Omega Aromatic Schnapps, a premium brand from Eastern Distilleries and Food Industries Limited, a foremost alcoholic beverage manufacturing firm in Nigeria, will once again feature prominently at this year’s Igu-Aro Festival, as it has been chosen by Eze Nri, His Majesty, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh, Nrienwelana II of Nri Ancient Kingdom, as preferred Aromatic Schnapps for libation at the event.
The choice of Omega Aromatic Schnapps is not far from its world class features, particularly the Non-Refillable valve technology that guarantees the liquid content of the product and prevents it from being adulterated.
This year’s Igu-Aro Ndi-Igbo, which starts from February 17 with a colloquium and cultural display to February 18, which is the Igu-Aro proper
Igu-Aro Ndi-Igbo is an annual festival in Nri, in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, which ushers in the New Year and New Farming season in Nri and other parts of Igboland.
The two-day event, starts with pouring of libation, and Omega Aromatic Schnapps, an exceptional drink for prayers, has been chosen as the preferred schnapps for the occasion.
His Majesty, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh in an interview with BDSUNDAY at his palace in Nri, thanked Eastern Distilleries and Food Industries Limited, for sustaining its partnership with the community and Ndi-Igbo, in celebrating this year’s Igu-Aro festival.
In the words of his Majesty, “And you know the festivity starts with libation and we use Omega Aromatic Schnapps to pour libation. Our partnership is beautiful and I solicit our relationship to move beyond this”.
The 2017 Igu-Aro, the 1018th edition, which also coincides with the 29th year on the throne of His Majesty, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh, will start on February 17 with a colloquium and end on Saturday, February 18 with a big ceremony, which will be held at the Eze Nri palace.
As an agrarian society, Ndi Igbo use the Sun to count time and season and Eze Nri, as the custodian of the culture of the people, must proclaim the New Year and time to farm.
And the farming season in Igboland starts at the beginning of the year and in February to be precise.
Consequently, Eze Nri will proclaim the beginning of the New Year on Saturday February 18, 2017, signaling the beginning of the year and beginning of the new farming season in Igboland.
According to His Majesty, “Once Eze Nri declares that day, we celebrate and it becomes our new year and people can now start preparing for the new farming season. The people will now go to their farms, clear the bushes, and those who want to plant yam, would prepare the ground in wait for the rain, before planting the seedlings”.
“However, before the proclamation by Eze Nri, there must be a warning rain, within a native week (Four market days).
“Once a new year is proclaimed, we commence preparation for the farming season and at the eight month of the year, we start harvesting our yams.
And you know that Ndi Igbo cherish eating new yam. The yam must stay in the ground for eight months before it is harvested. After this other traditional festivals follow”.
On whether there is punishment for anybody that starts planting before, Eze Nri’s proclamation, His Majesty explained that there is no punishment for such acts, but noted that the person will get nothing from his/her efforts, as beetles and other insects, would eat up his seedling
