A popular adage, a hungry man is an angry man has a distorted meaning on Saturday 26th August 2023. The very date was when the good people of Izhi Nnodo Clan in Ebonyi State held their grand finale for this year's new yam festival popularly known as Ojiji.
Recall that Ojiji is an annual event, which marks the beginning of the new year for the Izhi Nation. Except for the Ojiji festival is announced by the relevant traditional custodians of the clan and observed by the people, no single person can harvest, eat or sell new yam in Izhi land. The festival is held between August and September every year depending on the sighting of the new moon which must be in line with the Izhi traditional calendar and cultural values. The date for the festival which is usually held on Iboko market day must be fixed by the ordained Izhi Ishiuke (Traditional Prime Minister) beginning with the appeasement of the Ihalaphumu deity. The appeasing of the Ihalaphumu deity normally guarantees every man to take new agricultural produce in Izhi land.
The celebration of the new yam for this year was first observed traditionally on 9th August. The feast has become the most recognized cultural heritage of the Izhi Nnodo Clan in Ebonyi State.
The Ojiji festivity has lasted time immemorial. It is adjudged as a promoter of love, peace, unity and progress among the Izhi people and their neighbours. It is an abomination for one to eat or accept an Ojiji meal or a gift from anybody he/she considers an enemy in Izhi land.
The essence of the new yam (Ji Ophu) has become incredibly audible and extraordinary, that when a date for its festivity is announced by the Izhi traditional custodians, the rain will begin to fall in the clan and beyond.
The feast celebrates the hospitality of Izhi people as the new yam and valuable items are normally shared freely with their in-laws, neighbours, friends, visitors, the needy and underprivileged ones, especially the widows and orphans.
Other remarkable activities normally carried out to mark the new yam festival in Izhi land are clearing of the pathways leading to the streams, village quarters and individual compounds. Community quarters and individual compounds must be kept neat. Young maidens fetch firewood for elders.
On the day of the traditional celebration of Ojiji in Izhi land, the people always eat boiled yam with roasted or fresh pepper, garnished local sauce called Agbo of the curry family. This serves as the appetizer before the main meal of pounded yam with bene-seed (esusa) and akparata oku (chicken) soup. The soups can be garnished with Kanda, dried fish, snails, and other assorted meats, although different varieties of meals used to be served as the day went on.
The extent to which the Izhi people attach special reverence to the new yam celebration in Ebonyi alongside other clans in the state and their Igbo ancestries in Nigeria and the African continent has demanded clarification.
Justifying the above concern, the Publicity Secretary of Oha Izhi Nnodo, Apostle Benjamin Obaji (Radio Izhi) in his address during the event said: "First, as yam is considered as sacrosanct and the king of all crops, Izhi clan attaches so much recognition to this general cultural belief among the Igbo nation. Second, the dignity and pride of a farmer is the expanse of his yam barn. The largeness of his yam barn attracts chieftaincy titles like Okeligwe, Onyibe, Ojelegu, Ovuji Acho Ali, Oko Ngele Azulabo, Ogbuinya, Ogbueswi, among others. Ojiji is for honouring and respecting yam, and it became significant among the Izhi people. Third, Ojiji showcases the hospitality of the Izhi clan. This has in no small measure contributed to the position that Izhi found itself in today. Apart from the cultural reawakening, that Ojiji has created, politically; it has endeared Izhi people into more relationships with both other clans and visitors in the state. The support Izhi had in the recent election is an eloquent testimony to this."
Obaji while borrowing the words of one British Philosopher, Robert Adams, recommended that cultural differences should not separate Izhi people and other clans in Ebonyi State and beyond, because their cultural diversities have to bring a collective strength that can benefit all humanity.
He said, "Ojiji is very diverse, yet it has remained the string that held Izhi Nnodo Ekumenyi together for decades and with its preservation, it shall continue to be the binding force of unity in Izhi land."
He further advised Izhi sons and daughters to see the 2023 Ojiji as unique, saying, "Before today, the Governor of Ebonyi State has always been our Special Guest of Honour, but this day, through the benevolence of God Almighty and support of every one of you here, the Governor of Ebonyi State (Chief Francis Nwifuru) is the Chief Host of Honour. This translates into more gifts and more merriments."
Indeed, the 2023 Ojiji grand finale seemed to be most outstanding, considering the massive turnout of the Izhi people, their guests, friends and well-wishers even when the economic crisis confronting the nation goes higher.
The roads leading to the Anmegu, the ancestral home of the Izhi Nnodo Clan and the venue of the event were filled up by the people who showcased different artistic crews including cultural parades and dances, masquerades, presentation of gifts/souvenirs including cows and yams to the guests.
