Item Communities Living In Aba Mark Cultural Day In Grand Style (video attached)

It was a glamorous sight at the premises of Abia State School of Health as sons and daughters of Item in Bende local government area of Abia State, who are resident in Aba, the commercial nerve of the state came out in their numbers and in their beautiful and well fitted apparels on Saturday, Nov. 8, to mark the 2025 edition of Item Cultural Day celebration.

The event attracted indigenes of Item from the 9 existing villages to include Okoko Item, Amaokwe Item, Amaeke Item, Apuanu Item, Amaekpu Item, Akanu Item, Okagwo Item, Umuakpaeme Item and Okai Item respectively, also saw friends and well-wishers of Item of various academic, business, traditional and religious backgrounds, coming together to join their associates, neighbours and colleagues to mark such an auspicious day.

Apart from some of the cultural troupes that were on ground to entertain indigenes and invited guests, there were also some of the popular masqurades in Item that came from their respective communities to show solidarity with their people living in Aba.

Site of the popular masqurades include Udungwulu; One of the biggest Masquerades in Item.

Others include Oboni, Ilu, Achumpi, Ogbu Anyaosi, whose presence added colour to the event and also gave the Item indigenes the opportunity to have a feel of what they witness in their various villages.

However, Ojonkwu masqurade which is usually adorned by an elderly person, couldn’t make it to the venue because according to their custom and tradition, the masquerade doesn’t travel out of Item.

It was gathered that those who attempted taking the masquerade out of Item die mysterious after such trip.

The nine villages of Item, situated in Bende local government area of the state are mainly agrarian communities, known for producing different agricultural produce.

But in Aba, the people of Item are known for tailoring and fabric merchants who also make up the huge population of residents of Aba living around Ngwa road, Ohanku, Ibadan, Agharandu, Ihieorji and among other areas within Aba South and Ugwunagbo local government areas of the state, where their forefathers who were early settlers in Aba either lived as tenants or landlords.

The reason for their population within the Ngwa road area is also because their businesses are located around the area as well.

Speaking on the cultural day celebration, Mrs. Patience Okwu, Mr. Sam Okorie and Mrs. Clara Emenike while commending the organisers for a successful programme, called for such event to be replicated among community members in the state.

They added that the event and its likes provides the people the opportunity to relax and also meet their loved ones who they might have not been able to see over the year because of distance or the type of business that they do.

They unanimously agreed that the event will provide the younger generations the opportunity to not just celebrate and appreciate their cultural heritages, but inspires the young population to sustaining and protecting their identity from being lost to globalisation and modernisation.

The event served as yet another opportunity for the Item indigenes to honour their illustrious sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their services to God, humanity and their various communities.

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