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Tag: New Yam Festival

  • Ondo monarch, subjects clash over New Yam festival

    Ondo monarch, subjects clash over New Yam festival

    • DPO injured as police arrest 50

    There is unrest in Ibule Soro community, Ifedore Local Government Area, Ondo State over the celebration of the New Yam festival.

    More than 50 people have been arrested over the clash arising from the celebration of the festival between the community’s traditional ruler, Oba David Oluleke Ogunlade, and some of his subjects.

    It was gathered that the crisis resulted from a disagreement over the day to celebrate the festival.

    Some chiefs had fixed the celebration for August 9 and 10 but Oba Ogunlade fixed the celebration for August 25.

    Read Also: Ondo monarch, subjects clash over New Yam festival

    It was gathered that the emergence of Oba Ogunlade was still a subject of litigation which made some residents in the community refuse to recognise him as king.

    Some elders in the community, who pleaded anonymity, said they went against Oba Ogunlade because he was imposed by external forces.

    They alleged that it was the monarch that invited policemen to the community on Friday when the chiefs led the community to begin the New Yam festival celebration against the wish of the monarch.

    They said policemen fired tear gas and shot sporadically when the situation became riotous.

    It was learnt that a stone thrown at the policemen, which injured the Divisional Police Officer, further aggravated the crisis.

    Prof. Emmanuel Olowokere said the August 9 date was picked in line with the traditional calendar of the community.

    He said many persons were rushed to the community health centres after inhaling tear gas fired by the police.

    But Oba Ogunlade said those challenging his authority were the ones that contested against him for the throne.

    Ona Ogunlade said he, as the spiritual head of the community, reserved the right to celebrate the New Yam.

    He denied inviting policemen to the community, saying the policemen were at the community to maintain law and order in line with directives that no festivity should hold on Friday.

    According to him, “New Yam festival is the King’s festival. Nobody can fix a date except me.

    “Do they have the power to fix a date for my festival?

    “Some of them contested the throne with me.

    “The Police told them not to do it and asked them to do it in line with my calendar.

    “What they did is contrary to the customs and norms of the community.”

  • Benue governor preaches unity at New Yam festival

    Benue governor preaches unity at New Yam festival

    • Jonathan’s wife joins Igede community

    Former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was the cynosure of all eyes at the weekend when she joined Igede people in celebrating the New Yam festival called Igede Agba in Oju town Benue State.

    ‘Igede Agba’ is a yearly new yam festival celebrated by Igede people of Benue South Senatorial  district.

    The Igede ethnic group used the festival to thank God for bumper harvest before they eat any yam.

    Before this festival, no Igede son or  daughter is expected to eat any new yam.

    Surprisingly , Dame Patience Jonthan turned out at the new yam festival on Friday.

    Many people who attended the festival struggled to catch a glimpse of the former First Lady.

    She was  dressed in Igede traditional attire.

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    Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia, who was  at the festival, called on Benue people to work together and promote peace in their communities.

    He commended the sense of reasoning that brings the Igede people together yearly to interact with one another and also harness ideas for the progress and development of their community, using the festival

    He thanked Dame Jonathan for honouring Benue with her presence.

    Earlier, the House of Representatives Member for Oju/Obi Federal Constituency, Hon. David Ogewu appreciated Governor  Alia for attending the occasion, and promised to work in partnership with the Governor to deliver dividends of democracy to his people.

    Also at the event were  Hon. Salman Idris, Member representing Kabba-Bunu/ Ijumu Federal Constituency in Kogi State as well as prominent Igede sons and daughters both at home and in the Diaspora.

  • In Ogidi, Okonkwo lights up New Yam festival

    The New Yam Festival, an age-old tradition heralding the harvest season, took on a new life in Ogidi, Anambra State, as son of the soil, Chief Obiora Okonkwo rallied his people in a colourful ceremony, writes YOMI ODUNUGA

    For several hours on Saturday, October 6, 2018, the Ogidi country home of High Chief Obiora Okonkwo, Chairman of The Dome Entertainment and Hospitality Center Abuja, was a beehive of cultural activities as traditional dances, masquerades and traditional flutists took the centre stage in what turned out to be a celebration of the well-known New Yam festival with pomp and panache.

