By Edna Ezinneamaka Onunaku
The House member representing Abuja Municipal and Bwari Area Council Federal Constituencies, Hon Micah Yohana Jiba, has called on other ethnic groups in the country to emulate the New Yam Festival celebrated by the Igbo Ethnic group, while describing it as a unifying force.
Hon Jiba made the call Sunday during the Igbo Feast/Cultural Day Socialisation held in his constituency in St John Mary Vianney Parish, Kubwa Extension, Bwari Area Council Abuja, attributing the essence of the cultural day to the universal call for gratitude to God for bountiful harvest.
Hon Jiba who stated that he witnessed a similar ceremony in Yaupe under Bwari Area Council, said that culture is what sustains people. According to him, when the young familiarise themselves with their culture as portrayed in the beautiful attires of the day, they will not deviate from their roots.
The House of Rep member who is Gbagyi by tribe identified himself with the celebrants in the manner of his language, while calling on everyone present to respond in the spirit of solidarity.
Meanwhile, in a brief with the Chairman Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Catholic Community, Engr Uchenna Chinevu, he called the festival “Iriji”, which is known as New Yam Festival in English language. In his words, “Iriji is the most popular festival in Igbo land. In the olden days, the Igbos were wealthy farmers and the majority of young farmers celebrate their deity known as “Kaji Oku” which is also the blessing of the new yam for the season.
He likened the significance of the New Yam Festival celebrated yearly by the Igbo Ethnic Group to the yearly harvest of Christian Churches when Christians show gratitude to God for a new season, having both planting and harvesting seasons.
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‘Iri JI’ (New Yam Festival): FCT @Nwafolive
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Engr Chinevu further stated that the Catholic Community attempts for the first time to con-celebrate the Festival along side the Launching of Uniform and Presentation of Cultural Dance in a bid also to assist the Kubwa Church in building a befitting house for God.
He said the Imo/Abia Catholic Community had hitherto functioned separately from their Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi Catholic Community counterpart in the same parish, but both communities recently considered the merging for more effective outcome with the new name of “Blessed Iwene Tansi Igbo Catholic community.”
Additional highlight of the day was side attraction of the actual harvesting of yam by farmers.
