By Chijioke Njoku, Abakaliki


The Former local government chairman of Ohaukwu Local government Area, Chief Clament Omekannaya Odah has said despite the crisis between the people of Ezza and Effium community, Effium had peaceful new yam festival celebration in his community

Chief Odah who made this known while in a telephone conversation with journalist, noted that Effium new yam festival started from time immemorial, from one million years ago, up to today their ancestors have replicated it into reality.

He noted that the sons and daughters of Effium community are grateful to God for given them another year to celebrate this year's new yam festival, adding that the new yam festival marks the beginning of new year for the people of Effium community.

According to him, "Every year from time immemorial, from one million years ago, up to today, our ancestors have been celebrating and it will continue.

"This new yam festival started from Adam's, from the creation of the earth till date, that is million of years ago and today it was replicated, I have always been there as far as I was born and today I was there also to celebrate with my people and it went very very well, you can see our video's, new yam festival what we call JIOHA in the local language and the language is basically TOSA TOSA TOSA .

"It has been a faithful day and next tomorrow we will bring celebration to the climax, everything happened peacefully and our people are very very happy.

"The sons and daughters of that community are grateful that God has given us another year that festival marks the beginning of new year for our people and everything went very very well and I have my new yam fresh in my car boot and my people are very happy, we appreciate God for his blessings .

"All traditional element were complete and traditionally, the festival is normally fest by elders by sanitation of the moon which is customary.

It has happened time immemorial and it happened this year and the celebration is going well as am talking to you now, my belly is filled with new yam and next year's festival will be better than this because it will continue to world without end" Odah said .