The event exhibited the richness of the Izhi cultural heritage and traditions amid the razzle-dazzle. The patrician Izhi Nnodo Youth Forum and other side attractions turned the event into a carnival of sorts. The youth wing of the clan demonstrated their solidarity with their illustrious son, the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru and his entourage for his people-oriented governance in the State.
The cheerful atmosphere of the event was commended by the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Godwin Ogbaga. Ogbaga who was the former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria affirmed that the emergence of Chief Francis Nwifuru, an Izhi illustrious son in the last election as the Governor of Ebonyi State beautified the ceremony more than the previous years. He urged all and sundry to continue to pray for the governor and for the tempo to be sustained while evaluating the developmental impacts of the festival in Izhi land.
In addition, the President General of Oha Izhi Nnodo Ekumenyi, HRH Eze Sunday Oketa, described this year's Ojiji Izhi grand finale celebration (Akwaha oba nri Ojiji) as a very special, remarkable and historic event to Izhi people. He attributed the cheerful setting of the event to the emergence of their son, Chief Francis Nwifuru, who was the Special Guest of Honour during the occasion as the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State.
He recalled that it was on the event ground last year that the former Governor of Ebonyi State, a former Senator and now a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Engr Nweze Umahi promised to hand over the governorship seat of Ebonyi State to an Izhi man, and the fulfilment of the pledge was the successful election and inauguration of Chief Francis Nwifuru as the fourth Executive Governor of the State.
While expressing gratitude to Umahi for having kept his promise to Izhi Clan, Eze Oketa said, the special blessing of the Ishiuke Izhi (Traditional Prime Minister), His Royal Majesty Chief Mbam Ngele Ogharu to both Umahi and Nwifuru during the 2022 new yam celebration yielded positive results.
According to the traditional ruler, Umahi and Nwifuru at this year's celebration of Ojiji's grand finale as Executive Governor of Ebonyi state and a Senator and Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria respectively were the outcomes of the Ishiuke Izhi blessings.
He explained that the present form of the grand finale celebration of the Izhi new yam festival(Ojiji) was the brainchild of Ogbo-Ohubama Izhi instituted by the clan's revered Catholic Priest of the blessed memory, Late Rev. Fr Dr Anthony Echiegu.
He added: "Ojiji Izhi remains the greatest socio-cultural feast of Izhi Nnodo because of the significance of yam to an Izhi man. It is a celebration of hard work, patience and hope. It is a celebration that we hold tenaciously to its values and aspirations as handed over to us by our forefathers and moderated today by the Ishiuke Izhi, the custodian of our culture and tradition."
The President General noted that Oha Izhi Nnodo as the apex socio-cultural body of Izhi, works to enhance cultural values, peace and unity of his people and has recorded some tremendous achievements among which included restoring peace in crisis-ridden communities of Izhi land, enthronement of peace in Izhi land by resolving subsidiary conflicts and crises within villages and communities.
Other contributions by the organisation, in his words, were the sensitization and advocacy visits to communities in Izhi on the 2023 Izhi Governorship Project which, he said, has manifested positively today.
He said the body cared for the effective utilization of the Izhi Football Association to promote talent hunt and human capital development for lzhi youths and Ogbo-ohubama izhi to promote lzhi culture respectively, annual hosting of the grand finale celebration of the new yam festival (Ojiji izhi) to keep her people together.
Eze Oketa commended Governor Nwifuru, other leaders and good-spirited individuals of the Izhi clan and beyond for their support that enabled the organisation to record such successes.
The Monarch stated emphatically the Izhi people's strong commitment and support to the present administration in the state, and commended the good projects already initiated, saying the achievements by Governor Nwifuru-led government since assumed office have given hope to both the living and the dead following its directive for the payment of gratuities and dead benefits to the deserving beneficiaries, just to mention a few.
He appreciated Izhi people's sister clans including Ikwo, Ezza, Izhiangbo, Agba, Abaomege, Afikpo, Ohaozara, and Izhi communities in Benue and Cross River states and other LGAs of the state for making time to celebrate with them during the event.
Oketa therefore called on Izhi people to live in peace with one another in their various communities and avoid unnecessary rancour, pointing out that the clan will not tolerate any group or individual causing trouble in Izhi land.
