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By Njoku Macdonald Obinna
The Igbo new yam festival is an annual occasion of offering and celebrating immense thanks to the gods of the land (or God) for making the farm yields possible as well as offering for even a better harvest in the subsequent planting season.
On Sunday, August 27, 2023, the entire Orlu zone and Imo by extension were practically shutdown as an ancient kingdom, Umuna in Orlu, led by a charismatice leader and first class traditional ruler, Igwe of Umuna , His Royal Majesty, Eze Dr. Douglas Okwara (Okwarachukwu IV, Obi of Ebeassa) celebrated yet another new yam festival on the ancient stool for 21 uninterrupted years.
The peaceful ambience that surrounded his royal palace, the harmless presence of security personnel who mounted at the junction for survillance and the expressed joy on the faces of Umuna people served as a pointer that Igwe of Umuna – Dr. Douglas Okwara is a natural ruler, loved and mostly revered not just by Orlu nation home and abroad but by ndi Imo.
The colourful ceremony which was held at the Ishiobi, palace of Igwe of Umuna, HRM Dr. Douglas Okwara, was accompanied with pomp and pageantry as it showed off a wide range of social activities: cultural dance, royal parade, acrobatic and masquerade displays while Bongo Live Band was on ground to entertain the guests.
Having returned back home safely from his world tour in the United Kingdom (UK), Parish in France, Istanbul in Turkey, Austria, etc, where he had town hall meetings with sons and daughters of Umuna and Orlu zone preparatory to the now celebrated Iriji Ohuru Umuna; with a show of gratitude to the gods of the land and his ancestors for another fruitful harvest; an obviously elated Igwe of Umuna, Eze Douglas Okwara, while addressing members of his ancient kingdom and numerous guests present before performing the new yam cutting rites with traditional libation, thanked members of his ancient kingdom, families and farmers who tiled the soil to have a bountiful harvest and rich yam barn that villages and communities in Orlu are celebrating with. He commended members of his royal cabinet, village heads, titled chiefs, ndi Nze -na Ozo, president- generals of the various villages in Umuna, farmers, the artisans, traders, including market men and women for turning out in their numerous to attend the remarkable 2023 Iriji Ohuru Umuna.
During his remarks, Eze Okwara said, the Igbo new yam festival is a cherished culture of ndi Igbo , stating that “ our relationship with the spirits which are our foretfathers should not be discarded because of modernism. “
He, however, urged the youths to desist from social vices such as drugs, which he noted are harmful to them.
Eze Okwara said that the youths should at all times protect, project, and promote the origin of the Igbo man.
Performing the usual ritual of cutting the new yam, he expressed gratitude to God for making a bountiful harvest after the planting season. He also prayed God to aid Igbos to sustain their rich cultural heritage and values.
The special guest of honour and Imo State Governor, His Excellency, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, ably representated by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency, Prof. Placid Njoku thanked Igwe Douglas Okwara for according him and the good people of Imo State warm reception at his royal palace during the new yam festival. Affirming his long lasting relationship with the traditional ruler which has run over two decades even before his emergence as Imo State governor.
The governor also used the opportunity the medium provided to admonish Orlu and Imo youths to be law abiding; maintaining that peace is priceless and the only way to bring about accelerated socio-economic development while engendering prosperity and political stability in the state.
From one speaker to another; community leaders, as well as invited guests, took turns to eulogize the paramount ruler of Umuna Ancient Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Eze Dr Douglas Okwara, for showing exemplary leadership, charming and endearing personality, and also elevating the traditional stool of his forefathers to an enviable level.
The high point of the event was the conferment of chieftaincy titles on well deserving illustrious sons of Umuna that have contributed immensely towards community development.
The epochmaking event attracted diginatries Imo State; tourists, visitors, including Orlu billionaire businessmen from abroad. Those spotted at the palace, including but not limited to
Chief Engr. Celestine Opurum (Ekwueme of Dim-na-Nume Isu-Nwangele,
Governor United Isu Progressive), Hon Chief Vitalis Ugochukwu Obi ( Solad Njaba
Hon Chris Mbarie ( Solad Orlu LGA
Chief Chris Okonkwo (Nwa Anayo Eze na Oji River) Prince Chris Akano of Isu,
Hon. Barr. IK Ihezuo (Ikemba Umuna), House of Assembly member representing Orlu State Constituency and Chief Eugene Dike (Obi-Adada).
