By Michael Ezenwata
As part of activities to promote the Igbo language and culture, the Traditional Ruler of Obeledu, Igwe Augustine Oragwam celebrated the new yam festival with a promise to sustain the aged long tradition which celebrated the yam as king of all crops and other cultural rituals that accompany it.
Igwe Oragwam while performing the annual ritual, urged his subjects and beyond to embrace farming and Agriculture which enhance food production and create employment among youths.
He called for the adoption of the “Ugbo Azu Uno’ to reduce the dependence of buying foodstuffs at exorbitant prices.
The royal father warned the youths to desist from unwholesome practices such as taking illicit drugs to avoid preventable deaths and other negative challenges.
Igwe Oragwam used the forum to appreciate Governor Chukwuma Soludo for giving attention to all sectors of the economy in the 3 Senatorial Zones of the state.
He passed a vote of confidence on Governor Soludo and pledged on behalf of the community to vote massively for his re-election in the November 8 Governorship election in the state.
On his part, the Traditional Ruler of Akwaeze Igwe Christopher Okpala highlighted the cultural imperatives of celebrating the yam and called on the citizenry to embrace Agriculture as a way to enhance their livelihood.
His Aguluzigbo counterpart Igwe Rufus Iloduba felicitated with Igwe Oragwam on his successful new yam festival and urged that people should take Agriculture seriously to fight the challenges of the nation’s fragile economy.
Others who felicitated with Igwe Oragwam and spoke in favour of promoting Igbo culture through effective participation in new yam festivals included Ozo L U Okonkwo, Chief Barnabas Okonkwo, and Chief Ikechukwu Oradiegwu.
Ezenwata is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