    The huge gates to Okonkwo’s expansive country home were flung open as early as 8am, with guests from different parts of Anambra State including the state’s deputy governor, Dr. Afam Okeke who stood in for Governor Willie Obiano. Igwe Alex Onyido, the Ezechuamagha of Ogidi kingdom leading other traditional rulers.

    Yet, the big names that graced the occasion merely added colour to what was to follow later. It was one festival that broke the barriers of social stratification as the gathering was united in one voice and identity. It was to the credit of Okonkwo, better known in the community as Dikeora Idemili, that he did not restrict participation at the Iwa ji. Hundreds of people from Ogidi and other communities around joined in the celebration. They all shared the moment, partook in the celebration of the new yam, had a bite of the roasted yam, ate, drank and went home with tubers of yam.

    Okonkwo, a philanthropist of repute, ignored the threat posed by the heavy rains and focused on seeing that the festival was successful, moving from one end of the big compound attending to thousands of his guests— rich and poor, big and small. He did not discriminate but gave himself to his people and made them celebrate the new yam with him.

    A devout Catholic, Okonkwo ensured that the event of the day was set on the right tone with a mass at his private chapel where more than ten priests of the Catholic Church, led by his sibling, Rev. Fr. (Dr.) Izunna Okonkwo, were present. The homily at the mass dwelt on the need for a better understanding of the fusion between culture and religion. Rev. Fr. (Prof.) Obi Oguejiofor elucidated on the place of culture in religion, noting that it engenders a better understanding of the traditional celebration of New yam and religious practice. The Mass ended with thanksgiving to God for a bountiful harvest. It also offered prayers to God for another planting season with expectations for better harvest.

    Having sought the face of God, it was time for the real celebration as Okonkwo, who was accompanied from the chapel to his residence by the Igba Eze traditional dance group, danced joyfully in thanksgiving. He was also ushered into the arena with dances. He danced round the expansive compound to acknowledge the crowd that had gathered and awaiting the cutting of the roasted yam.

    Cutting the new yam, Okonkwo prayed to God for longevity for the people of Ogidi and their King, Igwe Ezechuamagha. He also prayed for God’s guidance and support for the political leadership of the state and the country. He used the occasion to also pray for the good of the southeast region and for greater appreciation of the cultural values of the people.

    With that, he performed the rites by declaring the ceremony officially open when he cut the yam, dipped a slice into the tastefully prepared palm oil sauce, laced with Ugba and Utazi, had a bite and then, invited the audience to do same.

    Roast yam flowed freely afterwards. Following that, different shade of masquerades entered the arena. They were heralded by Ijele Inwelle which was formally launched last June for Ogidiland by Okonkwo, who is also the Inwelle Ogidi. The masquerades came from different parts of Anambra state in different shapes, sizes and colours. They entertained in a formation that highlighted the inherent tourist attractions in culture if properly packaged. For the rest of the day, beginning from about 2pm, masquerades and different dance groups entertained to the rhythmic sound of drums, ogene, flutes and wooden gongs. For many of the merrymakers, there was more to what Okonkwo did than just a gathering of his people to celebrate with him. It exemplified his intrinsic and undiluted love for a community from which he sprang from to become a national and international figure—his roots. It was, for them, a thing of joy that such a person remains committed to bringing out the best in the people and making them happy by, annually, hosting the Iwa Ji festival which attracts friends and relations.

    The festival, said some of the visitors, is a great reminder of the inherent values in Igbo cultural festivals which can be tapped for tourist advantages.

     

  • Shun violence, Ohaneze advises Igbos in South Africa

    Chief Nnia Nwodo, President, Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide, a pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has urged Igbos living in South Africa to eschew violence and resolve their differences amicably.

    Nwodo gave the advice at the annual Igbo Day and New Yam Festival (Iriji Ndi Igbo) in Johannesburg on Sunday.

