Nigeria’s major cultural festivals, such as the New Yam festival, can play a critical role in the country’s development in tourism, agriculture and security, the traditional ruler of the Obosi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, His Royal Majesty Igwe Chidubem Iweka, has said.
Igwe Iweka, also known as the Eze Iweka III, Eze Obosi, stated this during the grand finale of activities marking the Obosi’s community 2024 New Yam festival tagged ‘Obiora/Iwaji’ annual cultural festival that took place at Afor Adike Market Square in Obosi, over the weekend.
The weeklong activities marking the event kick-started with a youth carnival, which featured various cultural dances by the youths to showcase Obosi’s rich cultural heritage.
Igwe Iweka, while performing the traditional yam cutting to flag off the occasion thanked God for granting his community a bountiful harvest.
He said an event such as the New Yam festival influences people’s interest in agriculture and cultural ideology that can inspire creativity and innovation, adding that such can also help boost the tourism sector if well packaged and harnessed.
He said tradition and cultural knowledge can enhance critical thinking, entrepreneurial abilities and problem-solving skills, especially among the youths at a time like this, when white-collar jobs are becoming scarce.
He said, “New Yam festival is an important event in Igbo land. It is a festival that promotes agriculture among the people and inculcates the spirit of agriculture, especially among the youth. It is a period that affords the people the opportunity to thank God for the harvest season and for giving them a bountiful harvest. I urge Obosi residents to continue to embrace peace, which is the bedrock for growth and development.
“A vibrant culture enhances a country and community’s soft power, improving its image standing and influence through diplomacy, trade, and cultural exchange. It is through tradition and culture that we foster understanding and collaboration. The aim is to empower the people through agriculture.
“The youths are advised to shun violence, drug abuse and trafficking, armed robbery, kidnappings, cultism and other criminal acts, as no amount of economic hardship can be used as an excuse to take to crime.”
Adorned with different types of cultural regalias, the youths, who split themselves into various cultural troupes, exhibited their different dancing styles to the admiration of the traditional ruler.
Among the different dances exhibited by the youths were the Egbenuoba masquerade dance troupe, Ndichie N’abumadu men youth dance troupe, Otuodu youth women dance troupe, Yoruba youth men/women dance troupe, Efik/Ibibio men/women dance troupe, among other cultural dances troupes.
Eze Iweka who sat on his throne and watched the dance troupes perform one after the other sometimes joined in the dancing.
Also at the grand finale which attracted dignitaries from far and near, including representatives of all the branches of Obosi Development Union, ODU at home and in the diaspora, Igwe Iweka re-emphasised the need to use the occasion of this year’s festival to shun rancour, acrimonies and maintain a peaceful atmosphere in the community.
He expressed satisfaction with the cooperation he receives from the local vigilante group called ‘Movement Against Cultism,’ adding that without them he would not have achieved this feat with his men.
He added, “We approach crimes by being proactive and my office has at a time been attacked but we are there by the grace of God to ward off crimes in Obosi and the entire Idemili North and South where I am the sector commander.”
The monarch also used the occasion to confer chieftaincy titles on three illustrious sons of the community and their wives, including Chief Okey Molokwu, who bagged the title of Ezeudo of Obosi, among others.
Also speaking during the ceremony, the President-General of the Obosi community, Chief Chimezie Obi, disclosed that more than 85 per cent of crimes committed in Obosi were carried out by non-indigenes.
Answering questions from journalists, Obi disclosed that since he assumed office, there have never been tales of killings, robbery, assassination, or cultism, among others as was obtainable before he came into office.
He attributed the improved security situation in the community to collaborations with one another.
He said, “We no longer hear of killings in Obosi, this time we pursue the criminals, we go to their houses and pick them up because we know where they live. Every month, we do our crime report and from investigation and our statistics, more than 85 per cent of crimes in Obosi are committed by non-indigenes. We have advised criminals in Obosi to leave the community or meet their Waterloo.
“If you want to ensure effective leadership, a leader, after assuming office must drop politics of bitterness and rancour and embrace everybody. As you fight crime, crime fights you back. We are being frustrated in this war against crime by some people who feel they benefit from crime.”
On the alleged attempted kidnap and setting ablaze of the vehicle of Chief Security Officer in the community, Chief Dan Igbokwubili, he said the police are investigating the matter, even as he assured that the outcome will be made public to avert further occurrence.
He lamented that a former PG of the community was assassinated and no arrest or investigation was done to arrest the culprits.
Also on the alleged killing of a boy at a burial arena, he denied the allegation, stating that the Obosi Central Vigilante group on a tip-off, rushed to where it was alleged that robbers were operating and on getting there, two suspected armed robbers started running and they pursued them.
“One of the two robbers turned back and started shooting at the security men and when his bullets finished he threw the gun in a swampy place and he was gunned down while the other was pursued and arrested with a gun, we recovered two guns from them.
“So whoever said they were not armed robbers or that they were killed in a burial ceremony is not saying the truth. If they are not armed robbers why did we recover two guns from them?”
Also speaking, the Coordinator of the Obiora Obosi festival, Chief Olunna Ofodile, said since the present executive came on board the people sleep with their two eyes closed.
He paid glowing tribute to the monarch, Igwe Iweka, the SPACS commander, Nuhu Azeez, the community vigilante group, PG and other security operatives for the peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in Obosi today.
He enthused, “We no longer hear of cultism, armed robbery, snatching of phones, killings, among others and as traditionalists we also consulted the oracle to ward off crimes in the community.”
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