Ojoto Monarch to Reward Farmers for Biggest Yam Tubers at 2027 New Yam Festival
By Juliana Nwachukwu
The traditional ruler of Ojoto in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Gerald Mbamalu, Oranyelu II, has announced plans to reward farmers who produce the biggest yam tubers in the community as part of next year’s New Yam Festival.
Igwe Mbamalu made the announcement on Saturday, August 15, during the 2026 New Yam Festival held at Oye Market Square, Ojoto.
The monarch also called on Ndi Ojoto to embrace agriculture and large-scale farming as a means of addressing hunger, strengthening food security and promoting economic self-reliance in the community.
According to him, farming should no longer be regarded as an occupation meant exclusively for farmers.
He urged civil servants, traders, business owners and other residents to venture into agriculture, stressing that food production requires the collective efforts of the entire community.
Explaining the significance of the New Yam Festival, Igwe Mbamalu described it as an important period for celebrating the harvest and expressing gratitude for the blessings of the farming season.
He noted that yam remains one of the major crops cultivated by the people and occupies a significant place in their cultural heritage and traditional way of life.
Speaking at the event, the APC candidate for Idemili North and Idemili South Federal Constituency, Dr. Barrister Kingsley K. Ezekwelu, commended Igwe Mbamalu and members of his cabinet for their leadership and efforts toward preserving Ojoto’s cultural traditions.
Ezekwelu prayed for continued wisdom, strength and good health for the monarch, describing the New Yam Festival as a rich expression of the community’s cultural heritage and an opportunity for the people to thank God for a successful harvest.
Also speaking, the Anambra Central Zonal Vice Chairman of the APC, High Chief Augustine A. Momaife, Ichie Omeziriuzo Ojoto, said the celebration represented an important traditional practice in which the monarch performs the symbolic first tasting of the new yam before other members of the community partake in the harvest.
The festival attracted palace officials, cabinet chiefs, politicians, government functionaries, captains of industry, traditional medicine practitioners and members of various cultural groups.
The celebration also featured colourful masquerade displays, traditional music and dance performances, creating a vibrant atmosphere as the people of Ojoto celebrated their cultural heritage, communal unity and the abundance of the harvest season.
