Applauding Uche Nworah’s Tenacity In Keeping the New Yam Festival Alive (OPINION)

By Isaac Asabor

It is unquestionable to say that culture identifies a people and more often than not serves as a distinguishing factor between one tribe from another. Understood through the people’s linguistics, civilizations, dogmas, and morals among others, culture differs from people to people and society to society. Basically acquired and passed down from one generation to another through cultural practices and festivals, culture is kept alive as the younger generation watch and observe their elders practice the traditions as well as perform the various rites attached.

For the people of Enugwu Ukwu, a large town in Anambra State, the New Yam festival or “Iri Ji” is one important Igbo cultural festival the people are poised at keeping its flames ever burning. Bestowed with the burden to transmit her cultural heritage to her younger generation; both at home and in the diaspora has over the years sustained the annual New Yam Festival where the people gather among other things to refresh and strengthen their bond of love as brothers and sisters amidst eating and dining together.

In fact, despite the fact that the new yam festival is highly valued by the elders, particularly as it serves as a rallying point and a unifying factor among the various communities in Igbo land, there have been subtle mischievous moves to drag it into the mud of fetishism by some few millennials that have literarily been brainwashed by modernity.

Considering the fact that it is one of the traditional and cultural festivities Igbo people do not joke with, it is therefore not unexpected that there are some dyed-in-the-wool traditional and cultural exponents that are on the ground to keep the celebration alive; no matter how destructive the arsenal that is literarily stored by modernity is, and gathered to be launched against the annual celebrations of New Yam festival in Igboland, particularly in Enugwu Ukwu.  Against the foregoing background, it is expedient to say that one of such cultural curator is Chief Uche Nworah, (Ezeudo Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri).

Without doubt, his position on the need to preserve Igbo culture is well expressed in a post he made few years back on his FaceBook page. In the post titled, “Sustaining Omenani Ndigbo”, he wrote, “Many have posited that Igbo culture (Omenani) is going extinct. This is mainly due to the negative attitude of some of our people towards promoting and propagating Igbo ideals, belief system, language, tradition and culture.

“Some of our Igbo brothers and sisters feel shy speaking Igbo language. This is very bad. We should take a cue from our Yoruba and Hausa brothers who cling onto their mother-tongue wherever they live.

“There are groups such as ‘Otu Suwakwa Igbo’ founded by Oka Nmuta (Prof.) Pita Ejiofor who are dedicated to the cause of ensuring that Igbo language and our Omenani do not die. We must encourage them and others helping to ensure that we pass on our time-honoured Omenani to the generations coming after us.

“We cannot reverse the trend by just complaining and not taking pro-active action. The Christmas season in Igboland presents a good opportunity for Ndigbo to try to re-connect with their Omenani. For example in the 179 communities in Anambra State, there are various traditional activities Ndi Anambra at home and those returning from the diaspora can take part in and witness. These include Nmonwu (masquerade), Ofala and Igu-Aro, Ibanye Ogbo (Age grade system), Igba Nkwu (traditional weddings), Chieftaincy installations, Nze na Ozo title taking ceremonies and so on”.

In his characteristic curative disposition towards Igbo culture and tradition, he posted on his Facebook page yesterday, and thereby threw a challenge: “Who can supply 50 tubers of yam this morning to Enugwu-Ukwu? Inbox cost please.” In a consequent post that is aptly titled, “2022 Olili Onwa Asato Ndi Enugwu-Ukwu (New Yam Festival)”, he expressed his views as follow: “Today, Saturday, 27th August, 2022, is Olili Onwa Asato ndi Enugwu-Ukwu (New Yam Festival). His Majesty, Sir Ralph Obumnaemeh Ekpeh (Eze Enugwu-Ukwu na Igwe Umunri) already set the ball rolling on Friday, 26th August, 2022 with the ‘Iwa Ji’ (cutting of the roasted new yam) in a ceremony held at Igwe’s palace.

“Having done that, Ndi Enugwu-Ukwu will today indulge in the ‘Ili Ji’ (eating of the roasted new yams) in their repective houses and villages, home and abroad.

“The tradition is so distinct that only the traditional ruler of Enugwu-Ukwu performs the ‘Iwa Ji’ protocols. Enugwu-Ukwu sons and daughters indulge in ‘Ili Ji’.

“Typically for titled men, their ‘Obu’ will be open today to entertain friends and family. On offer will be roasted yams, pounded yam and egusi soup (a must), and perhaps nsala soup.

“Onwa Asato Festival is an opportunity to share conviviality, exchange gifts, and extend love to the less provileged, widows and others.

“The ancient Kingdom of Enugwu-Ukwu in Njikoka local government area of Anambra state will be agog today. It’s feast galore in almost every home today. The idea is to open our doors to friends, associates, and family. Nobody goes hungry in Enugwu-Ukwu today.

“Already, although I am not physically present in the village today, I have started receiving Onwa Asato gifts. Just this early morning, the Councilor for Ward 1 in Njikoka local government, Nze Christian Ezenwaka (Akaekpuchionwa Enugwu-Ukwu na Umunri) brought 4 tubers of yam and a chicken to pay homage to Ezeudo.

“Anyi si na oga adili ya nma, Di kwa lu anyi, Isee!”

At this juncture, it is expedient to say that the essence of making reference to his posts as culled from his FaceBook page is to buttress the fact that he is passionately committed to the preservation of Igbo culture and tradition, and that there is no pretense about it.

Against the foregoing backdrop, there is no denying the fact that Chief Nworah has consistently remained an Igbo culture aficionado that is poised to introduce Igbo culture to young Ndigbo and non-Igbo. To this end, it is not out of place for yours sincerely to advocate that governments, being it at the state or federal level, and even corporate organizations in the private sector should see him as an asset in flying their Public Relations efforts on the wings of African culture and tradition as he is both a PR expert and culture aficionado.