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Tag: new yam

  • Tourists, celebrities hit Mbaise for new yam

    This year’s edition of the Iri Iji Mbaise festival witnessed tremendous and remarkable improvements by all measurements. The culture, glamour and blitz that attended the festival proved that it has the potential to take the centre stage in the tourism industry in the country.

    This much was confirmed by the dignitaries that attended the festival from across the country and beyond.

    The Iri Iji Mbaise has gradually evolved from a mere gathering of indigenes of the three Local Government Areas of Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu and Ezinihitte, otherwise known as the ‘Mbaise Nation’, to an annual event that commands global attention.

    Visitors were as usual treated to rich cultural display and served the traditional roasted yam eaten with red oil as farmers display prize yams. The occasion has served as a rallying point for the people of Imo State, where people from diverse political and religious backgrounds converge to forge ways of addressing the socio-cultural challenges confronting the people.

    One significant aspect of the Iri Iji festival is that it has served as a clarion call on the people to continue to embrace agriculture as a viable means of ensuring food security in the state.

    Meanwhile, the enthusiasm that heralded this year’s festival was unprecedented, the people were ecstatic, the preparations were elaborate as Mbaise natives from home and in the Diaspora came in their numbers to be part of the event and the reason for this surge of interest is not far-fetched, one of their own, Emeka Ihedioha, is now the governor of the state.

    Expectedly, the occasion was graced by governors of various states and other highly placed Nigerians. Leading the pack were governors of Sokoto and Enugu states, Aminu Tambuwal and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

    Also in attendance were the famous King Jaja of Opobo,  Obong of Calabar,  Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi,  the Amayanabor of Okirika, the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers,HRM Agunwa Samuel Ohiri, the Obi of Obinugwu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanaya, among other first class traditional rulers.

    Speaking at the occasion, Sokoto state governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who was the Special Guest of Honour,  said that if the cultural potentials in the Iri Iji festival is properly harnessed, it will make Imo State a destination for tourists from within and outside the country.

    Tambuwal, urged the government and people of the state to improve of the festival and ensure that emphasis are paid on agriculture as advocated by the Iri Iji Festival.

    He solicited supported for the state governor, Emeka Ihedioha, who he said will reposition the state by engaging the people and encouraging their culture and customs.

    Meanwhile, the Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi described Mbaise nation’ as a peace-loving and hospitable people who have been consistent in sustaining the age-long Iri Ji tradition.

    The Enugu governor, noted that the Mbaise nation “had shown great desire in hosting the cultural flag of the Igbo tribe with regularity and passion”.

    Addressing the ecstatic crowd, at the government secondary school, venue of this year’s event, Governor Ihedioha, assured that “the Iri Ji festival will be sustained, not only in Mbaise nation but other parts of the state”.

    He noted that the growing acceptability of the festival within and outside the state can attract huge socio-economic gains for the state.

    Ihedioha revealed that the festival triggers bountiful harvest for farmers and general prosperity for the people. Governor Ihedioha noted that the celebration often serves as a bond for the Mbaise nation.

  • Food for thought as Ndigbo eat new yam

    Food for thought as Ndigbo eat new yam

    Remember the homeland.

    That was the message that sank in as the Igbo in Ikeja, Lagos State, chewed the new yam. It was not just the day of the king of crops, as they refer to yam; it was also the Igbo culture day. The feast was led by Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, Eze Uche Dimgba.

    The event took place at Archbishop Vining Playground, GRA, Ikeja.

    Igbos, Yorubas, Hausas, Chinese, Europeans, friends and well-wishers were all in attendance despite the downpour that afternoon.

    The occasion, which attracted the who is who in Igbo land, also featured presentation of awards which came in different categories to deserving Nigerians. Those who were conferred with the title of Ndigbo ji eme onu include Prof. Anya O. Anya; Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah; Prof. Nick Ezeh; Chief Chidi Anyaegbu and Chief Chidi Anumudu. The Distinguished Service Award went to Chief Ireke Kalu Onuma.

    There were other chieftaincy awards to deserving Nigerians like Assistant Inspector General Zone 2, Police Command, AIG Ibrahim Adamu  who was honoured with True Nigeria Service  Award and also Chief Chow Kung Tung (Alias Williams) as the Nwanne di na mba 1 of Ikeja land.

    Eze Dimgba in his address which was titled ‘Echefuna Ala Igbo’ meaning ‘Do not forget Igboland’, said the theme of the event presupposes a few things. First, that there is a land worth remembering; second, that there is an assumption or fear that this land is being or can be forgotten; and a third but invaluable metaphor here, highlighting a tendency that almost implores and pleads.

