The spiritual leader of the Igbo nation Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka (Ogilisi Igbo) has called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo along with Southeast council of traditional rulers and all Igbo towns unions to as a matter of importance adopt to organise a one day all Igbo New Yam festival with each State of the southeast geopolitical zone holding it in the same day just like Christmas celebration.
Speaking on the importance of New Yam festival, Chief Ezeonwuka explained that the purpose of the one day all Igbo celebration of Yam is to add value to the annual festival in using it to promote Igbo culture and then take a bold step to revive ancestral goodwill on fertility and good harvesting including security, peace and progress generally.
He said that more value will be accorded to the festival if every State in Igboland organise it same day like Christmas with the support of the State government, companies and notable personalities adding that the festival would attract economic dividends in the areas like entertainment and tourism through sponsorship if government consider it as something good to support.
He described New Yam festival as a very popular event among Ndigbo which is good to serve as a platform to bring Ndigbo together lamenting that the festival has been reduced to an amateurish exercise with every Tom Dick and Harris doing it the way they like without reflecting the glamour and dignity of Igbo culture and without the cognizance of attendant benefits in entertainment and tourism.
He added “New Yam festival is a good platform just like Christmas to organise Ndigbo together for us to look at ourselves and appreciate ourselves. And just like we do in Christmas each State can use the occasion to bestow Honors, Awards and Titles to sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in their fields of endeavor and in making contribution to wellbeing of humanity”
He repeatedly called on Ohanaeze Ndigbo under Professor Georgia Obiozor to consider it right enough to collaborate with traditional rulers and town unions and even the Houses of Assembly to institute a one day all Igbo New Yam festival to be held in wherever the Igbos lives on the same day to add much value to the festival.
By Toby Chuks
From: [Facebook]
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