Ezza Brothers Celebrate Culture, Unity as Association Marks First Anniversary with Maiden New Yam Festival
By Polycarp Ifeanyi
It was a celebration marked by pomp and pageantry as the United Ezza Ezekuna Brothers Association, Onitsha, celebrated its maiden New Yam Festival alongside its first anniversary in grand style.
The historic event, held at the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) Field, Awada, in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, attracted an array of dignitaries, including friends and well-wishers, family members, political figures, captains of industry, business moguls, security chiefs and cultural dance groups.
In his address, the Chairman of the Association, High Chief Nwafor Livinus, popularly known as Lividose, expressed gratitude to Almighty God for sustaining the association and enabling it to mark its first anniversary.
He described the occasion as a double celebration, combining the traditional New Yam Festival with the commemoration of the association’s first year of existence.
According to him, the association was established with the vision of uniting Ezza sons engaged in trading in Onitsha, including those operating in the Main Market and other markets across the commercial city.
He explained that the association was established to promote unity and solidarity among members, provide financial assistance to members in times of need, particularly during illness and bereavement, contribute to developmental projects, and foster peace and harmonious relationships within the Ezza community.
According to him, yam represents more than just food, as it symbolises life, prosperity and wealth among the people. He noted that the New Yam Festival was an important cultural heritage inherited from their forefather, Ezekuna, which the association was determined to preserve for future generations.
He said the celebration provided an opportunity for members to reconnect with their ancestral roots and reaffirm their cultural identity, stressing that nothing would deter them from preserving their heritage.
The chairman added that the festival served as a reminder of the importance of hard work, gratitude to God and appreciation for a bountiful harvest.
Lividose urged members to uphold the spirit of unity, shun envy, backbiting and other divisive tendencies, and remain steadfast in their commitment to the association’s ideals. He stressed that truthfulness was a defining attribute of an Ezza man and encouraged members to uphold honesty and integrity in their dealings.
He also advised the younger generation to learn and speak the Ezza language, respect their elders and preserve their cultural identity, including the tradition of marrying within the Ezza community.
In an interview with journalists, Chief Nwafor reiterated the association’s commitment to sustaining the traditions of their forefathers, describing the New Yam Festival as an integral part of their cultural heritage.
Performing the symbolic cutting of the new yam, Mr Jeremiah Osulor, popularly known as Obata Ife-adi, explained that the festival symbolised the revered status of yam as the king of crops in Igboland.
He noted that Ndigbo traditionally accord special respect to the new yam before consuming it, describing the practice as an important expression of their cultural values and ancestral traditions.
Osulor offered prayers for God’s protection, long life, peace, love and brotherly unity among members of the United Ezza Ezekuna Brothers Association, Onitsha, as well as the entire Ezza community.
In his remarks, Chief Nwafor Sunday Alozie, who represented the Chairman of the occasion, commended the association for organising the celebration and expressed gratitude to God for His blessings, as well as those he believed He would continue to bestow upon the members.
He clarified that the celebration of the New Yam Festival was not an act of idol worship but a continuation of Igbo cultural heritage and a means of preserving the traditions handed down by their forefathers.
Similarly, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Otuocha Police Station, CSP Peter Ekpeta, affirmed that yam was a special and highly revered crop in Igboland, stressing that celebrating the New Yam Festival had no diabolical implication.
CSP Ekpeta, who hails from Izzi in Ebonyi State, expressed his appreciation for the honour bestowed on him by the Ezza Ezekuna community, which conferred on him the title Nwanne di na Mba, signifying a brother from another community.
Also speaking, Chief Christopher Nsogu clarified that the New Yam Festival celebrated by the association was consistent with the celebrations organised by other Ezza Ezekuna groups weeks earlier.
He disclosed that he had received an award recognising him as a pillar of the community from an earlier group and described Ezza as the oldest community in Ebonyi State. He added that the Ezza people traditionally celebrate their New Yam Festival before other communities follow suit.
Among the dignitaries present at the occasion were Chief Ogbuefi Amaechi Nkpuma; Chief Ikwunne Nriezeda, popularly known as Isinagu na-nri; and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Bridge Head Police Division, Onitsha, CSP Ugochukwu Ugbo, whom attendees also recognised for his service.
The event featured musical performances, cultural displays and traditional dance presentations, adding colour, excitement and cultural significance to the celebration.
The gathering provided an opportunity for members and guests to celebrate their heritage, strengthen bonds of brotherhood and reaffirm their commitment to preserving the traditions of the Ezza Ezekuna people.
