Ohafia Community Celebrates 2025 New Yam Festival in Grand Style

Ohafia Community Celebrates 2025 New Yam Festival in Grand Style

The people of Ohafia gathered in pomp and pageantry at Achichi, Elu Ohafia, as the ancient clan celebrated the 2025 edition of its traditional New Yam Festival, known locally as “Iri ji.”

The event, which drew dignitaries, traditional rulers, government officials, and residents from across the state, was graced by the Deputy Governor of Abia State, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu, who attended in company with his wife, Mrs. Adaeze Emetu.

Speaking during the event, Engr Ikechukwu Emetu described yam as a crop of great symbolic and cultural importance in Igbo tradition, noting that it represents the chief of all farm produce and stands as a symbol of hard work, prosperity, and thanksgiving.

“Yam is not just a staple food; it is deeply rooted in our heritage as a symbol of abundance, renewal, and continuity,” Engr Emetu said. “The celebration of ‘Iri ji’ Ohamoha reminds us of the value of hard work, unity, and gratitude to God for a successful farming season.”

The Deputy Governor thanked God for another fruitful year, describing the festival as a period of reflection and a harbinger of progress and development for the Ohafia people.

He also commended the Council of Ohafia Monarchs, led by His Royal Paramountcy, Eze Elder Awa Oji Udonsi, for their unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the Ohafia clan. Chief Emetu further applauded the 2025 “Iri ji” Ohamoha Ohafia Planning Committee for their tireless efforts in organizing the colorful event.

Expressing his gratitude to the people of Ohafia, the Deputy Governor lauded their steadfast support for the administration of Governor Dr. Alex Otti, and urged them to continue working together to advance peace, unity, and development across the communities.

The 2025 Ohafia New Yam Festival featured traditional dances, masquerade displays, cultural exhibitions, and thanksgiving ceremonies ,  all reflecting the vibrancy and communal spirit for which the Ohafia people are renowned.

As the festival concluded, the atmosphere remained charged with joy and optimism, symbolizing not only the end of the harvest season but also the dawn of renewed hope and prosperity for the entire Ohafia kingdom.

In his Address, the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Prince Kalu Ikpemini, described the Iri ji Ohamoha as a sacred tradition and one of the most important cultural celebrations in the Ohafia Ancient Kingdom. He said the festival reflects the strength, resilience, and unity of the people, a community proud of its heritage, hardworking by nature, and guided by the legacy of its ancestors.

Chief Ikpemini also praised Dr. Alex Otti for his exemplary leadership and commitment to good governance, highlighting the restoration of electricity to Ohafia after six years and the reconstruction of the Ohafia Central Daily Market (Afoa Nkwo). He further commended the Udumeze of Ohafia and the Council of Monarchs for their wisdom, guidance, and dedication to preserving the rich cultural heritage of their people.

Also Speaking, the Ebiri of Elu, the Udumeze of Ohafia, and Chairman of the Council of Monarchs, His Royal Paramountcy Eze Elder Awa Oji Udonsi, said this year’s New Yam Festival highlights the council’s deep cultural unity and shared heritage. He emphasized that the celebration reflects collective identity and harmony, rather than the divisive political displays of the past.

He explained that the yam holds symbolic importance as the chief crop representing all farm produce and a sign of abundance. The monarch also commended Governor Dr. Alex Otti for his efforts in restoring electricity to Ohafia, which he described as a significant step toward community development.