Our Culture and Tradition Roundtable week 14||

TRADITIONAL RETIREMENT: AGE GRADE CULTURAL FESTIVAL

INTRODUCTION

At a certain age in some communities, take for instance like the Igbo community in Nigeria, a group of elderly persons come together to identify themselves. They are elderly men and women who falls within a defined age bracket say 50 to 60 years, who assembles together in every two, three or four years as the case may be. The meeting usually holds in december of the year in which the event would take place. It is a once in a lifetime occassion aimed at retiring the elderly people from being active in community service and inducting them to a higher community leadership.

On this note, I welcome everyone for toady's meeting as I umdergo the usual protocol.

PROTOCOL

I warmly recognize , the presence of all the ethnic nationalities here representing from any part of Nigeria and beyond all present in this community as follows:

• The Igbos
• The Ibibios
• The Efiks
• The Yorubas
• The Hausas
• The Ijaws
• The fulanis
• The Tivis
• The kanuris

I don't forget other ethnic nationalities that I could not mention but are existing in this community. My greetings to all of you and welcome to this meeting.

Below I present the kola to you all for todays meeting.

I hope everyone has recieved the kola, now let's move on for discussion.

THE AGE-GRADE TRADITIONAL RETIREMENT CELEBRATION

The age grade system had been in existence before independence. During that time, the age grade unit of the traditional institution were saddled with the responsibility of protecting the community against their enemies, ensuring that there is peace in the community, and going for wars. The age grade later metamorphosed to becoming a useful instrument for community development.

The age grade traditionanl retirement is widely celebrated in most Igbo communities. At the beginning of celebration precisely on the first day, the age grades who are celebrating their retirement would be in their traditional attires. They would match aroind the village and may also go into the neighboring communities. They walk around with their drums, their flutes and gongs singing and dancing to the beating of the traditional music.

An interesting part of the event that is intituted for the development of the community. The members of the age grade assigns themselves to establishment of a visible or tangible projects that would be for the benefits of the entire community. They may decide to build school for the community, borehole or construct roads. They may also decide to build markets for the community. These projects would of a great impact as it would affect the community positively by improving lives.

Whenever the time comes for the event, the celebrants calls on their sons and daughters home and abroad, to support and witness the event. High point of the event would be the commissioning of the project completed by the age group.

Also, each of the celebrant would be required to prepare some food. They would bring the to the venue of the event as to entertain their guests.

To show an appreciation to the age grade members for their contributio to the development of their community, they would be given some gifts like wrappers, cash, jewellries, boxes and kitchen utensils for the women. This is quite a remarkable event that leaves an indelible memories in the minds of the celebrants.

The age grade traditional retirement could be called different names in different Igbo communities such as:

• Otomu
• Igbuche
• Ipu ogo
• Igbotonma etc.

Dear members, this is the end of meeting today and for the week. Hopefully I would be around next week for another roundtable discussion.

Thank you for your participation as you read through.