    The Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo, South Africa chapter, Mr Emeka Ezinteje, said that Nwodo was represented by Chief Julius Osakwe, the chapter’s President at the event.

    Read Also:Ohaneze warns PDP against denying South-East VP ticket

    “There is no need to resort to violence in settling disputes among yourselves and your hosts since there are other civilised avenues to do so,’’ Ezinteje said in a statement

    Nwodo condemned the violent deaths of some Igbos in South Africa, saying that the apex body of Ohaneze was not happy with the trend.

    He urged them to live peacefully as brothers and sisters and work for the progress of Ndigbo always.

    Ezinteje used the occasion to call for synergy between pro-Biafran activists and Ohaneze leadership to make Igbos speak with one voice on matters of national interest.

    Mr Godwin Adama, Nigeria`s Consul General in South Africa attended the event, while Eze Jonas Udeji, Traditional Prime Minister of Igbos in South Africa performed necessary traditional rites/rituals in the absence of Eze Igbo in South Africa.

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria founded in 1976. The group represents all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria.

    Igbos by census, represent one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria.

    Although the group is not a political party, part of its objectives of creation is to foster unity among its members in order to better allow them to be representative within the political scenario of Nigeria.

  • Splendour as Ndigbo celebrate new yam

    Splendour as Ndigbo celebrate new yam

    For several hours on Saturday, October 28, guests from far and near joined Ndigbo in Lagos to celebrate this year’s New Yam Festival.

    The Nwachukwu Drive, venue of the event was literally shut down as huge crowd made their way to the Lagos State Igbo Community Centre to behold a cultural spectacle and catch some fun usually experienced once in a year.

    The downpour that afternoon did not deter Ndigbo, Lagosians, friends and well-wishers from attending the ceremony.

    There was heavy drumming, singing, trumpeting and breath-taking dance steps by cultural dancers who thrilled guests who had seated before the arrival of the dignitaries.

    It was all glamour and show of opulence, as an estimated crowd of 7,000 that included members of Ndigbo in Lagos, friends, well-wishers and some prominent indigenes of Lagos, participated in the celebration of the pristine and long-standing cultural carnival for which the Igbo are known.

    As early as 2:00 p.m. after the rain that day, the spacious Igbo Community Centre precincts had begun to witness massive influx of spectators.

    The roomy place was largely suffused with beautifully coloured masquerades and traditional dancers who entertained the people. Gaily dressed Igbo women known for their panache and active social lifestyle were a marvel to behold. The men equally in their beautiful Igbo attire swirled to the suiting rhythm of drums and other musical instruments in that somewhat balmy afternoon. It was a gathering of who is who in Igbo land.

    The celebration of New Yam festival by Ndigbo is a cultural identity through which the people continue their quest for unity, peace and togetherness.

    Celebrated once a year,  the new yam  signifies a renewal of love for culture.

    The host, Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu said celebration of the new yam was a way of thanking God for preserving the lives of the Igbo and members of other ethnic communities in Lagos State as well as their host communities.

    In his address during the event, Eze Nwachukwu said: “The coming together of Ndigbo is a good avenue through which we remind our people of the need to embrace our cultures and traditions. This is very necessary because no society develops if it neglects its cultural heritage.

    “Culture is a way of life or total behavioural patterns and beliefs of a people which are communicated from generation to generation.

    “Time has come when Ndigbo should get united, and speak with one voice. The era of divisive tendencies or seeing one another as enemies should be over.

    “Let us unite and fight our common enemies which are hatred, lies, division, hatred for truth, grudge and enmity to brothers’ progress.

    “We should go back to our core values which include prudence, justice, solidarity, self-worth, family pride and integrity.

    “We are particularly grateful to the Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency, Akinwunmi Ambode for his love for Ndigbo.

    Also speaking, the lawmaker representing Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 11 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Jude Emeka Idimogu (KSM) told Southwest Report that before any right Igbo man eats the new yam, he or she must observe the cultural ceremony. He tried to link culture to national development.

    Delivering a lecture entitled “The Role of Culture in National Development”, Idimogu said culture encompasses a people’s language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.

