Accra: Igbo Community Celebrates Yam Festival

MEMBERS OF the Igbo Community in Ghana on Saturday, September 22, 2018, converged on the Efua Sutherland Park in Accra in celebration of this year’s Iriji Yam Festival.

The colourful ceremony attracted dignitaries from far and near including some Igbo Chiefs resident in Nigeria and chiefs and queen mothers from the various traditional councils across the 10 regions of Ghana.

The occasion was characterised by drumming, dancing and singing as well as the display of rich Igbo culture and tradition.

Visitors at the ceremony were welcomed by the King of the Igbo Community in Ghana, Eze (Dr) Chukwudi Ihenetu, Eze Ohazurume I, Eze Ndi Igbo Ghana, with the breaking of kola nuts in line with the Igbo tradition.

Kola nuts were presented to Ghana for hosting the Igbo Community as well as the various traditional councils to signify appreciation for the friendliness of the chiefs and traditional rulers of Ghana towards Nigerians.

In his welcome remarks shortly before cutting yams on the occasion, the Igbo King expressed his profound appreciation to the government and people of Ghana for playing host to Igbos and Nigerians in general.

He seized the opportunity to entreat all Africans to celebrate their culture.

According to him, Africans should understand that they were having their own cultures before the coming of their colonial masters.

The revered King therefore urged Africans: “Everywhere you are, you should celebrate your language; it is not fetish.”

Meanwhile, he thanked Ghanaian chiefs and queen mothers including the Osu Mantse and acting president of the Ga Traditional Council, Nii Dodoo Nsaki II, for honouring his invitation to the festival.

He noted their presence at the event showed that Nigerians and Ghanaians are the same.

He therefore assured Ghanaians that the Nigerians in Ghana would respect the traditional laws of Ghana.

BY Melvin Tarlue