A community leader, Michael Aniazoka, has urged ndi Igbo to strengthen and sustain their cultural and traditional heritage, especially the New Yam Festival, otherwise known as Iri ji.

He said that without doing so, such important cultural heritage runs the risk of going extinct.

Mr Aniazoka, the Odinanya Ebubueluigwe of Nanka, Anambra, gave the advice at the New Yam Festival.

The event also witnessed the raising of N20 million Community Empowerment Scheme and Investiture of St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Koroduma (Oneman village), Karu LGA, Nasarawa.

It was organised by the All Saints Igbo Catholic Community of St. Monica’s Catholic Church, Koroduma, Oneman Village, Karu LGA, Nasarawa.

Mr Aniazoka, who was the Father of the Day, said the New Yam festival is an ancient Igbo culture that brings the people of Igbo extraction together. He said it also encourages them to take up farming and keep their culture and traditions alive.

“New Yam Festival is a time of the year set aside by ndi Igbo to thank God for keeping them alive and giving them a bumper harvest. It is also a time when ndi Igbo come around to socialise and remind one another that hard work pays.

“With New Year festival, we encourage our people to go back to their roots so their culture will not erode or go extinct. New Yam festival is not just about eating yams, it is also about investing in the Igbo culture and tradition and keeping it alive for future generations,” he said.

The chairman of the occasion, Christopher Ibeh, also the chairman of the Building Materials Traders Association, Mararaba, said the festival originated from their forefathers and is celebrated yearly.

He said the Igbo community in the church organised the programme to inculcate into church members of Igbo extraction the need to identify with their roots.

Mr Ibeh, who commended the committee members for a successful event, said the fundraising was to support the downtrodden members of the church and the society.

The chairman of Igbo community in the area, Charles Nwoko, said, “Iri ji is one of the ways Igbo people appreciate God for keeping them alive and giving them plenty of harvest. Through the festival, we have the Ezeji’s (kings of yams). It is also a way of inculcating in the younger generation the rich cultural heritage of ndi Igbo.”

The chief launcher, Friday Okoro, thanked the Igbo community for putting up the programme.

(NAN)