Nkwelle-Ezunaka Community Holds New Yam Festival As Earlier Planned

Afam Aminu Chimezie, Onitsha

Leadership of Nkwelle-Ezunaka Community,Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State has clarified that the community would go on with the annual New Yam festival scheduled to take place at Igwe Sir Obiora Anachuna's Palace,Oze Village, Nkwelle-Ezunaka on Friday this week.

The community had been without a traditional ruler for decades after the demise of Igwe Nwakoby.However, determined to elect a replacement  indigenes of the community on 28th day of October,2023 elected Igwe Anachuna who is reported to be a philantropist according to the town union constitution.

The new monarch  who was subsequently coronated on 12th November of same year has been widely accepted by overwhelming majority of Nkwelle-Ezunaka indigenes while awaiting issuance of Certificate of Recognition by Anambra State Government.

In an interview with the President-General, Nkwelle-Ezunaka Town Union,Ogbuefi Sir Willie Okafor invites all and sundry to observe the town's New Yam festival at Igwe Anachuna's palace on Friday this week as there has never been any suspension or otherwise of the scheduled event

Ogbuefi Okafor disclosed that the new nam festival was purely a traditional exercise in which the town's monarch was expected to observe in his palace.

In sustenance of the cultural heritage of the people of Nkwelle-Ezunaka Community, the President--General stated that the purported call not to respond to the new yam festival at Igwe Anachuna's palace,Oze Village was irrelevant as the monarch  as a custodian of the people's cultural values was merely sustaining the community's heritage and not an "ofala festival" where it is only a government recognised traditional ruler is empowered by law to observe.

He accused one Mr.Casmir Ajulu an indigene of the community for orchestrating the purported radio announcement  against the New Yam festival to create crisis in the area, adding that as a peaceful Community, Nkwelle-Ezunaka would institute legal action against Casimir Ajulu at the appropriate time.

The President-General further called on indigenes, residents,friends and well-wishers of the community to honour the invitation at Igwe Anachuna's palace on Friday this week as adequate arrangements have been made for that purpose.