Igbo communities have been urged to promote the celebration of new yam
festival to further attract global recognition and tourists interest.
Speaking to journalist in Awka, the state President of Ohaneze Ndigbo,
Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene said the festival is deeply rooted in Igbo
culture and is celebrated to thank God for good harvest.
Paul Ezeoke reports that New yam festival is an age long celebration held between August and
October with the date determined by each community and used to present
the newly harvested yams to God and ancestors of the land.
Chief Okeke-Ogene said the festival provides opportunity for sons and
daughters of each community to come together to renew and reaffirm the
bond of brotherhood to promote sense of belonging and plan for
community development.
He made it clear that new yam festival has nothing to do with diabolic
practices but it is rather the Igbo traditional way of thanking God
for giving them the opportunity to cultivate enough yams.
Also speaking a community leader in Nnobi Dr Mike Omenugha said the
festival is an avenue to thank God for sustaining the life of farmers,
the people of the community and the yam crop through a successful
planting season as well as encourage more people including youths to
be actively involved in agriculture to achieve food security.
Dr Omenugha noted that over the years, many communities have brought
innovations to promote the celebration including institution of
competition and prizes to encourage farmers to excel which have
continued to expand scope of farming in various communities, noting
that harvest of new yam is evidence of life of accomplishments in
Igboland known for agriculture and enterprise.
He called on South-East Governors and traditional rulers in the zone
to choose any month when the entire Ndigbo states will celebrate new
yam festival to further straighten the objective of
promoting love and unity.
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