    “As 2017 draws to a close, the theme is apt in asking us to not forget who we are, including our values of honour and integrity, as we ponder if it is possible to create a united, prosperous, equal, just and humane country.

    “Whatever deduction we make from the topic, we must be aware that here is a contiguous space, which we all call Igbo land, which from evidence before us, has become a distant place out there; we talk about it cryptically as if it is under siege.”

    He said, “The array of attacks upon Igbo land is numerous. From without, the assault has come in the form of political suppression and limiting of our space. From within, it is most visible in the changing faces of leadership, values, ideals and culture. Both are insidious and have gotten hold of our respective personas.”

    Defining Ala Igbo, he said, “It is the land of our birth. It is the land of our forebears. It is our home. It is our mother’s womb, the soil and soul of our history and language. We drink and continue to drink from its springs of values, cultural spices and from it our tendentious dreams are formed. Geographically, it stretches across present day Southeast and most of Southsouth.”

    For him and his community in Ikeja, Echefuna Ala Igbo; Forget not Igbo land, becomes a rallying call.

    “When we drop our notions of Igbonness and take on the fake identities of our borrowed cultures, we are doing ourselves a lot of damage. Language becomes key here. A good way to communicate history and values is through language. Igbo language is not limited or limiting. Its beauty lies in its uniqueness. Hearing and speaking it gives them a sense of their specialness. When Suzy, Jennifer, John, and some other funny foreign names take the place of our Nneka, Odunwa, Nnamdi, Urenna and so many other deep mystically meaningful and illustrious Igbo names, my brethren, we are betraying and forgetting Igbo land”

    He said Action Plan must be concentrated in building up the homeland. “We must be truly visionary in conceptualization of present and future Igbo communities. We must build and create within the changing nature of our migratory nature. We cannot legislate a wholescale return or exodus of Ndigbo back to Ala Igbo, but we can tweak and tinker with our notions of what our relationships with her is and ought to be.

    “Wherever Ndigbo congregate outside the home land is and ought to be called Ala Igbo. Here the physical becomes relative and at most irrelevant. It’s the spiritual that becomes key. The language, the norms, the values, the artistic, the cuisine, the attire and the myriads of internal pulses and traits that define our way of life. All these with a focused eye on the home land would be the new approach towards keeping the promise of never forgetting our land,” Dimgba added.

    Also speaking, Eze Ikem Agbasi, the Eze Ndigbo of Isolo Local Development Council Area, said, “It is not everybody that planted the yam that is alive to harvest it, so when you cultivate the yam and you are alive to harvest it, you thank the almighty God for sparing your life; that is our culture every year.”

    He said the Igbos celebrate the new yam wherever they are even in Europe and the Americas.

    Eze Ikem Agbasi also used the occasion to plead with the Lagos State Government to come to the help of Igbos because “it appears they have abandoned the Igbos, the roads leading to where we do business are all bad.”

    Oron Nation Lagos Branch was fully represented with their attire and great Oron dance. They also came with a bag of crayfish as part of their tribute to the Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja. They boasted to be the best crayfish producers in the world.

    Prince Offong Okung Ntofon is the President of Oron Nation of Akwa Ibom State, Lagos Branch.

    He stated, “In the last three to four months I have led a delegation of my people to Abia, Ebonyi, and Anambra to marry. In Anambra I have been to Nnewi and the most recent one is in Aguata and we have also given our daughters to the Igbos in marriage, so that signifies that there is a bond between the Igbos and Oron people. And in Oro nation there are many Igbos doing business there without hindrance, and when this event came up the Eze magnanimously extended the invitation to us. So it is an opportunity to cement an existing relationship; that is why we are here.”

    Eze Peter C. Umeh (JP) Eze Chimereze, Eze Ndigbo of Mushin, on his part maintained that “Iri ji is the celebration of new yam, when we thank God for good harvest because it is not easy that you put something in the ground and it germinates, it is just like a miracle, it is the hand work of God. It is also an opportunity to celebrate our culture because most of our young ones are not travelling so from this iri ji celebration they would learn some of our culture and tradition.”

    Umaru Muhammed Sarkin Hausawa of Ago Okota land who was presented with Unity in Diversity Brotherhood award said “I feel glad, I am very honoured. I will ensure that there is peace in the nation, one love.” He also preached dialogue and for all ethnic group in Nigeria to live like brothers and sisters.

     

  • Community celebrates new yam

    A COMMUNITY in Anambra State has celebrated the new yam in a fashion the Igbo are very familiar with.

    Umudim village in Nnewi North Local Government Area was eating the king of crops for the first time this season, and like all Igbo do, they made the occasion count.

    They donned their fine clothes, gathered and roasted yams before proceeding to feast on it with a variety of sauces.

    Iri ji or iwa ji, as the feast is called, is also a time to thank God for keeping the farmers through the farming season.

