The Eze Ndigbo Guinea Conakry, HRH Eze Dr. Kalu Tasie, has announced plans by the Igbo community and Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Guinea to celebrate 2022 New Yam festival (Iri ji) on Sunday, September 25.
In a statement, HRH Dr. Tasie said the event, which would take place at Dixim, Conakry by 4pm will enable Ndigbo in Guinea and neighbouring countries come together to enjoy the feast.
On what invitees and guests should expect, the Abia State-born royal father said: “The event promises to bring out best of Igbo Culture and traditions. Masquerades, Nmawu will be on ground to entertain our guests.
“We are expecting our people from Senegal, Bamako, and Igbo from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and other neighbouring West African countries. The event promises to showcase rich Igbo culture, cuisine and hospitality”, he said.
On how he manages the affairs of Ndigbo in Guinea Conakry, HRH Dr. Tasie said it has been through the grace of Almighty God.
“In the area of culture, as the Eze, I am obliged to rule and unite my people. So, we are promoting Igbo culture in Guinea so that our young ones can follow in our footsteps, because it is not good for us to lose our culture. Our culture is our identity.
“That is why we ensure that our children here in Guinea understand and speak our language and how our culture is being managed. We told them that we are foreigners and, one day, we shall return to our motherland, hence, we must take issues of language seriously.”
Furthermore HRH Dr Tasie said this year harvest was exceptionally rich hence drums would be rolled out to celebrate it. “As you may know, Yam is king of all crops and in Igbo land, it is celebrated with pomp as it offer us the opportunity to thank God for bumper yield while also begging the almighty to bless next farming season,” he said.