From Chijioke Agwu, Abakaliki
Last Saturday’s Iri ji ovuru, the New Yam festival of the people of Okposi clan (Okposi Ezinasato) in Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, has opened new vistas in the cultural firmament of the state.
It was the first of its kind in Ebonyi. It was also the first time since the advent of autonomous communities in the area that the entire clan came together to celebrate the New Yam festival.
It was, indeed, a festival of unity as Ebonyi people from all walks of life and friends of Okposi, especially politicians, put aside their differences and graced the occasion. They threw banter as they savoured the best of the culture of the ancient town known for its large saline endowment.
Ebonyi State governor, Chief David Umahi, led the who is who in the state to Amaechi Primary School field, Amaechi Okposi, venue of the celebrations. House of Representatives member for Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency, Anayo ‘Anatex’ Nwonwu, former South-East zonal chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Austin Umahi, and at least 12 members of the Ebonyi State Executive Council were also there. Members of leading groups in the area such as Okposi E-8, Mezie Okposi Organisation and Iveoma Development Network also attended in their numbers.
The three traditional rulers of Okposi clan, Onyibe Asu Udeogu, Namoke II of Mgbom N’Achara, Onyibe Cosmas Agwu, Ezechi Ekuma IV of Okposi, and Onyibe Chuku Agwu, Odenigbo I Okposi Okwu, in conjunction with the Eze Ji of Okposi, Chief John Agwu, staged the historic fiesta.
Eze Udeogu, who spoke on behalf of the Okposi clan, said the event signified the unity of purpose and love among the three autonomous communities. On the significance of the programme to Okposi people, the traditional ruler noted that his people were predominantly farmers who revere yam as the king of crops and give it special recognition.
Represented by culture enthusiast and elder in Mgbom N’Achara community, Christopher Agwu, Udeogu said: “For example, during the month of Amuoha, farmers would perform some sacrifices to deities like Njoku Ji that is believed to be responsible for bumper harvest and protection of the farmlands. That period is characterised by scarcity of food and the only food that is readily available is echicha, made of cooked and dried cocoa yam. Hence, the name unwu echicha or unwu atu egige, period of belt-tightening. During that period, also, a lot of vices are likely to be committed by hungry men and women who cannot afford at least a meal per day. But the stigma attached to committing crimes prevents such vices.
“The new yam breaks the belt-tightening and everybody, especially children, would be happy as they sing, praising God for the gift of new yam.”
Agwu said that the Okposi New Yam festival has witnessed a number of reforms such as the removal of the aspect that upheld idol worship.
“The reawakening of the near comatose culture in Okposi Ezinasato, with regard to New Yam festival, was the handiwork of an articulate and foresighted Eze ji, Chief John Agwu, who, in liaison with his kinsmen that had the ‘Ovo Ji’, had accepted to transform the method. Instead of consulting the oracles and performing sacrifices to deities, he prayerfully invited men of God, especially Catholic priests, to celebrate Holy Mass in the place of the unwholesome sacrifices to deities. After the Mass, the Eze ji would announce that new yam tubers should be harvested.
“It is important to note that this innovation will serve as a trailblazer for other bad customs and traditions in the three autonomous communities to be changed. In other words, harmonize other festivals in Okposi Ezinasato. Example is the Aju festival, which is two months away from Ji Ovuru, to avoid the devilish sacrifices and to the new method as introduced by this digital Eze ji, Chief John Agwu.”
Gov. Umahi, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, commended the people of Okposi for upholding their culture with dignity and honour.
He declared that his administration was committed to ensuring the revival of cultural activities and festivals in all communities in the state and promised to support the community to celebrate next year’s event in a special way.
Igwe, who could not hide his satisfaction, disclosed that the state government would deploy cultural festivities as a vehicle for peace-building in the face of communal clashes in parts of the state.
