By Nkechinyere Ewa
The member representing Afikpo/Edda Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Iduma Enwo Igariwey, has called for concerted efforts to sustain and preserve the New Yam Festival and other cultural traditions of the Igbo people.
Igariwey made the call on Sunday, August 23, 2026, while addressing a mammoth gathering at Ugwu Ovum Mgbom, Afikpo, during the 6th edition of the Okpudo Ikeji Annual Lecture Series.
The lecture, themed “Anatomy of the Ikeji Festival: Assessing the Socio-Cultural Significance of a Shared Identity and Peaceful Co-existence in Afikpo-Edda,” brought together traditional rulers, community leaders, academics, politicians, youths and residents from across Afikpo and Edda.
The lawmaker said the annual lecture was conceived as a platform for preserving the cultural heritage of the people in a more spectacular and intellectually engaging manner, while ensuring that younger generations understand and sustain the traditions handed down by their ancestors.
He noted that the United Nations recognises the role of cultural practices, traditions and values that align with human rights principles in advancing development and strengthening communities.
Igariwey described the New Yam Festival as one of the most prominent cultural practices in Igboland, stressing that it remains an important heritage capable of promoting social cohesion, unity and development.
According to him, the Ikeji Festival in Afikpo and Edda goes beyond the celebration of agricultural harvest, as it provides an avenue for strengthening the historical bonds and shared identity between the two clans. “We are celebrating the New Yam Festival today not because we cannot eat our yam in our homes without a ceremony, but because Ikeji is a significant component of our cultural landscape, a way of building and strengthening our communal belongingness,” he said.
He added that the annual gathering had become a platform for dialogue, cultural revival, intellectual engagement and the showcasing of indigenous talents.
“As you can see, all the villages and communities in Afikpo and Edda are represented here, and there is no matrilineal family (Ikwu) that does not participate in the Okpudo Annual Ikeji Lecture. It is a matter of our identity and the promotion of our cultural heritage,” Igariwey stated.
The federal lawmaker, who is Vice Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, said the lecture and entertainment programmes would further deepen the bond between the people of Afikpo and Edda and promote peace and unity across the federal constituency.
He emphasised the historical relationship between the two communities, saying, “There is no Edda man who does not have a relation in Afikpo, and there is no Afikpo woman without a brother in Edda.”
Igariwey also stressed the need for members of the old Afikpo Division to continue to see themselves as one people, noting that his development initiatives were not restricted to Afikpo/Edda but extended to other parts of the old division and Ebonyi State.
He urged the people to use the cultural platform to build new relationships, promote peace and pray for the wellbeing of their families and communities.
Earlier, the guest lecturer, Prof. Oguguo Egwu, described the New Yam Festival in Afikpo and Edda as a revered annual spiritual, agricultural and cultural event that traditionally marks the beginning of a new year.
Egwu said the festival had evolved beyond its traditional ritual functions to assume wider socio-political and developmental significance.
He noted that the strength of Afikpo-Edda was rooted in the unity of its diverse communities and their shared institutions, values and ancestral bonds.
“Beyond celebrating the harvest, the festival reminds us that the strength of Afikpo-Edda lies not in uniformity but in the unity of its diverse communities, whose traditions remain deeply interconnected through shared institutions, values and ancestral bonds,” he said.
The 6th Okpudo Ikeji Annual Lecture ended with renewed calls for the preservation of the cultural heritage of Afikpo and Edda and the transmission of the values of Ikeji to generations yet unborn.
Highlight of the event was display of different cultural dance by women from different communities that made up Ehugbo land.