Thousands of the indigenous Nigerian group known as the Igbos on Sunday stormed the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra to mark this year’s New Yam
Festival.
The event celebrated by Igbos globally, marks the period of harvest of yam, which is regarded as the foremost staple food of the Igbo people.
Many prominent traditional chiefs representing various Nigerian groups together with many other Ghanaian chiefs graced the colorful ceremony whose core objective is to propagate Nigerian-Igbo cultural heritage, strengthen their traditional values, and create synergy with the Ghanaian culture.
The tubers of yam, laid beautifully arrayed on a table, and the atmosphere at the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park in Accra, was ecstatic as celebrants in fine and beautiful clothes traditionally danced and made merry to music of different genres and moved to percussion, wind, brass, and woodwind instruments, amid the firing of musketry.
The symbolic ceremony took place in Accra when Igbos in Ghana celebrated the New Yam Festival and 12 years of Igbo throne in Ghana.
The celebration was on the theme, “Sustaining the Culture and Tradition of the Ndigbo in the Diaspora.”
Speaking to Ronney Gogo media coordinator for eze igbo Kingdom he said The New Yam Festival, in the Ogidi community, is an important way of marking the beginning and end of the farming season. It is a celebration of life, accomplishments in the community, culture, and well-being.
It was to thank
In a welcome address by HRM Eze Dr Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu the paramount king of the igbo Kingdom in Ghana,he thanked God for the harvest and the people of Ghana from traditional rulers, to the queens, to the government of Ghana for giving them the opportunity to do well, to establish Igbo throne here in the Accra.
The Paramount King urged Igbos and other Nigerians resident in Ghana to continue to be law-abiding .
“As we are celebrating this year, we are asking God Almighty to give us the opportunity to celebrate again next year” he said.
“Never you stop celebrating, never you stop promoting our culture. Our culture is our heritage “ he added.
Contributor : Christopher Agbodo Ranson
