Culture thrives when community stakeholders make conscious efforts to transfer the relics, customs and traditions to the younger generation even while in distant lands.


In celebration of their cultural heritage, Akpu community joined their counterpart in Igboland to mark the 2019 new yam festival.


The event which took place at the palace of the traditional ruler of Akpu in Orumba North LGA, served as a period for blessings, purification and announcement that the new yam is safe and ready to be consumed.


This year’s celebration attracted indigenes from far and near, well-wishers, friends and in laws of the community.


Correspondent Chibuzo Obidike covered this year’s festival and reports that while performing the symbolic cutting of the new yam, the Traditional Ruler of Akpu Igwe Marcel Okoli thanked God for a bountiful harvest saying that the new yam festival seeks to bring people together and ensure that their culture is kept alive as the younger generation watch and observe their elders practice the traditions.


Igwe Okoli while appreciating Governor Willie Obiano for the successes recorded in the state, suggested the celebration of the new yam festival collectively as it will attract tourists across the globe and deepen the rich cultural heritage Igbos are known for.


For some indigenes of the community including Professor Andrew Osuigwe and the President General of the Women Wing of the community Dr. Mrs. Ifeoma Obioji, the New Yam Festival is the hall mark of culture as Ndi Igbo are mainly farmers who later acquire other professions to be at par with their counterparts in the world and advocated the expansion of New Yam Festival among Ndigbo.


Contributing, the Palace Secretary of the Community, Nze Mike Udensi and Chief Denis Udeokoli said that the name given to new yam festival differs among communities, explaining that Akpu community referred to new yam as Otite meaning, praising God for a successful farming season and a period to usher in the eating of new yam among the Akpu indigenes around the world, which if not done the people would be scared to consume the crop, until it is publicly sanctified for consumption by the royal father who is the custodian of culture.


As expected, the festival is never complete without the heavy presence of masquerade groups, musical displays and eating of the roasted yam which for them ignite their hope for the next farm season.

No related posts.