The traditional ruler of Umueri, Igwe Bennett Emeka, Umueri Royal Cabinet, Umueri General Assembly and the entire people of Umueri Oke-ebo kingdom in Anambra East Local Government Area have celebrated their 2024 New Yam Festival in grand style.

Correspondent, Njideka Okoye reports that Igwe Emeka while performing the ceremony of breaking of kola in his palace prayed for sustainance of lasting peace in Umueri for sustainable development, emphasizing that the festival is to thank God for bountiful harvest and other good things in Umueri for the year and also to pray for the next farming season and later cut the new yam into four representing the four quarters in Umueri and shared the yam among them.


He thanked God for the relative peace between Umueri and the neighbors especially Aguleri as he has brotherly love and good relationship with their traditional ruler, Eze Michael Idigo which he said has helped them to toe the path of peace.

The President General of Umueri General Assembly, Chief John Metchie, high Chiefs Egbuna Okechi, Samuel Emeka, the Chairman of the Planning Committee 2024 Iwa Ji Umueri, Chief Eugene Aghaebe and the Secretary, Comrade Tochukwu Chukwudebelu as well as Chief Sunday Eluemuno said that the new yam festival promotes unity and brings development and blessings to their community, urging the people of Umueri to toe the path of peace and oneness of purpose adding that Ịwa Ji Umueri is always unique due to the personality of Igwe Emeka as it always portrays the features of Igbo culture.


Speakers at the event including the Chief Executive Officer of Approve hotel and Suite, Umueri, Mr Michael Ozoemena, high chiefs Jekwu Anikpeh, Joseph Onuigbo, Ngozi Okoye and Mrs. Elizabeth Akwueze commended the Umueri Monarch for the way he is piloting the affairs of the community, thanking God for giving them a God-fearing leader who has brought positive changes to the community in the past seven years.


The event earlier commenced with a non-denominational church service where prayers were made for Anambra state, Igwe Emeka, his cabinet and Ndi Umueri while cultural displays among other presentations featured during this year’s Iwa Ji Umueri.