Ofala Festival

The Ofala Festival is an annual celebration that Igbo people, mainly those from Onitsha, Umueri, Umuoji, and other nearby areas, participate in. The famous festival normally begins with a 21-gun salute and continues all night with drumming, dancing, and other cultural activities. The Obi's cabinet of chiefs, guests from other communities, various age groups, ladies, and youngsters from the community customarily flood the palace grounds or Ime Obi in traditional or ceremonial costume befitting the celebration event in the afternoon.

The emergence of the Obi in his royal regalia to the cheers of the crowd is the highlight of the Ofala Festival; a cannon shot announces the entrance of the Obi, who is usually dressed in ceremonial robe and wields a bronze sword; he walks to the sides of the arena or a third of the arena, acknowledging the cheers of the crowd. The Obi then retires, and the red cap chiefs pay tribute to him in order of seniority, following which both the Obi and the chiefs reappear when another cannon shot is fired.

Date: October