The 2027 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to support an agricultural revolution that will expand opportunities for farmers and enable families to derive greater economic benefits from farming.
Odii made the pledge in a goodwill message to the people of Ohanivo on the occasion of the 2026 Iri Ji (New Yam) Festival, describing the annual celebration as a time of thanksgiving, unity and reflection on the values of hard work and perseverance.
He said the New Yam Festival remained an important cultural institution that brings the people together around their shared heritage and common aspirations.
“It is my pleasure to share and be part of the celebration of bountiful harvest with my people, the great farmers and people of OHANIVO,” he said.
According to Odii, Iri Ji is “yet another great initiative aimed at uniting our people as people with common destiny, common prosperity and common future.”
He noted that the festival was more than a ceremonial celebration of the year's harvest, saying it offered an opportunity to appreciate the efforts of farmers and reflect on the virtues that underpin agricultural production.
“Iri Ji, as an age-old cultural festival in Igboland, is not just a moment of wining and dining, but more of a moment of appreciation, a moment of gratitude and a moment of reflection,” he said.
Odii said the occasion provided an opportunity to reflect on hard work, patience and perseverance, citing the Igbo adage, “Aka aja aja na-ebute onu mmanu mmanu,” which teaches that diligent labour ultimately yields reward.
He congratulated the people of Ohanivo on the harvest and expressed gratitude to God for the bounty recorded during the season.
Looking ahead, Odii said greater economic opportunities for farmers would remain central to efforts to improve livelihoods in the state.
“We are determined to support agricultural revolution to create opportunities for our farmers and families to prosper and reap great benefits, even as we preserve our beautiful culture of gratitude,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the people would record more abundant harvests in the years ahead and urged them to continue upholding the communal values embodied by Iri Ji.
Odii concluded his message by celebrating the people of Ohanivo and declaring: “Ndi OHANIVO, Anyi Agba Afa!”
