P.M.EXPRESS reports that the festival, which was agog with the celebration of the age long New Yam (lri-ji), attracted colourful traditional presentations from various age grades, indigenes of various communities including those in Diaspora, their friends and well wishers.
Eze Oliver, the OputaObie of lkeduru land, stated that the celebration served as means to bring the people together to display their cherished and rich culture and traditions.
He went further to state 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 South East 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, 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.
The Eziokwu bu Ndu 1 of Abazu called on the people of Abazu Community in lkeduru Local Government area of Imo State to shun evil and pursue peace, love and unity and use the festival to thank the Almighty God for bountiful harvest especially yam, which is regarded as the chief crop.
“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 results, while enjoining the people of Abazu Community to always render constant prayers for the peace and progress of the community.
Highlight of the event was the cutting of the New Yam, traditional dances, display of tuber of yams as cultural dancers adorned rich cultural costumes to the admiration of all attendants. The array of masquerade performances created a strong feeling of awe among visitors.