Imo community urged to use new yam celebration to engender peace, love, dev, tourism

By Obinna Nnorom

The Abazu community one of the communities in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Owerri the capital city of Imo State had its culture, tradition, norms and tourism potential brought to the fore when it celebrated her 2023 New yam festival in the community.

The traditional ruler His Royal Mayesty Eze (Dr) Oliver Ubaferem Njoku(JP), the Abazuma 11 of Abazu Community who performed the festival enjoined indigenous of the community to embrace peace, love, hard work and selflessness to attract visitors to the community.

The annual fiasta came agog with celebration of the age long cutting of yam( I wa-ji) by the traditional ruler, kingmakers and notable sons of the community and other personalities including Eze Ndigbo of Aigbaka Ejigbo Lagos,Eze (Amb) Nicholas Emenike Njoku.

The event also attracted colourful traditional presentation from various age grades, indigenes of various communities including those in Diaspora, their friends and well wishers.

Eze Njoku, who is the Oputa-Obie of lkeduru land further stated that the celebration served as a catalyst to bringing the people together to display their cherished and rich culture and traditions to the admiration of their friends and visitors.

He stated that the significance of the new yam festival is that it ushers in orderliness in the community and sustains the beautiful bond between the people and their ancestors.

“It is an important event for us because both our people who stay far and near always attend the august event and use the opportunity to brainstorm on the way forward of the community.” He stated.

The monarch prayed that the festival would continue to foster peace and progress in Abazu Community, lmo state, the entire region and Nigeria at large.

The Eze Ndigbo of Aigbaka Ejigbo Lagos, Eze (Amb) Nicholas Emenike Njoku, while performing the traditional cutting of the New yam ceremony noted that the festival was designed to celebrate togetherness, unity, love and integration and to promote the prosperity of the community as well as to foster peace and progress and equitable development in the community.
Njoku who is the Eziokwu bu Ndu 1 of Abazu called on the people of Abazu Community in lkeduru LGA of Imo State to shun evil and pursue peace, love and unity and use the festival to thank God almighty for bountiful harvest especially yam which is revered as chief of crops in Igbo land.

” When culture is lost, every other thing is lost. Besides, we cannot perpetually tie ourselves to the apron strings of western lifestyle, lri ji festival is our way of life and a symbol of identity and this has given a reputable image to the lgbo nation and Nigeria at large. The level of unity, togetherness and coexistence the festival brings into the society cannot be overemphasized ” he said.

Ohazurume of Ejigbo expressed optimism that this year’s new yam festival will sustain cooperation, development, brotherliness and bring positive result, while enjoining the people of Abazu Community to always render constant prayers for the peace and progress of the community.

Highlight of the annual ritual was the cutting of New yam, display of tubers of yam as cultural dancers adorn with rich cultural costume to the admiration and acclaim for performers and community. The array of masquerade performance create a strong feeling of awe among visitors.