As part of Obi Ndigbo Ghana efforts to promote Igbo culture in the Diaspora, the Eze Ndigbo Ghana and the Assistant Publicity Secretary Association of Ndieze Ndigbo in the Diaspora, HRM Eze Dr Chukwudi Ihenetu and his wife, Her Majesty, Ugoeze Liberty Ihenetu and Palace elders on recently celebrated the 2021 Igbo Day/ New Yam festival in Ghana.
The event attracted people from all walks of live who thronged the venue to partake in the festival. Among the dignitaries were palace elders and Eze Udo from all the regions in Ghana. And on hand to add colour to the festival were traditional Igbo dancers and masquerades of different sizes.
As cultural dancers took turn to pay homage to the Eze, his wife, Eze udo.and palace elders, HRM Ihenetu raise his akupe (royal fan) and elephant tusk to acknowledge greetings from his people who choruses Igweeee!
In his address, HRM Ihenetu said:
“Today is a remarkable day for Ndigbo in Ghana as we celebrates New yam. It is a day of thanksgiving for all Igbo all over the world, a day of remembrance of legacy that our ancestors bestowed on us. We have come again to celebrate, we are here again to ask God to let us see the year 2022, we have come again to thank the gods of the land in Ghana as well as people from all walks of life who came to celebrate with us.
As we eat the yam, so we pray that God Almighty will bless all of you.
“We are using this opportunity, the throne of Ndigbo Ghana, to make sure that our people in Ghana and those coming in today, tomorrow and eternity will respect the traditions of Ndigbo and also the law of our host country Ghana.
“We did all we can to limit the crowd because of COVID-19 protocol. You know that in the time past, we host the event in such a way that we can accomodate up to 6,000 people. But in respect to our president and the law of the land, we maintained modest crowd, Next year God willing, we shall do it in a larger way.
“I also thanked the Eze Udo who helped to take care of our people across the regions.
“We thank God Almighty for keeping us alive to harvest the yam.”
While throwing light on the importance of the festival, HRM Ihenetu said: “A lot of people might be asking questions, there are a lot of crops, why celebrates yam? This is our heritage. This is legacy we inherited from our ancestors and we can not allow it to fade away. So we are thanking God Almighty for giving us life and good health to live and harvest yam this year. I hope to see you next year as we shall celebrate 10 year anniversary of my kingship in Ghana.
Hilights of the event was cutting of the yam and and giving of chieftaincy titles to illustrious Igbo sons and daughters in Ghana and Nigeria in recognition of their contributions towards promoting of Igbo culture and values in the Diaspora.