The Chairman Central Planning Committee of the occasion, Dr. Sunday Nwangele equally observed that the Izhi people are richly blessed with a good landscape, mineral deposits and talented men and women in different facets of human endeavours. The Immediate past State Commissioner for Education said the clan has produced a governor in Ebonyi showing that God has crowned her promising effort in touching humans and however emphasized the need to strengthen their love, peace and unity in the pursuit of their collective and individual aspirations for the development of the society better.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the state governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru honoured the event live with his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, the Speaker of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Chief Moses Odunwa, the majority of the National Assembly lawmakers, Commissioners, local government chairmen and other present and past political officeholders cutting across party lines.
Nwifuru who expressed joy over the massive turnout of Izhi people and their guests to honour the Ojiji grand finale, urged them to continue to promote cultures and traditions that encourage peaceful coexistence, unity, social justice and fairness for the development of the human race.
He advised the people to embrace the spirit of hard work, innovation and creativity, saying his administration is committed to empowering, employing citizens of the state and ensuring basic amenities are provided for the benefit of the Ebonyi residents.
The governor who chronicled the significance of the celebration of the king of crops, yam in the Izhi clan expressed his administration's gameness to make culture and tourism a viable sector in the state.
According to him, the astronomical spectacles of the 2023 grand finale of Ojiji Izhi's new yam festival, are a thing of joy.
It could be recalled that the governor in his campaign manifesto, assured of introducing a state annual-wide cultural festival. Nwifuru also pledged to identify, develop and market the existing tourist sites in Ebonyi State. Promotion of the indigenous language and culture, alongside the establishment of the Ebonyi State Cultural Centre to house museums and archives; with revitalization of the parks and recreation centres were among his pledges to signpost the state ministry of culture and tourism.
However, the rising poverty level of Ebonyi State specifically the stakes of the Izhi people regarding the economic hardship weathering Nigeria as a nation since the present administration came on board has demanded urgent action to tackle the current situation.
Economic pundits, industrialists and seasoned administrators have continued to suggest a way out of the economic crisis since President Bola Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy.
Against the background, an Ebonyi-born industrialist, Architect Edward Nkwegu, recommended that the Nigerian government should adopt mechanized farming across the country. According to Nkwegu, mechanized farming encourages massive food production and however, maintained that modern agricultural practices if adopted, would be the only antidote to Nigerians' economic challenges.
He urged the Federal government of Nigeria to enrol in a mechanized farming system to reduce the economic hardship and security challenges confronting the nation nowadays.
Architect Nkwegu who was the 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State recommended this while interacting with journalists in Abakaliki, on how to combat the economic crisis in Nigeria. He further advised the government at all levels and the citizens to embrace farming to ensure food sufficiency in the country.
He observed that the Nigerians living in different cities and the hinterlands of the country have a diverse share of harsh experiences emanating from the nation's economic crisis.
In his words, "It is very difficult to see any Nigerian that will say all is well with us, just because of the economic hardship in the country.
"People are suffering both in the cities and the hinterlands of Nigeria but the reason be that, when a person, group, family, community or country buys more than they can sell, they're bound to suffer. As far as Nigeria is buying more than it is producing, it's bound to face economic problems.
"So, the solution to our problems as a country is to go back to our bases, that is production, we must go back to producing foods, to have food sufficiency.
"If we do not produce enough, we continue to have a deficit, then, the economic crisis can get to the level where it will be very difficult to control because a hungry man is an angry man. But with our enough arable land, we can go into food production, in large quantities to enable us to overcome the hardships in the country," he said.
Nkwegu noted that over 80 per cent of Nigerians into farming are peasant farmers using outdated tools such as hoe and cutlass, and however, recommended a mechanized farming system should be adopted to ensure massive participation and high food productivity in the country.
"We should go to farming and not just farming but a mechanized farming system. 80 per cent of farmers in the country are peasant farmers who are using outdated tools - hoe and cutlass to farm. We have entered a modern age where cutlass and hoe can't boost our food production, and outdated tools will not produce enough food to take care of our population nowadays.
"Many people especially the youths have left our major occupation, before the era of the colonial masters because of the outdated tools that are still invoked. Many are running away from labour-intensive jobs because of the same problem. Some of them have chosen to do hawking, yahoo-yahoo business to solve their problems," the industrialist pointed out.
He also attributed the causes of the insecurity and other criminal activities in the country to neglect of farming practices by the majority populace, saying that introducing mechanized agriculture and all seasoning farming would be the last solution to the nation's economic and security challenges.
"We fight results instead of the cause of our problems. Malaria is a result. No matter the number of malaria drugs that are packed in your house, if you don't look at ways of protecting against mosquito bites you are bound to suffer malaria. And even if the Nigerian population becomes security agents, it can't solve the problem of hunger. Let's come back and look at the farming tools to remove and replace them with modern machines that can encourage food productivity and advancement in Nigeria. Adopting a modern farming system will maximize the income of every farmer, because kidnapping, robbery including fraud are a result of one thing or the other.
