Ngbo-Umuogudu Oshia Regent Celebrates Itsu-Ikwe Festival as Emblem of Unity.
By Ugo Ewa
Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo, Ebonyi State — The Regent of Umuogudu Oshia Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Prince Uche Ali-Ega, has described the Itsu-Ikwe (New Yam) Festival as a celebration of cultural identity, unity, and prosperity, marking a new beginning for the Ngboejeogu people.
Speaking to journalists at his palace during the vibrant annual event, Prince Ali-Ega hailed the festival as a spiritual and cultural rebirth that signifies the end of scarcity and the start of the traditional new year in Ngbo land.
“The Itsu-Ikwe Festival comes in the ninth moon of the Ngbo calendar and is deeply symbolic,” the Regent stated. “It marks the transition from the famine of the eighth moon to a season of food abundance. Before this time, eating or harvesting new yams was strictly forbidden.”
The Regent emphasized that beyond its agricultural importance, the festival is a time for reflection, gratitude, and communal bonding.
“It’s a season of generosity. Families share meals, pound yam in mortars that echo throughout the community, and visit one another with joy. It’s a time when our shared humanity is most visible,” he said.
Prince Ali-Ega also called on the people to remain steadfast in faith and grateful to God, whom he credited for sustaining the community through difficult times.
Also present at the occasion was the Executive Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Prince Ikechukwu Odono, who described the festival as a symbol of peace, cultural pride, and social development. He urged the community to support the state government’s efforts in promoting unity and peaceful coexistence across Ebonyi State.
In his remarks, the Deputy Speaker of the Ebonyi State House of Assembly and indigene of the area, Hon. Chinedu Onah, praised the festival as a powerful platform for peacebuilding and cultural preservation.
“We must protect the values embedded in festivals like Itsu-Ikwe,” he said. “They unite us, deepen our roots, and remind us of the importance of harmony and agriculture. While we celebrate culture, we must reject practices that are divisive or counterproductive.”
Hon. Onah also emphasized the role of the festival in raising awareness around food security, encouraging citizens—especially the youth—to embrace farming and return to the land.
The celebration featured rich displays of traditional music, dance, royal homage, and communal feasting, reinforcing the significance of the festival in preserving the heritage of Ngboejeogu land.
As the drums echoed and the aroma of freshly pounded yam filled the air, the Itsu-Ikwe Festival once again stood as a vibrant testament to the resilience, generosity, and cultural pride of the Ngbo people.
