Nwafor Festival: 20 Nigerian guys injured while trying to “become men”
Details of the ritual remain unclear. But no less than 20 of 150 Nigerian young men who participated in it sustained varying degrees of injuries.
The young men were being “initiated into manhood” at the annual Nwafor Festival in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government area of Anambra State.
Police officers were present during the said ritual to prevent violence. But what activities the young men participated in that resulted in the reported injuries remain unclear.
Locales say the festival was a time for interaction among young men in the community.
Some among the young men were heavily drunk before taking part in the ritual, eyewitnesses say.
Despite reported injuries, Felix Obika – chief priest of Iwelle Ogidi – said he was satisfied with how things went in general.
He, however, said the young men should’ve taken things easy.
Accroding to Facts.ng, “the Nwafor festival is celebrated by the Ogidi people after the cultivation of yam to mark the beginning of a resting period after cultivation.
“It also a time to pray for a productive farming season. The festival takes a period of 11 days, it usually starts from the first Friday (Afor) in the month of July and for the next 10 days .The festival is named Nwafor because it starts with a Friday which is ‘Afor’ in Igbo Land resulting in the name ‘Nwafor’.
“In preparation for the festival the people in the community sanitize their environment to enable the free flow of the event and in readiness to welcome all the indigenes of Ogidi returning home for the festival.
“A few days to the festival, on Thursday precisely, the ‘Orie’ (harmless masquerades) performs the traditional dance around the community.
“The festival proper is on Sunday, this is when the people of Ogidi gather at the community hall to say prayers thanking the gods for a successful cultivation period and also pray for a large Harvest of the New Yam.
“The Nwafor festival is believed to unite the people of Ogidi ,home and abroad as they all make the trip home to attend .It is also economically beneficial to the community as there is increase in trade.”.
