On September 13th, I brought you the launching of Igbo Language Teaching Centres in Ile-Ife and the role played by the Federation of Igbo Students; https://www.nairaland.com/3346489/igbo-language-teaching-centres-ile-ife; ‎

In the spirit of celebrating the rich Igbo Culture I also bring you the celebration of New Yam Festival / Orientation of Freshers by the Federation of Igbo Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife "Great Ife" held on Saturday October 8th, 2016. ‎

The President of The Igbo Students Mr. ‎Ngwu Ikenna in his quest to promote the Igbo culture led his  executives, committees and selected Alumunus of the Association headed  by Udeh Kenneth C.  organized the event titled "New Yam Festival and Orientation". This is the first time the festival is celebrated in the university. 
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In his welcome address, Ngwu Ikenna gave vote of thanks to Cown Fm 101.5 Eleyele Ile-Ile for giving the Association  the opportunity to go on air and invite the general public‎, Eze Ndi igbo and his Cabinet was recognized, Senior Special Assistant to Kogi state Governor who was duly President,  professors, Doctors, Post Graduate Students, Students From The Polytechnic Ile-Ife, fellow students of the University. ‎
The planning of the event was triggered in order to inculcate to students, especially those igbo extraction, one of the cultures of our land. 
The Federation is made up Igbo students from ENUGU, Anambra, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia and other Igbo speaking States of Delta and Rivers State. ‎
The event kicked of at about 2pm under the chairmanship of Mr. J. I Ibeh, a lecturer in the university. 
The Invited guests included: Eze Ndi Igbo na Ile-Ife, Eze Ezekiel Chinedu Onyejekwe, JP father of the day. Senior Special Assistant  to Kogi State Governor in person of Hon. Barr. Moses Okezie, Anambra Women wing, Ile-ife, Udeh Kenneth Chiedozie a committed member of the Alumni of the Igbo Students  and a host of lecturers of the university. ‎
Prof. E. A Agbakwuru, a surgeon and a lover of tradition presented lecture on "the essence of New Yam Festival". 

According into him, yam is the king of all igbo foods, hence, the new festival is a period to thank Chi ji for making our yam to grow. He hinted that it is advisable for every farmer to first thank Chi ji before eating his new yam. 
He also talked of how to celebrate the new yam fastival, which he went on to commemorate after his lecture . He was presented with 4 out of 20 tubers of roasted yam. 
And he began with the folliwing:

Nke onye dịịrị ya ka nke anyi dịịrị anyi
Onye iro anyị biri ka anyị biri
Ya baara onye baara onye
Onye iro anyi anwula ma anyị efula
Ogburu onye na onye ga-ala
Njo na njo zu 
mma na mma zu kwa
Ka anyị rie ji ohuru nke afọ a na udo
Egbe bere ugo bere, nke sịrị ibe ya ebela nku kwaa ya, 

The people responded, Iseeeee. 

He went on to cut the yam into 4 parts along the length saying:
Eke mutara anyị ji
Orie mutara anyi ji
Afo mutara anyị ji
Nkwo mutara anyi ji
Ahia anọ di na izu mutara anyi ji anọ n'afọ na abia abia. 

The people responded, Iseee! 

There was Ukpaka prepares with red oil for eating the roasted new yam. It was served, and the celebration continued. 

The chairman of the Occasion Mr. J. I Ibeh in his opening remark was very happy with the planning of the event, especially the lecture that will be delivered. Hence, after the lecture by Prof. E. A. Agbakwuru, he added few words, especially for Ndi Igbo born outside Igbo land and not brought up by their parents in the Igbo way. He said " This is a very good opportunity to those of u My mama say i be igbo, to know the reason behind our tradition. He urged the youths to know the culture of the land so as to be able to pass it on to their children. He faulted our parents, saying that, you cannot give what you don't have. That most parents do not even know any thing about their culture, hence their children will definitely detest the tradition and in most cases term it evil practices. 

There was also lecture by Hon. Barr. Moses Okezie, the Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor. He talked about Ndi Igbo and Politics. According to him, Ndi igbo are good in business but nonchalant aboht Politics. He hinted on the need for The Eastern part of Nigeria to be strong politically and otherwise. He elaborated on brotherhood, that he who finds homself to be the ladder should allow others to climb so that within a chort time, Ndi Igbo will be well represented in Political systems in Nigeria. 
After his lecture, he was presented with an award of Distinguished political personality of the year by the Federation of Igbo Students.

Students of the association were also awarded certificates of meritorious services, Mr. Udeh Kenneth Chiedozie was also awarded as the best "Alumnus" of the Year by the Igbo Students.  ‎
The event featured Curtural dance (egwu omenala) by the students, news (akụkọ ụwa), masquarade (iti mmonwu), presentation by TC Creation, the guiter man; Emperor Ikukuamanonya, the reggae  master. 

See colourful pictures. ‎

The west is just so accomodating.

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New yam festival

More pictures...

Ngwu Ikenna
Keep up the good work, you are representing CKC 2009 OLD BOYZ and entire CKC alumnus very well.
Jisi ike!