He said: “Today is a great day in the history of Ebonyi, especially the Okposi clan. In 2015, when we came on board, one of the things the governor desired that we put in good shape was our cultural values. He started by directing the commissioner for culture and tourism to put in place a statewide cultural carnival as part of the government’s effort to revive our cultures. The event held and it was a big success as communities in the state came out to showcase their culture with pride and honour.
“Today, Okposi clan has keyed into the government agenda of cultural revival. As a government, we are very pleased with Okposi clan for organising this event. On behalf of the governor of Ebonyi State, let me reassure Ebonyi people that our government will continue to support communities and clans to uphold and celebrate their culture at all times. I want to use this opportunity to challenge the commissioner for culture and tourism to organise a statewide cultural carnival like what Okposi has done, to bring the people of the state to showcase our culture. We shall invite the friends of the state to come and celebrate with us. It has the ingredient to unite Ebonyi people much more than politics will do. Once more, I want to thank the Chairman of Ohaozara LGA for accepting to bankroll next year’s celebration when we shall all come again to celebrate.”
In her remarks, chairperson of Ohaozara LGA, Mrs. Nkechinyere Iyioku, applauded Gov. Umahi for bringing peace and unity in Okposi and all communities in Ohaozara, adding that it was the governor’s peace initiatives that made the event possible.
Describing the event as wonderful, Iyioku said: “Last year, I told Okposi traditional rulers that we will be celebrating the new yam festival every year, that Okposi Ezinasato should come together for this purpose. I am happy that it is happening today. I am very happy with the level of peace in the entire Ohaozara LGA. I want to promise Ohaozara people that, this year, we will organise Ohaozara Cultural Day for all the communities in Ohaozara to show that we are one people living in peace. We will invite our friends to come and celebrate with us.”
Commissioner for culture and tourism, Elizabeth Ogbaga, also praised Okposi people for the cultural renaissance in the community but lamented that Igbo culture was fast fading into extinction. She appealed to communities in the state to emulate what Okposi community had done.
“Igbo culture and tradition is fast fading; there is need, therefore, for everybody to take the issue of our culture very seriously. I want the traditional rulers of Okposi to ensure that, in next year’s event, for this New Yam festival to be celebrated very well, people must adorn Igbo traditional attire. The idea of people wearing English dresses for New Yam festival is not acceptable at all. We should ensure that we speak our language, Igbo, and not English, during occasions,” Ogbaga advised.
Her local government and chieftaincy affairs ministry counterpart, Chief Donatus Njoku, urged people to see culture as their identity, and congratulated the community on crossing over to a new year.
“Celebrating your culture is not the same as idol worshipping; it is when people turn religion upside down that they begin to think that celebrating your culture is same as idol worshipping,” Njoku stated.
New yam rituals
Eze Cosmas Agwu and Eze Chuku Agwu also played various roles, including invocation of God’s blessings upon the land of Okposi, sons and daughters of the soil, as well as their guests. They also presented new yam tubers to the governor and performed the royal dance, to the admiration of the crowd.
Eze Ji Okposi (Chief Priest), Agwu, who belonged to the Onuta Nnawo family in Amaovuru-Amaodida of Amaechi village, traditionally charged with the responsibility of performing the new yam rituals, performed that clinically.
He had that day paid an early-morning visit to the Amagu kindred in Ameke, which, according to history, is the ancestral home of mother of an Amaechi son allegedly sacrificed to the god of yam by their forefathers.
During the visit, he publicly announced to them that it was time to harvest the new yam. From there, he headed to the farm and harvested some tubers of yam.
The homage to Ameke people, Daily Sun gathered, was significant because the village is the landlord of the Eke Okpoidu, Okposi’s oldest market and place where very crucial decisions and pronouncements concerning the community are made.
To consummate the process, the Eze Ji, in company with a large number of people from Amaechi village, marched triumphantly to Eke Market, dancing and singing praises to God for another season of bountiful harvest.
Agwu pledged not to relent in promoting and preserving the Iri ji custom, noting that “it is the biggest culture in Igboland.”