Community Leader, Chief Nwagbala, Advocates For Respect For Igbo Culture, Tradition

From Mokwugwo Solomon, Awka

A prominent community leader in Okpuno-Ebenator Uruagu community, Nnewi North local government area of Anambra state, Chief Oliver Nwagbala, has called on the Igbo people to develop deeper love and respect for their culture and traditions.

He made the call on Sunday, August 27, during the 2023 edition of the Okpuno-Ebenator Uruagu Nnewi New Yam Festival, held at the palace of Obi of Okpuno-Ebenator, Obi Afam Iloka.

Chief Nwagbala regretted that with the way Igbo people perceive their cultural practices as being fetish, time would come when the people's culture would lose its essence; thus, losing its value and beauty.

Nwagbala, who is the sponsor of the 2023 edition of the Okpuno-Ebenator ceremony, also described New Yam Festival as an event that brings Igbo people together under one cultural umbrella. He called on the people to embrace their culture and traditions.

The 2023 Okpuno-Ebenator, Uruagu Nnewi New Yam Festival will go down in the annals of history of the community as it featured outstanding events and activities, and was graced by many illustrious sons and daughters of the community, including a prominent son of the soil, Chief Cletus Ibeto (Omekannaya).

The event also featured display of different masquerades, dance bands and groups, entertainments and other side attractions.

The Obi of Okpuno-Ebenator, Uruagu, Nnewi, Obi Afam Iloka, who performed the ritual of cutting the 2023 New Yam, thanked God for keeping himself and his subjects alive to witness the 2023 edition of the event. He also thanked Chief Cletus Ibeto, who he said was instrumental to the reconstruction and beautification of the palace; as well as Chief Oliver Nwagbala, who he praised for sponsoring the 2023 edition of the festival.

The Obi described New Yam Festival as a period of thanksgiving to nature for blessing man with bountiful harvest, and said that apart from good harvest, God also blessed his kingdom with good health.

He finally called on Igbo people to embrace good cultural practices, and not to allow them go into extinction.

The patron of the community, Chief Cletus Ibeto, commended Obi Afam Iloka for his good leadership qualities, which he said, endeared him (Ibeto) to the community. Ibeto also said that he attended Okpuno-Ebenator New Yam Festival every year because of his love for the people's culture.

An Illustrious son of the community, Chief Mbazulike Iloka, aka Mba Mba, who is the organizing committee chairman of the ceremony, expressed gratitude to Chief Cletus Ibeto, Obi Afam Iloka, Chief Oliver Nwagbala, and others who made the ceremony a huge success, and prayed for greater harvest for next year.