By Izunna Okafor, Awka
It was a moment of history, panegyrics, and cultural enthusiasm as the people of Agulu community in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State gathered to officially commence the process of giving their long-lost ancestral heritage a permanent home after 120 years in foreign and national custody.
The popular deity’s artifact, according to reports, was taken away from Agulu by British colonial authorities in 1905 following a violent conflict between the colonial forces and the people of Agulu. The artifact, known as Haba Agulu, was returned to Nigeria decades later and kept at the National Museum in Lagos until its final return to Agulu on October 31, 2025.
It was in a bid to preserve this rare cultural treasure for generations yet unborn and to transform it into a heritage and tourism symbol that the people of the community officially kicked off the construction of a permanent museum, where the artifact and other cultural heritage materials of Agulu would be preserved and displayed.
The foundation stone-laying ceremony, which held on Tuesday at the homestead of the deity, was graced by the Anambra State Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Hon. Don Onyenji, alongside some principal officers of the Ministry and critical stakeholders of the community.
Speaking at the event, the President General of Agulu Peoples Union, Nigeria, Chief Oliver Nwachukwu Afamefuna, explained the museum where the Haba Agulu artifact would be housed would preserve it for future generations, enabling people across the world to understand the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Agulu.
He noted that beyond the Haba artifact, the museum would also showcase other cultural materials, serving as a centre for cultural education, tourism, research, and historical documentation.
Recounting the painful history of how the artifact was taken away, Chief Afamefuna explained that Haba Agulu was seized by British authorities during their clash with Agulu people in 1905 because the deity was believed to have played a powerful role in protecting the land and its people. He disclosed that, alongside the artifact, some Agulu sons were also taken alive and never returned till date, which made the community to later conduct a mass burial for them in absentia.
According to him, the British took the artifact away to uncover its perceived mystical powers but found nothing tangible in it. Eventually, after many decades, the relic was returned to Nigeria and kept in Lagos. From 1905 till now, he said, 120 years have passed.
He revealed that successive leaderships of Agulu community and past administrations in the state made several efforts over the years to bring back the artifact, but the mission did not succeed until about three years ago, under the administration of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, and with the active intervention of the Ministry of Culture, Entertainment and Tourism. He also explained that the Agulu community government collaborated with both the Federal and State Governments, culminating in the successful return of the artifact to its ancestral home.
The PG further disclosed that while the artifact was kept in Lagos after it was returned from England, visitors from across the world, including foreign nationals, students, and researchers, regularly visited the museum to observe it. He pointed out that the exact marks and beads on the hands, waist and legs of the artifact have mysterious remained intact for 120 years without any alteration.
He also expressed confidence that the proposed heritage museum would attract global tourists, generate revenue for the Anambra State Government and the Agulu community, as well as place Agulu more firmly on the international tourism map, in addition to the existing Agulu lake.
Overflowing with gratitude, the President General lauded Governor Soludo and the Commissioner for Culture, acknowledging that their administration gave the Haba repatriation serious attention that produced the historic result.
He reiterated on behalf of the entire community that October 31, 2025, will remain unforgettable in Agulu’s history as the day Haba finally returned home to Agulu.
Chief Afamefuna also disclosed that full documentation of the history of Haba Agulu will be done, stressing the need for its story to be preserved permanently and formally in written form. While recounting some of the impacts of the Soludo Administration and its developmental projects in Agulu, the PG further appealed for sustained government support to develop the site into a full tourist attraction.
Earlier speaking, the Secretary of Ndi-Omenala Agulu Ohumba Community, Prince Chigbogu Nwokoyeobata (Ikenga Agulu), recalled the long struggles and sacrifices behind the return of the deity’s artifact . He explained that Haba had been listed in both national and international heritage inventories, making it no longer a private or community matter alone but a state and national responsibility.
He joined voice to appeal to government at all levels to support the construction of a befitting herit6 centre for the artifact, noting that just as other states like Osun and Edo did when their deities were returned, Anambra must also rise to that responsibility to preserve the future of their children and generations yet unborn.
In their separate remarks, the Chief Priest of Haba Oyeụkwụakpọ, Nze Nweke Afuecheta, and the Head of Akajiọfọ Haba Ebeteghete, Chief Dr. Patrick Oba, recounted all the failed efforts over the decades and joyfully welcomed the return of Haba after 120 years.
They lauded all individuals and institutions that played one role or another in making the return possible and expressed strong optimism that government would assist the community in completing the heritage project.
Responding on behalf of the State Government, the Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji, described the story of Haba Agulu as an international heritage narrative. He explained that the British took the artifact in 1905, later returned it to Nigeria in 1946 to the custody of the National Commission of Museums and Monuments (NCMM), and only recently, after sustained legal and diplomatic processes, was it finally handed over to Agulu community on October 31st.
He emphasized that laws at both national and international levels recognize the right of a people to their cultural heritage and that the Anambra State Government consistently engaged the relevant federal authorities to secure the artifact’s release.
He explained that the purpose of the foundation stone-laying ceremony was to ensure that the story of Haba does not end halfway after its return but culminates in the establishment of a permanent museum and heritage site, where the artifact will be protected, preserved and displayed for tourism purposes.
Clearing the air on the public misconceptions about traditional worship, the Commissioner, who also spoke in an interview with newsmen, clarified that Anambra State is a secular state, and that the Soludo administration is not against traditional worship but against criminal idolatry and harmful practices. According to him, the government’s role is to protect cultural heritage while opposing any unlawful or criminal practices that hide behind religion. He emphasized that government promotes peace, love, and lawful religious practices across all faiths, which has also manifested in his administration’s efforts in securing the return of Haba Agulu.
According to him, making Anambra a liveable and prosperous homeland, Governor Soludo’s priority has also been to leave Anambra better than he met it as the Governor.
He further highlighted various developmental projects carried out by the Soludo administration in Agulu, including the ongoing dual carriageway passing through Agulu to Ekwulọbịa, the relocation and construction of a new market for displaced traders, perimeter fencing and transformation of the Agulu Lake environment, and the approval of designs for an artificial beach and other tourism attractions around the lake.
According to him, these projects will boost employment, investment, nightlife, and economic prosperity in Agulu, firmly establishing it as a major tourism destination in Anambra State and Nigeria, with Haba’s museum forming another core heritage attraction.
On her own part, the Director of Arts and Culture in the Ministry, Mrs. Chioma Ifediora, described the entire event as highly historical, stressing that after 120 years, the Haba artifact had finally returned to its roots, and its permanent resting place had now begun with the laying of the foundation stone.
She commended Governor Soludo and the Ministry for recording a major cultural victory and described the return of Haba as a rare success story in Nigeria’s cultural preservation efforts.
The event was also witnessed by Information Officer of the Ministry, Ifeyinwa Ogwo; members of Ndi Ọdịnala Agulu Ohumba, traditional leaders, government officials and community stakeholders, while the official foundation stone laying for the proposed Haba Heritage Museum formed the high point of the event.
More photos from the event:
