BY GODWIN OBI
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has advocated a joint celebration of the New Yam festival and unity among Ndịgbo across the South-East.
Soludo made the call on Saturday at the Dr Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka, during the state’s maiden edition of its New Yam Festival, tagged ‘Anambra Iri Ji Festival’.
The governor said that celebrating the ‘Iri Ji Festival’ in unison would show the world that the Igbos have a wonderful culture, pointing out that it was the first time every local government in the state came together to celebrate.
He assured that the festival would be mainstreamed to be celebrated every year while expressing optimism that subsequent ones would be greater.
He said, “Our culture is not just dance display, but a totality of who we are, how we dress, how we talk, in terms of our core values. Our culture is an embodiment of who we are. It is a celebration of our hard work.
“We are committed to promoting Igbo culture and values, my administration will also continue to mainstream compassion and carry each other along, leaving nobody behind.
“This is evident in our education, health, youth development and palliatives given to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy.”
He also thanked all the state and local government cultural troupes for their colourful display of cultural processions and assured that next year there would be prizes for the best local government with the best cultural procession performance.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Entertainment, Culture and Tourism, Mr Donatus Onyenji, reiterated Soludo’s call for Ndigbo to rediscover their core values and culture, pointing out that the 2023 Anambra ‘Iri Ji Festival’ is part of the programme to continue to promote and sustain the rich Igbo culture and tradition.
On his part, the Chairman of the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council, Igwe Alfred Achebe, while applauding Soludo, explained that the Anambra Traditional Rulers Council is in partnership with the South-East Traditional Rulers Council and some groups of archbishops will continue to promote the core principles and values of Igbo culture and tradition.
There were displays of cultural processions from representatives of all 21 local government areas in Anambra State.
The Anaocha LGA, which harvested the biggest yam among all the other local government areas, won the prize money.
The wife of the governor, Nonye Soludo, the Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze, Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Principal Secretary to the Governor, Mr J.P.C. Anetoh, Chief Protocol officer, Chinedu Nwoye and members of Anambra State Executive Council, members of Anambra State House of Assembly, Transition Committee Chairmen, Traditional Rulers, President-Generals, among others, attended the event.
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