Chidoka Returns to Maternal Roots, Celebrates Afia Olu 2026 in Oraifite
By Chibuzo Obidike
Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, has described his return to Oraifite for the 2026 Afia Olu Festival as a deeply personal homecoming, reflecting on the enduring place of the maternal family in Igbo culture.
Chidoka, who served as Special Guest of Honour at the festival on Saturday, August 22, 2026, said Oraifite, his mother’s hometown, played a significant role in his formative years.
He recalled spending Christmas seasons in the community and growing up surrounded by maternal relatives, describing the experience as an expression of the Igbo cultural principle of Nneka, meaning that mother is supreme.
According to him, his maternal relations, including the Nzelus, Nnajiofors and Igbokwes, as well as prominent businessman Sir Emeka Offor, have consistently treated him as a favoured son of the community.
Chidoka said returning to Oraifite as Special Guest of Honour was therefore more than an official recognition, describing it as an affirmation of the love and acceptance he has enjoyed from Ndi Nnam na Nnem Ochie.
The Afia Olu Festival, traditionally celebrated by the Ana Edo communities of Nnewi, Ichi and Oraifite as a harvest thanksgiving, featured colourful cultural displays, music and communal celebrations.
However, Chidoka said beyond the festivities, the celebration demonstrated the importance of preserving Igbo culture and passing its values from one generation to another.
Reflecting on the significance of yam, traditionally regarded as the king of crops, he said the farming cycle offers important lessons about life, hard work, patience, knowledge and integrity.
He stressed that people cannot harvest what they did not plant and warned against fraudulent practices, noting that wealth acquired through dishonest means should not be mistaken for enterprise.
Chidoka also urged the present generation to preserve the “seed” for those coming after them, particularly the Igbo language, festivals, history, values and moral foundations that have sustained communities over the years.
He maintained that embracing technology, competing globally and building modern societies should not require abandoning cultural identity.
According to him, unchanging principles must underpin values in a changing world, urging Ndi Igbo to remain conscious of their identity wherever life takes them.
