Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has called on the Igbo to preserve their cultural heritage and pass their values from one generation to the next, as he celebrated the 2026 Afia Olu Festival in Oraifite, Anambra State.
Chidoka, who served as the Special Guest of Honour at the festival on Saturday, described his return to Oraifite, his mother’s hometown, as a deeply personal homecoming.
He recalled spending Christmas holidays in the community and growing up surrounded by maternal relatives, describing the experience as a reflection of the Igbo cultural principle of “Nneka”, meaning “mother is supreme.”
According to the former minister, his maternal relations, including the Nzelus, Nnajiofors and Igbokwes, as well as businessman Sir Emeka Offor, had consistently treated him as a son of the community.
Chidoka said his participation in the festival was therefore more than an official invitation, describing it as an affirmation of the love and acceptance he had received from the people of his maternal home.
The Afia Olu Festival, traditionally celebrated by the Ana Edo communities of Nnewi, Ichi and Oraifite as a harvest thanksgiving, featured cultural displays, music and communal festivities.
Speaking on the significance of the celebration, Chidoka said cultural festivals remained important platforms for preserving the identity, history and values of the Igbo people.
He drew lessons from the traditional importance of yam, regarded as the “king of crops,” saying the farming cycle teaches values such as hard work, patience, knowledge and integrity.
The former minister stressed that people could not harvest what they did not plant, warning against fraudulent practices and the glorification of wealth acquired through dishonest means.
Chidoka also urged the younger generation to preserve the “seed” for future generations, particularly the Igbo language, traditional festivals, history, values and moral foundations.
He maintained that embracing technology, competing globally and building modern societies should not come at the expense of cultural identity.
According to him, the changing nature of society requires adaptation, but core values and principles must remain firmly rooted.
Chidoka urged Ndi Igbo to remain conscious of their identity and cultural heritage wherever they find themselves, stressing that development and cultural preservation could coexist.
The 2026 Afia Olu Festival ended with a renewed emphasis on cultural preservation, communal identity and the responsibility of each generation to pass its heritage to those coming after it.
