Ifeyinwa Ntima Honoured at Ohafia's Cultural Day Celebration in Abuja.

By Genesis ogiri, Abuja 

Shirley-Grace Ifeyinwa Ntima made a stylish appearance at the Ohafia cultural day and received a notable award for her leadership and humanitarian service.

The Ohafia Cultural Day celebration, held last weekend at the Old parade ground in Abuja, was a resounding success, drawing large crowds of people from Ohafia Communities in Abuja, and proving to be a sight to behold.

The event culminated in resounding success, with the presentation of leadership and humanitarian Award to Shirley-Grace Ifeyinwa Ntima, District Chairman Inner wheel Club 910, being the pinnacle, in recognition of her exceptional leadership, humanitarian efforts, and commitment to community development.

At a gathering of distinguished individuals and honorees, Shirley Grace Ifeyinwa Ntima (DC) was prominently recognized for her contributions, alongside others who have, through their philanthropy and unwavering dedication, made a lasting impact on the lives of countless Nigerians.

The award celebrates individuals who have displayed extraordinary commitment to humanitarian causes and community development.

Ifeyinwa Ntima, a distinguished philanthropist and community leader, was honored for her unwavering commitment to philanthropic endeavors and driving transformative change within her community. Her tireless dedication to enhancing the lives of underprivileged individuals has garnered admiration and esteem from peers and beneficiaries alike

Ifeyinwa was commended for empowering women, advancing personal development, and uplifting communities globally. The citation praised her for her leadership Prowess that inspires others to take action.”

For many years, Ifeyinwa Ntima has demonstrated her unswerving commitment to philanthropy by allocating a substantial portion of her financial resources, technical expertise, and intellectual prowess to serve the less privileged and underserved in Nigerian society. Her dedication has bestowed hope where it was once scarce and touched numerous lives.

The award  aimed to thrill, inform, and inspire through remarkable stories of achievements by Ifeyinwa who have selflessly dedicated herself to the betterment of society’s most vulnerable.

Her story is not just one of personal achievement; it is a narrative of transformative leadership that has left an indelible mark on the realms of  community service accountability 

Shirley-Grace's  approach to philanthropy has been deeply rooted in the belief that helping others is a duty and not an option.

The Inner Wheel Club, under her leadership, is a charitable organization that has supported programs aimed at providing educational opportunities, healthcare access, and economic empowerment for underprivileged groups.

 

It was a magical moment and a true testament to the extraordinary impact that a single individual can have through philanthropy and community service, as she accepted the accolade in the presence of esteemed guests

As reported by Newsway Media on SATURDAY, the colourful celebration of this year’s Ohafia Day, themed ‘Exterminate Vandalism, let there be Light in Ohafia’, at the Parade ground, brought together Ohafia communities in a vibrant event advocating for rural Electrification and celebrating Ohafia’s cultural excellence.

The Award was conferred upon Ifeyinwa at the Old Parade Ground in Abuja on December 7th, 2024, in celebration of her tireless efforts to promote women’s empowerment and transformative leadership globally.

Ifeyinwa portrayed the Ohafia Day as remarkable, pointing out that it would exert a significant impact on the lives of community members, given that it assemble people of goodwill.

In her acceptance speech, DC Ifeyinwa reflected on her journey, saying “This award is a call to further service and to live my assignment. It inspires me to continue making an impact in my community and leave a legacy for future generations

Shirley Grace Ifeyinwa Ntima observed that the event has as part of its objectives to build bridges of Community unity and create a culture of peace amongst Ohafia diverse interests and groups in Abuja and beyond.

It also aims at creating a platform for the creation of formidable networks, harmonious relationships and good neighbourliness among Ohafia and their host communities.

While reflecting the journey of Ifeyinwa Ntima, her life's story is a power of resilience, tireless ambition, unwavering commitment to excellence and seizing opportunities. From her early years marked by a hunger for Education to her unconventional path to becoming a  humanitarian,  her story serves as an inspiration to many younger generation.

Dignitaries from far and near graced the momentous event, which historically has been one of the most consistent and colourful of all cultural outings in Abuja.

Ohafia is an Igbo clan as well as a local government area (LGA) which covers the entire Ohafia villages and other clans such as Abiriba and Nkporo, in Abia State. It has its Administrative Headquarters at Ebem Ohafia while its ancestral capital is the centrally located village of Elu Ohafia.

 There are 26 villages in Ohafia which were birthed by offspring of Ezeama Atita and his second son, Uduma .

Once the name Ohafia is mentioned, what comes to mind immediately is the group of traditional dancers whose leader carries a supposed basket of human heads on his head. The traditional warrior-like dancers celebrate the human heads, as champions do after winning trophies.

The legendary traditional dance known as Ohafia War Dance, is one legend that has so much suppressed other rich cultural heritage of these people found in Abia State, in the Southern part of Nigeria. 

The cultural hospitality of the Ohafia people is quite fascinating. 

Actually, considering the activities of the ancestors of the Ohafia people and how success was measured in their period, the human heads were considered the biggest trophy any warrior could win.

Killing and cutting off the head of one’s enemy during war were seen as the worst form of defeat, hence, the pride that followed a brave warrior. There is, the example of the Biblical David and Goliath. The Philistines were not just shamed by the little boy named David because their leader, Goliath was defeated but he was also killed and his head taken by the winner. 1Samuel v 49-51.

The event serves as a means of developing opportunities for the youths to learn and practice Igbo culture and values.

This is in addition to encouraging philanthropy and reward those who distinguished themselves locally and internationally through awards and motivate them to do more.

The carnival-like event featured festivities of music, arts and culture with the sole aim of promoting the cultural heritage of Ohafia people and Igbo in particular.

The Celebration attracted large crowd of spectators and participants from the FCT and beyond. It might have achieved the aim of engaging the youths in productive and result-oriented activities.

It attracted a mass movement of people of Igbo origin within the country and those in the Diaspora who turned up to unite and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Ohafia people while Awards were also given to various people at the event

According to organizer while speaking with NEWSWAY, “It is a festival aimed at providing a platform to create content to celebrate the culture, history, creativity and artistry of the culture-active people of Ohafia. 

As the event unfolded , it became evidence that  Ohafia War Dance with its fearsome war-like display rendered in rhythmic drum percussion, energetic and intimidating dance steps attracted public attention 

Congratulations, DC Shirley Grace Ifeyinwa Ntima, on this milestone recognition! Your leadership continues to inspire positive change worldwide.