Perhaps, this year's new yam festival in Obowu, one of the largest communities in Igbo heartland, was the grandest. The festival which began on August 16 with an intellectual feast ended on the 17th with the new yam cut and eaten by all in the large square.
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New yam festival is important to the Igbo. It celebrates their lives. They use it as a thanksgiving to God for a good harvest, and for articulating their people's lives and realities.
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Held at Otoko Obowu, the two -day event organized by the Obowo Development Association (ODA Federated), a sociocultural umbrella body of all Obowu citizens in Imo state and elsewhere, was attended by the Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha represented by Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Mrs Victoria Mbakwe, wife of the late charismatic governor of old Imo state, Sam Mbakwe, members of the National Assembly such as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Matthew Nwagwu, Prof. Chudi Uwazurike, immediate past senator of the Okigwe zone, Chief. SN Anyanwu, former secretary to the Imo state government, Chris Okewulonu, Celestine Ngaobiwu, Deacon Okafor, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, SSG to the Imo government, political leaders, scholars, monarchs, hundreds of cultural and political groups, among many others.
This has really opened our eyes to a lot of things I must say. Things I did not even know about before. Well it's all about the way forward now...