Ngboejeogu clan from the ancient time is widely known as a clan that have much respect for their cultures. Despite the widespread of churches which quashed some cultural practices that are perceived to be satanic, Itsukwe and other valuable festivals are still in limelight on of Ngbo clan. One of the culture or festival is most valuable contemporarily in Ngbo is ITSUKWE (New Yam Festival). Itsukwe is celebrated in almost all Igbo lands, though in different patterns and months or seasons. In Ngboejeogu, Itsukwe is celebrated yearly in July, the ninth month of Ngbo calendar, at the fourth Ekoshi day of the month. It is celebrated to mark the end of food scarcity and the beginning of food abundance. Unlike the people of Ezza and Izhi; they call it Okeaku and Ojiji respectively, while Ngbo call theirs Itsukwe. The festival is a historic event in the annals of Ngboejeogu Clan. Itsukwe (New Yam Festival) is heralded by the appearance of moon which is called “Onwa Itsukwe”. Children always make loud noise with excitement at Night when the moon appears. This year Itsukwe festival will hold on Thursday 25th July, 2019, and it is expected that all the sons and daughters of Ngbo both at home and in diaspora returns home to partake in the festival as culture demand.

Unlike other traditions and cultures of Ngbo clan that goes with rituals, Itsukwe festival is devoid of evil rituals that is contrary to the doctrine of God or ones faith. Ngbo people are mostly farmers. Their Chief crop is yam. To Ngbo man, life is impossible without yam. The amount of yam one has in the farm or barn shows how industrious he is. At this period of festival, people would invite their in-laws, friends, and well wishers to celebrate and enjoy the feast with them. The festival offers women the ample opportunity to encourage and give praises to their husbands while children follow suit. Itsukwe is a period in which communities, families, kindred, think much and improve more on their livelihood. Succinctly, it is a period by which Ngbo people gives thanks to God for giving them another year and rejoices with their friends and well wishers.

However, activities marking Itsukwe feast commences on Azuokwo, two days to the feast with thorough clean up in all the compounds and paths leading to multifarious villages with women scrubbing their houses with cow dung and Children on their part, gathering Ekperyima grass with firewood or dried palm frond. All these were to prepare for welcoming the new yam, the chief crop of Ngbo People. More so, Unugwe, a day before the feast day is “NFROJI DAY”. Bachelors and those who are married but yet to wed harvest their own new yams for the feast. At the night of Unugwe, children will keep night wake with the use of Ekperyima grass which sound like locally made gun, amongst other activities marking the feast.

Ituskwe festival is momentous in the life of an average Ngbo man irrespective of background, or religious affiliations. Although some Orthodox churches like Catholic, Methodist, Anglican etc has a fixed day for celebrating New Yam Festival, such doesn’t resist anyone from taking part in Ngbo Ituskwe which supersede feast by any church in that regard.

Nevertheless, Itsukwe is very significant in Ngbo clan. It joy and impacts are tremendous. It is a period where all the kindred settle their differences and embrace one another to propel development, peaceful coexistence and harmonious relationship. Kindred uses the period to determine their population and as well allow all the men to choose where to plant in the next farming season. It helps farmers to improve more on their plant in the next season especially those whose yam are small in size and in quantity. It is innocuous to the unity and peaceful coexistence of Ngbo people, as it fosters and deepen unity in diversity. It is a period for exchanging of gifts with friends such as Pounded yam, melon Soup (Ovhe Ahuu),Meat and palm wine. Ituskwe bring children together as they go in unison to gather Ekperyima in the bush, beat it together with folk songs, and go for coral (Nmbia Ahuu) without altercation. In other hand, it is a period where those who did the second funeral ceremony ( Ikwa Odzu) of their father or mother perse, slaughters ram to the gods for appreciation thereby giving their loved ones a full fledged burial rite in Ngbo tradition. Delicacies like Pounded yam, meat, Melon Soup, Porridge yams and palm wine is been enjoyed by all the family with their in-laws and friends as a way of celebrating the new yam feast.

It is important to note that yam are not sold in the markets until after the festival. This is sacrosanct and anyone who do otherwise will face the full wrath of gods. Pronouncement and ceremonial of sales of yam in the market is been done and performed by the Okwo Chief Priest from Okposhi Eshi @ Okwo Ngbo in which many will come to price the yams he will showcase with high price but he will refuse selling it out and at the end announced that yam are in abundance and so, no need to sale yams in the market.

Indeed, Itsukwe festival is remarkable and memorable. It is a feast that unite people of Ngbo, encourages them to be hardworking in farming to water ground for food abundance.

As this year Ituskwe is been celebrated on this day Thursday 25th July, 2019 (EKOSHI); it is another period for all the sons and daughters of Ngbo clan to re unite together, shun and eschew hatred, factions, politics of acrimony, bitterness, rancor, pull him down syndrome, inciting comment, land dispute, kindred dichotomy, cultism and other social vices to engender peace, harmony, love, unity for the overall development of Ngboejeogu Clan. Friends, well wishers and lovers of Ngbo Ejeogu clan, civil and public servants, clergymen, leaders of different
Political Parties, State and Federal Legislators and His Excellency, Engr (Dr) Apostle Dave Nweze Umahi, the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State are all invited to this auspicious occasion to witness and partake in this memorable and monumental feast of Ngboejeogu Clan.

Efo Tsu nmkputu Le Eri Abia. ( Stomach and all those who are tasty should rejoice for food are in Abundances in Ngbo land)

To God be the Glory.

By Nwede Martins, Chinonso.

©Powered: By Hon Chief Bernard Otubo.
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