Anambra to host combined New Yam festival

By Emeka Chiaghanam, Awka

Anambra State is gearing up for the inaugural 2023 New Yam Festival, a day that promises to leave a lasting impression on all attendees, showcasing the rich tapestry of Igbo culture and the significance of this cherished tradition.

The combined new yam festival is the first of its kind in the Igbo speaking South-East and South-South zones in Nigeria.

The State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji, and the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy, and Community Affairs, made this announcement in a jointly signed statement made available to newsmen in Awka.

According to the Commissioners, the 2023 Anambra New Yam Festival is a part of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s vision to promote and showcase Igbo cultural heritage to the world.

They further revealed that the event, scheduled for Saturday, October 21, 2023, will take place at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka. It will feature ịwa ji, cultural displays from all 21 local government areas, traditional wrestling, masquerade displays, local cuisine, and other side attractions.

The statement added, “All Traditional Rulers, President Generals, Ohaneze Ndigbo, cultural organizations, religious bodies, indigenes, and non-indigenes are cordially invited.”

The Commissioners, who will be hosting the event, also disclosed that while the Governor will be the Chief Host, the Traditional Ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, will serve as the Royal Father of the Day.

“Come and join us in celebrating our culture with splendor and spectacle. Anambra State, the Light of the Nation. Let’s celebrate who we are,” the statement concluded.