By Chiedu Uche Okoye
Uruowulu, which is one of the five villages that make up the Obosi ancient kingdom in Anambra State, has emerged the winner of the Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition.
The maiden edition of the competition took place at the Obosi town hall on Easter Monday, April 6.
The Obosi inter-village dialect quiz competition, the aims of which were to protect the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language from becoming extinct and passing the Obosi dialect to the younger generations of Obosi people, emanated from Pharm. Obi Egbuonye’s “Revive Obosi Dialect Project”.
Uruowulu village came top at the end of the quiz competition with 80 marks while Mmakwum, Ire, and Ugamuma villages were tied at 70 marks. Umuota village brought up the rear.
The three villages, which were tied at 70 marks, entered into the second round of the competition, which saw Mmakwum village coming second; and Ire village, third.
Speaking at the event, the President General of the Obosi Development Union (ODU), Barr. Chimezie Obi, said that the competition was instituted to project, promote, and preserve the Obosi dialect of the Igbo language while thanking the sponsor of the competition, Engr. Eric Nnamdi Anyamene.
“We want to preserve, promote, and protect the Obosi dialect. That’s why we called the five villages in Obosi to compete in the quiz competition.
“And I am thanking Engr. Eric Anyamene for sponsoring the competition. I, also, appreciate Pharm. Obi Egbuonye (Nkpologwu Obosi) for initiating the ‘Revive Obosi Dialect Project’, which gave birth to this competition,” Obi said.
In his own remarks, Chief Darlington Okenwa (Ogbuaku), who sponsored the airing of the event on AIT, made the promise that the second edition of the competition would be a huge improvement on the maiden edition.
He said that future editions of the competition would be scheduled to take place when Obosi indigenes resident outside the town could bring their children home to participate in the event.
“When my friend, Obi Egbuonye, broached the idea of starting the revival of Obosi dialect project, it excited my interest and I keyed into the project.
“In fact, I learnt a lot of Obosi expressions by witnessing this competition.
“I am making the promise that the second edition of the competition would be a vast improvement on the maiden edition, which can rival the widely known Ito ogbo Obosi Festival,” Okenwa said.
Again, Hon. Obinna Igboebisi, who spoke to journalists via phone, from his base in London, thanked the initiator of the “Revive Obosi Dialect Project” and lauded the persons who co-sponsored the competition.
He said that organizing the competition on a yearly basis would deepen the unity that exists among the five villages that make up the ancient Obosi kingdom.
During the epochal event, the Ajukwu and Ogba Mgbada masquerade groups, which were sponsored by Chief Motanya, electrified the arena of the event at intervals with their sinuous and captivating dance steps.
The event, which was attended by titled men in Obosi kingdom, members of the Obosi town union government, and man of the cloth, Ven Emeka Albert Ikeokwu, was moderated by Rev. Dr. Albert Green.
The Obosi dialect of the Igbo language is a reservoir of idioms, proverbs, and riddles, which are guides for raising up children, performing marriage rites, and carrying out funeral ceremonies.
Chiedu is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
