The Birth of the UK’s Igbo First Daughter

Igbo tradition accords importance to First Daughters. Picture the queen in a chess game with multi-offensive capabilities -- that summarises a first daughter and the good that comes from the New Yam Festival.

Ayodele Johnson August 25, 2023

2 1 minute read

The Igbo New Yam Festival travels across continents. Miss Stephanie Ogbuiji is the first beneficiary as the festival visits the UK. - BBC

By Ayodele Johnson

In the United Kingdom, the ‘Umu Ada’ (First Daughter) of an Igbo community has been crowned. Miss Stephanie Ogbuji is a 16-year-old and the recipient of the honour that came to her during the celebration of the previous year’s New Yam festival.

After the display of talent in the August 2022 festival, according to a BBC report, and a speech touching on improvements she can bring to her Poole, Dorset community, Miss Ogbuji found her exceptional performance was appreciated – it was fit to place her in the role of First Daughter. What a feat considering such comes with lots of responsibilities.

Back home in Nigeria, first daughters are expected to be exemplary breeds of girls who handle burdens and support their communities for growth. That is what the teenager is expected to do. Her role as the official title holder will last until 2024 when a new crown bearer will emerge.

Telling the BBC about hopes for the initiative, she says, “The title is the first in the UK – we are hoping we can inspire other communities around England to create such a competition so we can have a history of first daughters in the community.”

Raising leaders

It stems beyond a celebration of a yam-eating culture. The event ties in with transmitting a great deal of confidence in the hearts of young women. And therefore, more leaders to take up essential future roles like the way Gen Zers are shaping up.

The organisers of the festival are President Anthony Agwagah with Vice President Perpetua Nwokenaka. - BBC — The organisers of the festival are President Anthony Agwagah with Vice President Perpetua Nwokenaka. – BBC

The Umu Ada has been rounding off her final year wearing the crown with a pet project. She is aiming to sponsor a girl for 6-month studies at a theatre school. How about that for impact? Miss Stephanie Ogbuji will be able to achieve this with the £300 [₦290,000] that has been gathered so far through fundraising.

It is a great feeling certainly to be considered spotlight-worthy for a moment.

“I didn’t have an idea of what it means to be really united in the community. It felt amazing to be noticed and recognised by everyone.”

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.