By Julius Peter
The New Yam Festival has been described as an important cultural institution that promotes peace, unity, communal togetherness and the preservation of the rich heritage of the Ezza people.
The governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 general election, Prof. Bernard Odoh, stated this on Saturday during the Ezza Union Abuja Okeaku 2026 New Yam Festival, an event organised to showcase and celebrate the cultural heritage of the Ezza people.
The festival, which brought together members of the Ezza community, traditional leaders, political stakeholders, professionals, women, youths and other guests, featured cultural displays and activities aimed at celebrating the Ezza people’s history, traditions and communal values.
Speaking at the occasion, Odoh said the New Yam Festival was far more than a traditional celebration, describing it as an important cultural event that marks the beginning of a new calendar for the Ezza people.
According to him, the festival represents a period of thanksgiving for the harvest, while also providing an opportunity for members of the community to reconnect with their roots, strengthen bonds and promote peaceful coexistence.
He said: “This New Yam Festival is an important cultural celebration marking the beginning of a new calendar for the Ezza people. It is also a celebration of our harvest thanksgiving culture and communal unity.”
Odoh noted that cultural festivals such as the New Yam celebration had an important role to play in strengthening relationships within communities, particularly at a time when unity and peaceful coexistence remain essential to societal development.
He added that bringing people together through cultural activities would help foster understanding, reconciliation and a stronger sense of belonging among members of the community.
“This kind of event brings peace, unity and togetherness among us,” he said, stressing the need for the people to continue to uphold traditions that promote communal harmony.
The NDC candidate also commended some of the initiatives and achievements of the Ebonyi State Government, acknowledging areas where he said the administration had made progress.
However, he maintained that there was still room for the state government to do more in addressing the needs and aspirations of the people.
He urged the government to continue to prioritise policies and programmes that would improve the welfare of the people, create economic opportunities and ensure that the benefits of governance reach communities across the state.
Odoh further expressed his commitment to delivering what he described as meaningful dividends of democracy to the people if elected under the platform of the NDC.
He said his administration, if given the mandate, would place the interests and welfare of the people at the centre of governance, with emphasis on inclusive development and ensuring that government policies have direct positive impacts on ordinary citizens.
According to him, democracy should not only be about elections but should also translate into tangible improvements in the lives of the people.
He pledged to work towards ensuring that the dividends of democracy reach the grassroots, particularly communities and citizens who often feel excluded from the benefits of government programmes.
Odoh’s remarks at the festival added a political dimension to an event primarily focused on cultural celebration, as he used the occasion to reaffirm his commitment to the people and outline his vision of inclusive governance.
The festival also provided an opportunity for members of the Ezza community in Abuja to celebrate their cultural identity away from their ancestral homeland while strengthening ties among members of the community.
The gathering demonstrated the ability of traditional and cultural institutions to bring people together irrespective of their political, professional or social differences.
The New Yam Festival remains an important tradition among many Igbo communities, symbolising the conclusion of the farming season, thanksgiving for a successful harvest and the beginning of another agricultural and traditional cycle.
For the Ezza people, the Okeaku celebration also serves as an avenue to preserve indigenous customs and pass cultural values from one generation to another.
The organisers and participants at the Abuja celebration reaffirmed the importance of preserving the Ezza language, traditions, values and communal identity, particularly among younger generations growing up outside their ancestral communities.
The event ended with renewed calls for unity, peace, cultural preservation and collective development among members of the Ezza community.
The Ezza cultural expression, “Ezza Mekotaru Onu, Ndulanu Olulanu,” was also part of the cultural identity and spirit surrounding the celebration.
