Dr. Amanze Obi is a seasoned Journalist and one time Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Culture and Tourism in Imo State, today he is the pioneer Director General of Ahiajoku Institute, he spoke to EVEREST EZIHE on his plans to re-invent the cultural Institute into a world class cultural renaissance.
Sir, May we know you?
I am Dr. Amanze Obi, the Director General of Imo State Ahiajoku Institute
What is the mission of the Institute?
It is an institute set up by Imo State Government to deepen and broaden what we use to have as Ahiajoku lecture, if you recalled the Ahiajoku lecture started 40 years ago during the regime of Late Chief Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, the first Executive Governor of old Imo State. He started the Ahiajoku lecture series and for forty years the lecture series have been on, even though the last 8 years, the immediate past Rescue Mission Administration of Owelle Rochas Okorocha abandoned this to note that the new administration of His Excellency Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, under the mantra of Rebuild Imo has revived the moribund but famous Ahiajoku lecture. It is significant to note that Governor Ihedioha is doing this in the year that marked the 40th anniversary of Ahiajoku lecture series. Publically and traditionally speaking, the year 40 is very significant in the life of a man, State nation or any endaevour. It is a historical moment for Ndi-Imo, South East and Nigerians at large beyond this; the Governor has gone beyond the lecture series and elevated Ahiajoku to an enviable Institute.
As an Institute, the Ahiajoku Institute is modeled in line with Goeth Institute in Germany, Italian Cultural Institute etc these are Institutes that are devoted to cultural studies and publication of books that have to do with films, literatures, culture etc. the Institute will do all these things and more.
The Institute will deeply involved in cultural and intellectual matters as well as publications, film exchanges, theatre and literature journals when the Institute is fully established we will have a situation were intellectual harvest and language exchanges could be embarked up. People can come outside and within Nigeria to come and learn Igbo Language and her cultural and traditional heritages. The Institute could also be able to sponsor people to go abroad and learn foreign languages in the overall interest of the state and the nation. Under the Ahiajoku Institute we will be having international conferences on literature, world view, civilization, culture etc. there are a lot of intellectual things the Institute will embark upon when it is fully established but the Ahiajoku lecture remains a major plank of the Institute. The Ahiajoku lecture is like a festival as it lasts a minimum of 3 or 4 day event because of colloquium, cultural night, the lecture etc. this year lecture series will take place on 29th and 30th of November and we are optimistic all these packages will be included in it.
From hindsight, the concept of the establishment of Ahiajoku Institute is your brain child, what motivated you into encouraging the State government to establish the Institute?
It was my exposure in the field of culture and tourism when I served the state as a Commissioner of Culture and Tourism under the administration of Governor Ikedi Ohakim (2007-2011).
It gave me the needed exposure on the so much we need to do on Ahiajoku concept that has been confined only on annual lecture series. I believe we can do more than that by using the plat form for cultural orientation, world view, publications, literatures etc it to mere lectures even though it is all encompassing. Besides, when I look at other cultural Institutes that exist outside Nigeria and what they do and the scope they covered I began to see the need for our improvement. That was how the beautiful idea came to me and I felt like given it a try.
What do we as a state, and a nation stands to benefit?
A lot, Ahiajoku Institute will be the major vehicle for promotion of Igbo language and culture; people without culture and tradition have no identity. Recall that the maiden lecture that was given forty years ago by Prof Michael Echeruo was “A Matter of Identity”. If we are able to deal with the issue of identity, we must have achieved a lot for Igbo ethnic group and Nigeria as a nation.
Ahiajoku Institute is the major vehicle for Igbo identity, for Igbo renaissance, Igbo culture, Igbo civilization and world view so it defines who Igbos are, it says a lot about how Igbo nation will survive tomorrow in a multi cultural world we are living. It is important to get our own plat form and environment right so that we can compete favourably with people outside, that’s for me is a major achievement if we can achieve that.
You have being the Director General of the Institute for the past three months, what are your challenges?
You are aware that every new idea must come with its own challenges. However, the most important thing is to know the job schedule and its expectations. You have to spend time explaining the vision and mission of the concept and the institute. This one of the problem as many people are not yet aware but by the time we finished, the Ahiajoku lecture which is coming up by the end of this month and after the lecture I will roll out some programmes to sustain the existence of the Institute. But the time, we execute the programmes, people will now appreciate the role of the Institute in the socio – economic and political development of the Igbo nation. These are the challenges we are presently facing and I believe in the couple of months to come, we will over come these challenges.
From your view points, there are enormous things the Institute stands to embark upon and the people equally stands to gain, how do you intend to market these concepts so that ordinary man in the village will benefit and appreciate what the Institute stands for?.
My first priority is to engage in programmes and I assure you, our programmes will market the Institute. Already Ahiajoku is brand and whatever we are doing must be placed in the public domain as a seasoned journalist. We must sensitize the people of what we are doing and these people will evangelize our story themselves. As a media person, I will always be out there in the media talking and interpreting.
In view of this, what is your message to the good people of Igboland and Nigerians in particular?
They should embrace the concept of Ahiajoku and its Institute because the Ahiajoku lecture series which is marking her 40th anniversary, Imo State government has been on the centre of its all. I am urging the other South East States like Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra to join, the Eastern Heartland State in the crusade to elevate our good cultural and traditional heritages and possibly improve on them for the benefits of mankind.
The aim is to export our rich culture and traditions and make Igbo nation proud of her identity. They must be part of this renaissance and movement of taking Igbo nation to a higher height.
As the pioneer Director General of the Institute, why the name Ahiajku and what is its significant?
Ahiajoku is an Igbo word that represents harvest and fertility. It simply means fertility as it relates to yam cultivation. Igbos regard yam as the king of all agricultural products when you talk of fertility, yam fertility or soil fertility, all of these is called Ahiajoku. The founders of Ahiajoku were looking at how to fertilize Igbo ideas, civilization and her world view, and who to enrich them using the yam culture which Igbo nation believes in, so this is how the entire concept of Ahiajoku came. It is not a concept to toil with in Igbo culture as it deals with fertility and progress. It is an appropriate concept been used to enrich Igbo Language and to make her culture fertile in other nations and tribes.
NIGERIA HORN
