Renowned American anthropologist and author, Prof. Richard Henderson, has arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, ahead of the 2026 Onitsha Ofala Festival, scheduled for October 16 and 17.
Henderson, who spent two years studying the culture and traditional institutions of the Onitsha people between 1960 and 1962, is returning to the historic commercial city after 64 years as a special guest of the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, for the annual cultural celebration.
The respected scholar arrived from Tucson, Arizona, United States, accompanied by his son, Michael Henderson, according to a statement issued by the Ofala Strategic Marketing and Communications Team on behalf of the Ofala Steering Committee.
Henderson is widely recognised for his influential book, The King in Every Man: Evolutionary Trends in Onitsha Igbo Society and Culture, published in 1972. The work remains an important reference on the social structure, cultural heritage and traditional institutions of the Onitsha people.
The statement described Henderson as an exceptional foreign researcher who immersed himself in the Onitsha community, learning its language, customs and institutions through direct interaction with the people.
It noted that his work had earned him enduring respect among the people of Onitsha, with his book regarded as a significant contribution to African anthropology and a valuable account of the community’s cultural identity.
According to the statement, Henderson documented the significance of traditional institutions, including kingship, the Eze, Ozo title system, Umunna, Ogbe and the spiritual heritage associated with Ani.
It explained that his research presented these institutions not as outdated traditions but as living systems that continue to shape the identity, values and social organisation of the Onitsha people.
The statement also highlighted the importance of Henderson’s continuing archival work, preserved through the website amightytree.org in collaboration with Helen Henderson.
The archive contains photographs, records of shrines, cultural objects and oral histories that help preserve aspects of Onitsha’s heritage that might otherwise have been lost.
It added that Henderson’s longstanding contribution to documenting the community’s history had earned him unusual reverence among the people, despite being a foreigner.
On arrival in Lagos, the American scholar was received by a delegation from Ime Obi, the traditional palace institution of the Obi of Onitsha.
The delegation was led by Chief Ben Epundu and included Ijagwo Obi, Ojinnaka Onyenyionwu, President of the Onitsha Improvement Union in Lagos, and Commander Tagbo of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Henderson’s return is expected to add historical and cultural significance to the 2026 Ofala Festival, which celebrates the rich traditions, heritage and identity of the Onitsha Kingdom.
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