning sunlight for the event.
