South East breaking News
By Steve Unegbu
The entire Ohuhu Traditional Rulers in Abia State have performed this year 2020 New Yam (IWA IJI ) festival with a call on the government to assist and make provision funds to the Youths who are interested in Agriculture, saying that majority of the educated Youths are interested in mechanized system of Agriculture, fish farming ,poultry farming, Animal husbandry ,among others which require funds to start .
The Chairman Traditional Rulers of Ohuhu and chairman Christian Royal Fathers of Nigeria, His Royal Majesty Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu ,Diwa of Umudiwa Kingdom ,who made this call in his palace in Umudiwa Kingdom, pointed out that ,” Large farming requires money and the Youths are not being given money .Most of our youths are educated, they can not get involved in old systems of Agriculture, we now have what is called mechanized agriculture and this modern system of Agriculture is where our youths can come in and it requires money ” he said.
He described New yam festival in Igbo land as a cultural issue, which the Igbos use to thank God for what He has done for them .
According to him , ” it is one of the Igbo annual festivals which we use for thanksgiving and we also use it to bless our people, our leaders, the government and all the Igbos “
Addressing Newsmen shortly after the New Yam Initiation ceremony, HRM ,pastor ,Ambassador ,Eze Philip Ajomiwe , said that issue of covid-19 pandemic has made this year new yam festival to be in a low key and underscored the importance of Agriculture ,noting that many Nigerians who are involved in Agriculture did not suffer hunger during this covid-19 pandemic, because they have enough food in the farms to feed on .
Eze Ajomiwe also called on the government of Abia state ,led by Dr Okezie Ikpeazu ,who he described as Agriculture friendly Governor to help the farmers in Abia state to do land preparation, saying it will help in mechanization of Agriculture in the state ,adding that Agriculture is now the way to feed the people, create employment and empower them .
Speaking in the same vein the former chairman of Umuahia council of traditional Rulers ,HRM Eze Sir Nzenwata Mbakwe ,said ” we respect yam in Igbo land because it is the king of other crops. We are not fetish ,rather we are happy and giving thanks to God that we are alive to witness and celebrate another harvest season “