In this exclusive interview with National Newsblast Newspaper, Ambassador Jerry Osuji, National Secretary-General of Uratta Development Union (UDU) and Chairman of the Orji Autonomous Community Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the Onwa Oru Uratta Festival 2026, reveals why the 2026 edition of the event is the grandest so far. Excerpts
Q–May we know your name, Sir, and your role in this event?
A–Thank you very much. I am Ambassador Jerry Osuji, the National Secretary-General of Uratta Development Union (UDU) and also the Chairman of Orji Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for Onwa Oru 2026. Each of the ten communities that make Uratta usually sets up LOC to bring about the organization of the event as it relates to your own community. That is what we have done for the people of Orji and from the clan level, my role is Secretary-General.
Q–What can you tell us about today’s event that makes it unique compared with the previous ones?
A–This is a very important question. Well, the truth is that each year, Onwa Oru Uratta Annual Cultural Festival keeps developing. This year, for a very long time, we have been able to put together a festival brochure of sixty pages where you have some historical information imbedded for generations yet unborn and messages from individuals, sons and daughters of the clan. That has never to my knowledge, happened before.
And of course, from the angle of the Orji Autonomous Community, before this time, Orji has always created LOCs wherein the Chairman and members of the traditional institution and the President-General would go looking for money from Orji sons and daughters for donations.
That has been happening over the years. But this year, we said no. Let us leave the era of donation and come to what we call partnership in which case, those who partner with us must have something to benefit either as it concerns them or their brands and that paid off.
We had to bring three different levels namely Platinum tier, Gold tier and Silver tier and people were paying accordingly to enable us produce this entertainment, refreshments for Orji sons and daughters, wives and friends that are coming and that we did.
We are also giving them live streaming so that those who are watching from Canada, anywhere in the world who cannot be here, are able to watch us live and see that that culture that that they know, is still relevant and is still intact. And that has paid off.
Secondly, before this time, you would not be able to come around here once it is 4pm or 5pm. You would have that fear within you because it was bushy. But now, you can come around here and see that it is the cynosure of all eyes. It is now something that the people want to come and see, a tourist attraction, a public centre commercially viable and bubbling in the night. It is beautifully illuminated.
Those are the things that make Onwa Oru today spectacular. It is attracting people from different parts of Nigeria to come and behold this festival and we are happy about that.