Isonguyo Iniodu
The Awire (water yam) FOOD FESTIVAL AND CULTURE (AFFAC) is an age-long food and cultural festival. It is celebrated annually to herald the harvesting and eating of awire (water yam) in the new food season.
More than 300 years old, the festival originated from Ikot Inyang, Afaha Obong clan in Abak Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The ceremony goes back to the days of the forbears and has outlived many generations, recalled Chief Akpan Patrick Essien, the Village Head of Ikot Inyang. The current custodian of the festival took over from his father, who joined his ancestors at the age of 130 in 2000.
Like Argungu Fishing Festival, New Yam Festival, Durbar Festival to name just a few, the essence is to bring awire festival is in sync with the contemporariness of modern festivals.
Historically, awire food festival has been celebrated at Urua Ibaya, Ikot Inyang Village, Afaha Obong Clan, Abak Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.
Festival Preparation: The festival begins with Nsoi Eto Awire on Ake-Onyong market day of the week.
Nsoi Eto Awire signifies the arrangements and preparation of the farm tools that will be used for harvesting the water yam.
The harvest takes place on Aret-Obo the next market day after Ake-Onyong, where the farmers and the locals are encouraged to go to their farms for the harvest.
The next market day called Obo, is the main day of its celebration. On this day, all roads lead to Urua Ibaya, Ikot Inyang Village, Afaha Obong Clan, Abak L.G.A for the age-long festival.
It is worthy of note that this festival is celebrated on Obo, the same day that the renowned Obo Annang market operates.
It is the only event in the entire Annang Land, that can stop Obo Annang market from operating, on it is allotted day of the week.
Obo Annang market is recognized as the biggest market in Annang land, located in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The position re-enforces the adage Nsu-urua ikan Obo, meaning, ‘which market is greater than Obo?’
Festival Celebration: The celebration of the day commences as early as 5.00 a.m. where the farmers, locals and visitors assemble at Urua-Ibaya, to kick start the activities of the day.
All the access roads leading to the market are lined up with human traffic to celebrate the product of the day, awire (water yam). It is a delight to watch the youths, elders, children and visitors drop their guards to embrace one another and exchange banters, giving thanks to the Almighty, for life and provision.
In the course of the event, there is always a parade of colourfully costumed masquerades of about 1000. It comprises women traditional awire dance group and all stakeholders of the festival, before guests and dignitaries securely seated under the pavilion.
This year’s event will have a dinner banquet of different awire cuisines and awards for promising and distinguished Annang sons and daughters, both in the state and in the Diaspora at the Independence Hall, Abak, to crown the day.
AFFAC is an annual celebration held at Urua Ibaya, Ikot Inyang Village, Afaha Obong, Abak Local Government Area. It is the only event that diverts traffic of the popular ‘Obo Annang’ market in Essien Udim Local Government Area, to “Urua Ibaya,” Ikot Inyang, Afaha Obong, Abak L.G.A, for the Awire Food Festival and Culture Celebration (AFFAC).
Significance
Agent of Unity: The Awire Food Festival and Culture (AFFAC), is a major unifying agent for the Annang nation, the second largest ethnic nationality, in Akwa Ibom State. This is because of its ability to displace the activities of the renowned Obo Annang International Market and others to Urua Ibaya for the celebration.
It is one of the few cultural events that bring Annang indigenes across the entire Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District together.
It also symbolises the friendly, industrious and appreciative disposition of Annang tribe of both males and females, who see life from the perspective of happiness, thanksgiving to the Almighty God, as a recipe for peaceful co-existence.
Driver of the Agricultural Sector: The water yam festival has an overall positive impact on the agricultural outlook of the state, as people from within and without the locality plant water yam awire and other crops in preparation for the festival to boost their agricultural output.
Tourism as stimulant for Economic Growth: People from different countries, states and other local government areas in Akwa Ibom State participate in the festival which stimulates commerce as a platform for infrastructural development and upgrading.
Cultural Renaissance and Preservation: The festival’s days are replete with creative activities by local artists, where a rich blend of cultural and traditional arts, are displayed for the viewing pleasure of everyone in attendance. This goes a long way to stir up patriotic spirit of the cultural heritage among the people.
