The Iri-Ji ( New yam) festival for the 2023 which started on Friday the 22nd and it's grand finale on Saturday the 23rd of September in Owerri which was organized by the Chairman, Council of Imo Traditional Rulers in the state, HRH,Eze Emmanuel Okeke, has been rated as a very huge failure.
The festival which was said to be first of its kind in the history of new yam celebration in the state, according to the Chairman, Council of Imo Traditional Rulers, Eze Okeke, was expected to attract the presence of the State Government but was unfortunately marred with low turn out.
Our reporter who was at the event confirmed that the Governor of the state, Sen.Hope Uzodimma, his Deputy, Prof.Placid Njoku, the Speaker, Imo House of Assembly, Rt.Hon.Chike Olemgbe, and the Imo Chief of Staff, Barr.Nmamdi Anyaehie, were very much absent at the Iri-Ji.
Other top Imo political leaders who were not seen at the event are: the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Sir.Cosmas Iwu, the Imo Attorney General Commissioner for Justice, Barr.COC Akaolisa, and some notable Traditional Rulers from Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zone who were obviously absent.
As custodians of culture, it is expected that whenever any traditional ruler is celebrating his new yam, top leaders of that area are expected to grace the occasion.
Likewise, it is expected to be in the case of the Chairman, Council of Imo Traditional Rulers, Eze EC.Okeke.
Ingloriously, the Traditional Ruler, Eze Okeke,(Eze Imo) who is suppose to present his new yam in a roasted
delicious manner, displayed yam which was prepared with the aide of an oven as baked yam.
Confirming the state of the yam which was not roasted instead baked with an oven as presented at the ceremony, the Chairman, Council of Traditional Rulers In Owerri West, Eze Lucky Okoro, concurred that the yam presented was heated in an electric stove (oven).
Expressing their respective anger, so many sons and daughters of Imo State who witnessed the failed ceremony, and wouldn't want theirs names mentioned told Journalists that such acts can never be welcome in the history of Igbo culture.
In their words , "This is unacceptable,Which kind of Iri-Ji is that? We have never seen where a Traditional Ruler present baked yam not roasted yam especially that one heated in an oven;"""
"That is not our culture at all. We expected to see cooked yam with cock (Okuko Igbo), pepper soup, (ji mmri Oku) prepared with local spices, like Uda, Uziza, Nchanwu, Ighokiriho, amongst other native species which must be served firstly to the traditional rulers (Royal Fathers) before every other guests
", The invocations by the traditional rulers shouldn't have been done in a christian manner but the monarch (Eze Imo, ) who is expected to invoke the gods of land by enchanting the power of Chi okeke,(the creator)Ahijoku the god of productive, our four market days (Eke, Orie, Afor and Nkwo) rather he jettisoned all the cultural heritage and anchored the low turn out ceremony in the name of Jesus Christ ( Give Ceaser That Which Belongs To Ceaser And Christ What Belongs To Christ), even as he echoed in the name of God-the father, son and the holy spirit and sealed with Amen!
In Igbo culture and Heritage they seal a supplication with of Igbo libation with seal of Iseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Which was never heard during the iwa ji;
Which was not supposed to be
" As long as igbo culture is concerned, that Iri-Ji which was tagged as Iri-Ji Ndi-Imo only glorified Eze Okeke and few other traditional rulers present who didn't see the taboo ".
"We are not in the western countries. We are Igbo people and our new yam is not supposed to be baked yam as was recorded at the failed Iri-Ji Eze Imo".
Meanwhile, during the ceremony, Eze Okeke who is expected to dish out roasted yam with red oil, garnished with
fresh pepper and utazi, otherwise cooked rice which is not our original way of Iri-Ji celebration as Igbo people.