"We should understand that human nature is such that if one can't get a solution to his/her problem when pushed to the wall, he/she will use an Illegal way to solve his problem because of the fear of poverty," he concluded.
Nkwegu's advice might be very profitable in considering the rising cost of foods especially the yam, which is the chief of all the crops in the market during the Ojiji festivity in Ebonyi State. The occasion which encourages the exchange of gifts such as yams, chickens and other items with relatives especially the in-laws, friends, and well-wishers suffered set back this year because of poor productivity.
Investigation revealed that most of the new yams sold in the market during the Ojiji festivity were brought to Ebonyi from other states, making the price of the tubers of yams exorbitant. A sizable tuber of yam was sold between 4,500 and 5,000 Naira or above during the festivity in the market.
Recall that the Yam Dealers Association in Ebonyi has appealed to Governor Nwifuru-led administration to build the 'Yam Market' for its members in the State.
The Chairman of the Association, Mrs Regina Umeh who requested this from Governor Nwifuru in an interview with journalists in Abakaliki, emphasized the need for the present administration to build a yam innovation centre in Ebonyi State.
Mrs Umeh disclosed that her members had recorded many losses in their business because of the condition of their business centre, located in Ebonyi's Margaret Umahi International Market, Abakaliki.
According to the Chairman, tracing down the background of the present Ebonyi State governor, there is no doubt that he has full knowledge of yam farming, even its preparation, production, harvest, preservation and marketing processes. She, however, regretted that despite the great devotion of Ebonyi people to yam farming, their State has no special market or innovation centre for the dealers.
She noted that building a yam market or yam innovation centre in Ebonyi by the present regime would be of great importance to the citizens of the State and beyond, and however, promised to contribute their quota to accomplish the demanded project.
"It's quite unfortunate that Ebonyi people are known widely for our great impacts in yam farming but we don't even have a special market for yam dealers. We need at least, a special yam market, or yam innovation centre, because it will bring a great boost to the economy of our dear state."
Umeh lamented that her members have frowned at the multiple taxation going on in the State's International market, and called for quick intervention by the government to avoid chasing traders out of the market.
"Ebonyi people are known for yam farming but this place, which the state government gave to us is not good for yam traders. You know our people after harvesting yams, will take them to their barns, for preservation. They won't preserve the yam under a canopy or umbrella, but here, we use them to preserve our yams and that's why we continue recording a big loss after sales because many of them have become decayed.
"We are happily congratulating our brand new Governor in Ebonyi, Chief Francis Nwifuru, believing that he will address the challenges of the yam dealers in the State.
"We know if the yam market or yam innovation centre is built in Ebonyi, people from other states will come to patronize this State."
She further condemned high taxation in the State International market, saying each trader spends not less than 1,000 Naira for internally generated revenue per day. She urged the state governor to work hard to stop multiple taxations to encourage the traders to cope with their businesses in the area.
Mrs Umeh requested that the government of Nwifuru carry out research on rich yam seedlings very adaptable to the state land and import them to ensure vast productivity.
However, all hope seemed not yet lost, as the state governor, Chief Francis Nwifuru has expressed his administration's plan to sustain the policy of one-man one-hectare to promote food security in Ebonyi. Nwifuru in his manifesto anchored on the People's Charter of Needs - Divine Mandate, Consolidation and Continuity noted that Agriculture has been promoted as the commonest second address in Ebonyi State.
He promised to further develop the Ebonyi State Agricultural System through practical farming. Ebonyi according to him, is an agrarian state with arable land, a favourable climate for Agriculture and a hard hard-working farming population. He maintained that the vision of his administration was to adopt a practical approach to agricultural productivity to increase food production for security, job creation and livelihood. This, the governor said, would be achieved through the provision of Agricultural inputs and services to the practising farmers, revitalization of Agriculture Extension Services to farmers to provide them with modern farming techniques and support farmers with agro-processing and value chain services, such as food packaging, preservation and marketing.
He assured of promoting the Graduate Agriculture Scheme (GAS) and restoring the dignity of Agriculture through school and denomination farm projects at all levels. Among other assurances by the governor were to revitalize veterinary institutions and services across the senatorial zones, reactivate the Nkaliki poultry farm and Ezzamgbo farm complex, strengthen farmers' cooperative societies and establish a composite Commission where farmers' products will be purchased by the government in the State.
