The Ofala is the high point of the Onitsha ceremonial cycle. The Obi of Onitsha is the celebrant of this spectacle which is rooted in deep spirituality. The Ofala is an occasion for the monarch to fulfil certain obligations. It is primarily a elebration by the monarch and his subjects of the monarch's annual emergence from seclusion, during which period the monarch has
successfully negotiated the fortunes of the kingdom. It is also a reenactment of the joy which the monarch shared with his subjects, at the discovery that yam is non-toxic, and a valuable source of food. The Ofala is equally an opportunity for the monarch, following his seclusion to review his army and obtain the assurance of loyalty from his generals: redcap chiefs (Ndichie)