    The event took place in Lagos where the Ezena kindred of Umudim village rekindled the festive mood in grand style, with a display of rich cultural heritage.

    Ezena sons and daughters residents in Lagos turned out in large numbers to observe the ili ji ofu Ezena, as they put it their dialect.

    Guests were treated to various sauces and fruits to go with the roasted new yam.

    The 2016 edition of the fiesta took place  at  C- Courtesy Garden   Festac Town.

    Representatives of each of the four Ezena kindreds came up to take a slice of the yam. There was also a dance presentation by women colorfully kitted in traditional Igbo attires. News was also presented in Igbo  language, in addition to a good serving of traditional food prepared by contestants.

    While performing the ritual of cutting the new yam, chairman of the event, Chief Eke Clement Atusiuba said, “We are proud of Ezena. Today, we are in the age of transformation, and I want my people to see the New Yam Festival in a different perspective, whereby, during the fiesta, people would be called together, to eat, drink, enjoy music and dance, as people would do in a modern period.”

    The chairman said that such a festival would serve as an avenue to  bring youths of the community together.

  • Community celebrates new yam, 42 years after

    Community celebrates new yam, 42 years after

    Such is the honour acccorded yam that the igbo dedicate a befitting feast to it before boiling or roasting it.

    Yet, for over 42 years, Umuobiala in Isiukwuato Local Government Area of Abia State could not hold their most revered festival.

    Why?

    The leadership of the community felt it was a little too stretched, if not festish, to give a crop such attention.

    In any event, a new leadership is in power, and the community’s beloved yam feast has resumed in earnest.

    The celebration had all the trtrappings of a grand feast. Consider the attendance of the community’s illustrious sons and daughters and those of other communities in Isiukwuato and Umunneochi Federal Constituency including Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, member representing Isiukwuato/Umunneochi Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Hon. Chukwudi Ogele (member representing Isiukwuato State Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly), Ray Nkemdirim (mfr) (former Director State Security Services), the Transition Committee Chairman of Isiukwuato, Navy Capt. Chris Osondu (rtd.), traditional rulers; HRH Eze Okechi Ihemeje (Ugo II of Obiala Ugo), Chief Jackson Ogbonna (Traditional Prime Minister Obiloha Autonomous Community), HRH Eze Joe Onyezebe (Obaangwu II of Amaise), and Chief Innocent A. Ikwuakor, among other distinguished personalities.

    Spectators, old and young, sporting their best traditional attires at the packed Umuobiala Civic Centre  where they struggled for space while trying to catch a glimpse of every highlight of the ceremony, including performances from the Une Cultural Dancing Troupe and the Okonko masquerade.

    The organisers said the feast meant a lot to the agrarian community which houses the Ulonna Farm Settlement where yam, cassava, rice and other staple crops are cultivated in commercial quantity.

    They said it was also significant at a time when the federal and state governments are championing the course of diversifying the economy through agriculture.

    In his address, the President General, Umuobiala Development Union (UDU), Uche Gabaolu urged indigenes of the community, especially the youths to embrace farming as the community has vast land where they can plant whatever agricultural crop that they would want to plant, adding that by doing so there will be abundance of food in the land and also help to promote tourism and rich cultural heritage of the community and the state at large.

    “Our country today is harping on diversifying the nation’s economy and making culture and tourism sectors strong economic drivers. This event today fulfils part of that dream. Hunger and poverty are a serious threat to communities and nations globally. If Umuobiala community can donate 33% of her farm land to Ulonna North farm settlement, it suggests that our land is arable and we can tap on this advantage, as agriculture is still the backbone of our economy, playing important role in stabilizing the macro-economy”.

    Gabaolu said he was worried that farmers were yet to imbibe the use of modern technology. He called on the state government to assist farmers in switching over to modern technology methods in yam production and maintain rural roads to enable farmers move their produce to the urban areas, even as he urged government at state and federal level to check the excesses of the Fulani herdsmen in the state and country at large.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Igbo and the razzmatazz of new yam festival

    Igbo and the razzmatazz of new yam festival

    New yam festival or iriji as it is called, is one of the most significant and popular traditions of Ndigbo. It is celebrated at the beginning of every harvest season to thank the gods of the land for blessing the people with bountiful harvest and to mark the beginning of another farming season.

    In Igbo land, new yams are not eaten, especially by titled men, until the new yam festival has been celebrated as a mark of respect for the crop that can only be cultivated by men and regarded as the king of all crops.

    Celebrated in the time of ‘plenty’ as the harvest season is known in Igbo land, the New Yam Festival is associated with heavy eating and drinking. Friends and visitors are lavishly entertained with various yam delicacies like pounded yam, yam porridge and roasted yam eaten with vegetable soup, red palm oil and smoked fish.

