Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka local government area has celebrated the 2024 Ikpoji festival in accordance with the customs and tradition of the community
This year’s Ikpoji festival made it nine hundred and forty-eight years the community had celebrated the festival.
The colorful ceremony which was sponsored by a one-time senator that represented Anambra Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly and an indigene of Enugwu-Ukwu community, Chief Ignatius Abana commenced with a procession by ndi nze na ozo who dressed in their cultural attire from Obu-Umunri to their Nkwo-market with special cultural music.
At Obu-Umunri, the host of the Ikpoji festival, Chief Abana who was chosen by the traditional ruler of the community according to tradition explained that the essence of the ceremony is to launch new yam into the market as he performed all the rituals and players to purify the new yam.
At the occasion, Chief Abana gave cash to twenty poor petty traders selected from Nkwo Enugwu-Ukwu to boost their businesses.
He also presented a tuber of yam each to the representatives of women from each village in the community, ndi nze na ozo Enugwu-Ukwu as well as friends of the community that graced the auspicious occasion.
From there, everyone moved to Igwe’s Palace where the sponsor of the festival, Chief Abana and Chief Clems Nwafor gave him report of how the festival proceedings went.
Responding, Igwe Ekpe thanked Chief Abana for doing the job given to him very well despite the economic hardships in Nigeria, adding that the ceremony is their own way of promoting and defending their rich cultural heritage.
Later, all that graced the ceremony moved to the home of the sponsor in the community where he gave them warm reception.
In an interview, the traditional prime minister of the community, Chief Denis Anaekwe and the Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Anaocha local government area, Chief Anthony Ugorji also spoke highly about the significance of the Ikpoji festival and expressed gratitude to Chief Abana for touching the lives of the needy around him and called on well-to-do individuals in Anambra State to emulate him.
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