By James Nwakpa
The 2025 Okeaku New Yam Festival climaxed in a colourful and historic celebration on Thursday as the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Rt. Hon. Bldr. Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, led the people of Ezza Ezekuna in marking the revered cultural event at Amana Civic Centre, Ezza South Local Government Area.
The grand finale, which drew a mammoth crowd from across Ezza land and beyond, was a spectacle of culture, unity, and ancestral pride. Traditional dances, age-old rituals, and communal feasting filled the air, as indigenes, guests, and cultural enthusiasts from various parts of Ebonyi State— including Izzi, Ikwo, Ngbo, Afikpo, Ohaozara, and Amasiri—converged to celebrate with the Ezza people.
In his address, Governor Nwifuru, who served as Special Guest of Honour, commended the Ezza community for their massive turnout, unwavering support, and continued promotion of unity. He urged the people to sustain peace and togetherness as a pathway to development and greater political relevance.
“I am deeply touched by the unity, hospitality, and cultural pride demonstrated here today. Let us continue to stand as one, because with unity comes strength, and with strength comes progress,” the Governor said.
He expressed appreciation to traditional leaders, cultural custodians, youth groups, and particularly the Ezza Elites Club led by Mr. Chibuike Orogwu (Baby Oku), for the honour and gifts extended to him. Nwifuru reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of Ezza land and Ebonyi State at large, promising inclusive governance rooted in peace and cultural preservation.
The festival, rooted in Ezza Ezekuna tradition, spans the four native market days—Orie, Afor, Eke, and Nkwor—and symbolically marks the end of the old year and the beginning of a new one. The grand finale at Amana followed earlier traditional rites held at Nchionu, Onueke—the ancestral home of Ezekuna.
Special prayers were offered for a bountiful harvest, peace, health, and prosperity, while gift items such as cows, tubers of yam, coconuts, and other symbolic tokens were shared among attendees. The atmosphere was vibrant with dances, masquerade displays, and chants celebrating Ezza unity and resilience.
Cultural observers hailed the event as a successful showcase of Ezza identity and intercommunal friendship, describing the turnout as the largest in recent years.
The Governor’s presence and message of peace reinforced the festival’s role not only as a celebration of agricultural bounty but also as a vital platform for cultural revival and political solidarity.
As the drums faded and the dust settled, the 2025 Okeaku Festival left a lasting impression—one of unity, heritage, and a renewed commitment to the values that bind the Ezza people together.
