How Ikem communities celebrate New Yam festival (ORUROEZHI)

Okechukwu Ogbodo commended members of the community for their consistency in ensuring that the age-long annual tradition of Oruroezhi has remained remarkable, saying the reason Igbo give prominence to the celebration of the new yam festival in all of their communities is that the harvest of new yams in the year marks the end of food scarcity and insecurity in Igboland.

Igwe Ogbodo stated that his community and indeed, the entire Igbo celebrate the new yam festival, not just because yam is the chief crop in Igbo tradition, but more because the festival marks the harvest of other crops, indicating a season of bounty and freshness.

He also noted that the celebration of the new yam festival marks the beginning of the Igbo year calendar; it provides a platform to thank God for the provision of rains, fertile land, and sun for farming, adding that the New Yam Festival is equally celebrated to thank God for sparing the lives of farmers and the people.