    “Cultural values are what are commonly held as standards of what are right and wrong, and what is acceptable or unacceptable. They are essentially offshoots of heritage, traditions and customs that have been extracted and deployed as the driving force of social progress.

    “Naturally, culture helps one to develop not just oneself, but one’s community.

    “Culture must be seen as a change  agent.  So, culture experts have maintained that we can only harness culture for development if we recognise the place of culture in the scheme of things.

    “It is that culture you are seeing in your environment where you were born and brought up even when you are not born in Igbo land but you discover that your parents are from there, there are things that they do that you actually look at that are quite different from what other people are doing, they might be similar but in a different way.

    “We came and met the culture, it is a culture our forefathers transferred to us and we picked it up from there. It is really a festival that the Igbo don’t play with, it brings all Igbo men and women together to socialise and at the same time preserve the tradition that our forefathers had kept for us.”

    Congratulating Ndigbo on the celebration of their culture, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode expressed his appreciation to the Igbo for holding on to their culture which, he said, makes them a unique group. He noted that the Igbo are progressive people who use their cultures and traditions to bring about development in their various communities and wherever they live.

    Ambode and the State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism Hon. (Mrs.) Edebinpe Akinsola were represented by the Director of Tourism, Lagos State Ministry of Arts and Culture Mrs. Anthonia Monsunmola Johnson.

    Ambode said he was particularly impressed by the spirit of hard work and development, even as he said Ndigbo have contributory to the development of Lagos State.

    He urged the Igbo to continue to be law-abiding and to continue to pay their taxes and rates promptly for the progress of Lagos State. He wished them happy celebrations.

    Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja and Vice-President of South Association of Ndieze Igbo in the Diaspora, Uche Dimbga, said new yam ceremony was a time for sober reflection, and time for the owners of the culture to check and balance how they fared between the year last and the present, thanking God and asking for better years to come.

    He said as a people we should embrace our culture and use it for nation-building. He added that when we come together we could achieve more developments.

    “So, we are here to support Eze Ndigbo of Lagos State, for people to see that we are together in it and nobody is doing a different thing all together. In Nigeria, what keeps us together is better than what divides us”, he said.

    Dignitaries that attended the event were Governor Ambode represented by the Director of Tourism, Ministry of Arts and Culture Lagos State Mrs. Anthonia Monsunmola Johnson, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu represented by Prince M. K. O. Lucas, Office of Civic Engagement represented by Mr. Animashaun Adeoye, Iyaloja-General of Nigeria Alhaja Folashade Tinubu-Ojo represented by 10 market leaders, Chief Emeka Elemuwa, the Udoatuegbu Ndigbo, Aulic Nigeria Limited represented by the Chief Security Officer Ngozi Ofobuike, Mr. Fabian Madu (Air Raid), and Mr Anayo Ofor, Group Managing Director and Chairman Young Shall Grow Motors Limited High Chief Vincent Obianodo (OON, MON) represented by Customer Care Manager Mr Olisa Ezepue, among others.

    High point of the event was the cutting of the roasted tubers of yam. Spiced up with pepper, onions, scent leaves and oil bean salad, the roasted yam tubers were served to the people present.

  • Tonto Dikeh, Mr Ibu bag chieftaincy titles

    Tonto Dikeh, Mr Ibu bag chieftaincy titles

    Come Thursday October 26, 2017, at the Nanet Suites, Abuja, Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh will be decorated with the official title of ‘Adadioranma of Nollywood’, in celebration of the New Yam Festival.

    Put together by Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter, the event, tagged ‘Promoting Our Core Cultural Value’, will also bestow the title of ‘Akaekpuchi Onwa Of Nollywood’ on comic actor, John Okafor, aka Mr Ibu.

    Dikeh, who said she is honored by the kind gesture, has been promoting the event on her social media handles. “Come join me as I celebrate the yam festival in grand style, and receiving a chieftaincy title,” she stated.

    Since her messy divorce saga, the mother of one has gotten herself engaged with several activities, including her NGO, for which she has been visiting IDP camps, hospitals, and meeting with top government officials on the girl-child protection.