From Felix Ikem and Maryann Ekeh, Nsukka
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, has applauded Anambra state indigenes in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for promoting Igbo culture and tradition.
Achebe made the commendation in Nsukka on Tuesday during the Anambra People’s Assembly (APA) in UNN’s Maiden New Yam Festival organised by the assembly.
Obi who is the Grand Patron of the APA, an association made of Anambra indigenous from old Onitsha province living and working in UNN said that the new yam festival is an important event in Igboland because of respect and honour Ndigbo have for yam as the king of crops.
“Yam is an important crop that’s cultivated in every part of Igboland, it serves food that can be eaten in different ways.
“During the time of our forefathers, a man’s wealth is calculated and measured by the number of yam farms and barns he has, that is to tell you how important yam is to among other crops.
“It’s believed that a man’s yam barn shows his level of strength, wisdom, and ability to feed his family members,” he said.
Achebe who was represented by Prof Ifeanyichukwu Abada, Head of the Department of Political Science UNN, and an Anambra indigene urged other Anambra indigenes in other higher institutions of learning to emulate APA in preserving and promoting Igbo culture and tradition.
“I commend Prof Florence Orabueze led APA executive for their wisdom in organising the new yam festival in UNN and urged the association to make it a yearly event.
“I am happy about the huge attendance by Anambra indigenes as well their friends from other states which shows that APA executives in UNN are doing very well as well as keeping Igbo culture alive,” he said.
Speaking Prof Florence Orabueze, the Founding President of the Anambra People’s Assembly in UNN said that the maiden new Yam festival was organized by Anambra indigenes from the thirteen local government areas that constituted the former Onitsha Area Provincial Council in Anambra State living and working in the university to mark the beginning and the end of the farming season.
“As we celebrate today’s event with our brothers and sisters, our relations our friends, the members of the University community, and the public, it is a good occasion to call to mind the Igbo moral ethic and values of communalism, truthfulness, justice peace, unity fearlessness, kindness, integrity, love, hard work, and egalitarianism, which we must eschew and adumbrate civilized and violent-free world order.
“Today’s event will give us the rare opportunity to unveil and announce our name, our identity, and our image, both to the University of Nigeria community and the public.
“It is a sacred duty to join men and women of goodwill to work relentlessly to ensure that the university founded by our fathers continues to retain and enjoy its enviable and prestigious record in the comity of world universities,” she said.
The APA founding president urged the members of the assembly to always remember the motto of Anambra state (The Light of the Nation) where they came from, adding that they should not allow the light in them to out.
“In whatever we do and say, I shall earnestly urge us to remember that we are a noble and princely people. And we shall always remember the motto of Anambra state where we come from is ‘The Light of the Nation’.
“Therefore, we should ensure that we shall never allow the light in us to go out, or for darkness to assail and overwhelm us, but we must strive to be the light to other people,” she said.
Orabueze thanked Igwe Achebe for his fatherly advice and support to the assembly and Chief Andrew Oru, a philanthropist for his huge financial donation to organize the event
In a remark, Prof Chuu Krydz Ikwuemesi, from Department of Fine and Applied Arts UNN the chairman of the occasion said that APA in organising the new yam festival reaffirmed its believe and love for Igbo rich cultures and traditions.
“What happened here today is a clear testimony of how Anambra people love and cherish Igbo cultures and traditions.
“New yam festival is an important celebration in Igboland because it showcases the rich cultural heritage of Igbos,” he said.
Ikwuemesi commended Orabueze for being the first president of APA to organise a new yam festival for Anambra indigenes in UNN and urged other APA in higher institutions across the country to emulate her.
Comrade David Okeke, president, Anambra State Students Unio and Comrade Uchenna Ifeanyi, Chairman of Anambra Postgraduates Association in UNN respectively led students from the state to the festival which added colour and excitement to the event.