Pomp as Eze Agbasi Celebrates New Yam Festival, Offala in Style
Says New Yam Festival Showcases Origin Of Igbo, Urges Youths To Shun Social Vices.
…As Chief Nwobu conferred with ljele of Ajao; Prince Emeka Iweka, fmFace of Igbo Culture.
Emmanuel Clement.
The Eze Ndigbo of Isolo and Chairman, Ezeudo Council in Lagos state, HRH Eze Ikem.W. Agbasi has expressed gratitude to God Almighty for a bumper harvest in the new season.
Speaking at the lriJi/Offala Cultural festival in lsolo, he said the festival was one of the most cherished cultures of Igbos, stating that the cultures and traditions of lgbo speaking community is paramount to the people.
Performing the usual ritual of cutting the new yam, he expressed gratitude to God for making a bountiful harvest after the planting season. He prayed to God Almighty to aid Igbos to sustain their culture and values.
Speaking to newsmen, Eze Agbasi said the cultures and traditions of lgbos which was bequeathed to the people by their ancestors must be protected and respected.
He noted that Igbos are unique in nature, stressing that the unity of Igbos should not be politicized, even as he urged the people to give peace a chance, as he reeled out God’s blessings to sons and daughters of the lgbo community for God to bless and prosper them anywhere in any part of the world.
Eze Agbasi who is also the Chairman of Ezeudo in Council, urged the youths to desist from social vices such as drugs which he noted are harmful to them, noting that the youths should at all times protect, project and propagate the origin of the Igbo man.
Engineer Azubuike Agbasi, stated that cultures and traditions of lgbo community must be respected and preserved.
According to him, “lgbo cultures and traditions are our identity and when one looses his culture or language, it means that you have lost your identity. Culture as we know, is the way of life and in lgbo land, our culture showcases us to the outer world,” he submitted.
He urged parents to always teach their children the culture and traditions of lgbo language, so as to not allow the language go into extinction as predicted by United Nations.
High Chief Royal Asiaya, who is the traditional prime minister of lsolo, urged the lgbo speaking community to always learn to live in love, peace and unity, stressing that the only way to achieve success in the South East region is to ensure that the people live in peace and speak with one voice.
He called on the security agencies for the sustenance of the peace in the South East region, and urged the youths to give peace a chance.
In the same vein, the Ijele of Ajao, Chief Promise Nwobu urged the youths to shun social vices including drug abuse, rather they should embrace ethical behavior that would help them in building functional society.
He stated that the youth population of any nation is pivotal to its development as drug abuse and other social vices had negatively affected the Nigerian youths, while calling for a collective fight to nip the vice in the bud.
Chief Nwobu who goes with the title ljele of Ajao also charged all ethnic groups in the state to ensure peaceful coexistence irrespective of their affiliation in the interest of development,by learning to live in peace and tolerate one another.
Prince Emeka lweka,Face of lgbo culture 2023 advises the youths to embrace educative and entrepreneurship skills so as to contribute meaningfully to National development.
He urged them to always exhibit good conduct and desist from the act that would hamper their progess in life,learn to develop positive attitude to life so that they can grow to become responsible parents and guardians.
Dignitaries who graced the festival include High Chief Sunday Osai, President Ohaneze Lagos state, Chief Mrs Jane Francis Chioma Okoro, State woman leader Ohaneze, Chief Mrs Kate Onyechere,Eze Hycient Ohazuruike, Eze Nicholas Emenike Njoku,Eze Nwoye among others
High point of the event was cutting of the new yam festival, breaking of kolanuts, conferment of chieftaincy titles to some deserving personalities such as Chief Promise Nwobu as ljele of Ajao,Prince Emeka Iweka and lolo Mercedes as Face of lgbo culture 2023.
