The Eze Ndigbo Guinea Conakry, HRH Eze Dr. Kalu Tasie, has announced plans by the Igbo community and Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Guinea to celebrate Igbo Day and New Yam festival on Sunday, September 26.
In a statement, HRH Tasie said the event, which is being co-host by the chairman of the Igbo community in Guinea, Mr.Kingsly Egbue, is to 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: “If you attend someone’s event, you will also organise your own event in such a way that it will not fall bellow acceptable standard. Right there in Accra, while attending New Yam Festival/Igbo Day in Ghana, I told my people that all hands must be on deck to organise a successful festival. We are expecting our people from Senegal, Bamako, and Igbo from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and other neighbouring West African countries. Our own festival will hold on Sunday, September 26. It promises to showcase rich Igbo culture, cuisine and hospitality”, he said.
On how he manages the affairs of Ndigbo in that country, he said it has been through Almighty God.
“In the area of culture, as the Eze, I am obliged to rule and contend with those who agree or disagree. 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.
“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.”
Speaking on the just concluded Igbo Day/New Yam festival in Ghana, HRH Dr. Kalu Tasie said the event was colourful because the preparation was very nice and people from Accra and environs trooped to the venue in large numbers.
“Everyone who attended the event noticed that Igbo were united. They were united because the event was well coordinated by HRM Dr. Chukwudi Ihenetu, his wife, Ugoeze Liberty, palace elders and Ndi Eze Udos. Many traditional rulers came from far and near to grace the occasion and their presence added colour to the festival,” he said.