    In the past, it was a time great farmers with large barns of yam are recognised and rewarded with traditional titles. But in this day and age, New Yam Festivals are no more the exclusive reserve of great yam farmers. It has become socio-cultural event where the rich cultural heritages of the Igbo people are displayed.

    At this year’s edition of the annual “Iriji Mbaise” Festival in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, although heavily marred by political interferences, the people relived the good old days when hard work and commitment to farming were rewarded and celebrated.

    At the event, which held at the Chioma Ajunwa Stadium, great farmers proudly displayed their prized yams, some of them so big so much so that one could wonder if they were actually dug out from the earth or produced by a craftsman.

    One of the greatest yam farmers, Ezeji Felix Onwere, attributed this year’s rich harvest to the benevolence of God who had blessed the people with good climate. He noted that yam farming is one of the most intricate aspects of farming.

    He said Imo State has the potential of producing yams enough for the entire country and for export.

    “Imo State is known for farming and we have the capacity to produce enough yams for the entire country and for export. You can see the sizes of the yams on display today, which tells you what we can do. But we need the support of the state government to enable us to go into large-scale farming,” he said.

    Prominent among the dignitaries that attended this year’s “Iriji Mbaise” Festival were the Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri and Governor Rochas Okorocha, among other politicians and illustrious sons of Mbaise nation.

    In his speech, the Chairman of Mbaise Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Chidume Okoro, thanked God for a successful and bountiful farming season, even as he declared open another farming season, which he prayed will be better than those of yesteryear.

    He seized the opportunity to commend the government for encouraging farming through its numerous agricultural policies, especially the grants given to farmers for palm cultivation, adding that if the agricultural policies of the present administration are sustained, they would guarantee food security and prosperity for the state.

    The royal father further thanked Governor Okorocha for the massive infrastructure development, especially the flag-off of the Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Campus of Imo State University and the free education programme, which, he noted, the people had benefitted from.

    In his speech which was greeted with thunderous ovation by the crowd, Governor Okorocha said his Rescue Mission administration has approved the Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala Campus of Imo State University to demonstrate his love for the Mbaise people.

    He disclosed that a lot of Mbaise sons and daughters have benefitted from his personal free education project through the Rochas Foundation.

    He said: “Mbaise people are the greatest beneficiaries of the free education policy of my administration because of their population.  My administration has constructed more than 45 kilometers of road in the three local governments that make up Mbaise.

    “My administration has constructed three ultra-modern hospitals in the three local government areas in Mbaise, and new school buildings in all the wards in Mbaise.  I have given key appointments to Mbaise sons like the Commissioners of Housing, Public Utilities and Public Safety, Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, among others.”

    Earlier in his speech, Ihedioha, who was incidentally the chief host, decried lack of state government’s presence in Mbaise, accusing the governor of deliberately neglecting the zone in terms developmental projects.

    The Deputy Speaker, who had earlier presented the traditional kola nut to Governor Okorocha, said:  “My Governor, we are happy to have you in our midst at this time. Mbaise people are peace-loving and hospitable. As our governor, who has graced this occasion for the first time since you assumed office, we are glad that you will personally address issues of neglect and marginalisation of Mbaise Nation before handing over to Owerri Senatorial zone, and particularly to me in 2015.

    “There is no single state government presence in the entire three local government areas of Mbaise land and it calls for worry. What we see are Federal Government projects while the state government has ignored the area completely. It is our collective wish that the issues be addressed soon enough as the 2015 general elections are approaching when you will leave office for my administration as the Governor come 2015 to address the issues of neglect and decay in our land.”

    Prof. Onwuliri, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan at the event, also accused the Governor of abandoning the zone, adding that, “since Okorocha assumed office in 2011, he has never attended the “Iriji Mbaise” until this one that proceeds the election year.

    “This is not the ground for venting personal animosities. He even left before the actual ceremony began. He just brought trouble to the event and this is an embarrassment to the state and its people. I am positive that by 2015, we will all have a chance to redress this anomaly.”

  • Photo: New Yam festival

    Photo: New Yam festival

    Deputy Speaker, House of Reps. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha under the watch of Ezeji Titus Ihuoma inspects the New Yam ban during the 2014 Iri JI Mbaise National Cultural Festival held at Chioma Ajunwa Stadium Afo-oru Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, Imo State last Friday 15/08/2014.
    Deputy Speaker, House of Reps. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha under the watch of
    Ezeji Titus Ihuoma inspects the New Yam ban during the 2014 Iri JI
    Mbaise National Cultural Festival held at Chioma Ajunwa Stadium
    Afo-oru Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, Imo State last Friday 15/08/2014.