By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Awka

Awka Diocesan Priests, Religious, 2018/2019 out-going and 2019/2020 in-coming episcopal household last Sunday, August 25, 2019 filed out at St. Patrick's Catholic Cathedral's refectory to witnessed the celebration of Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor's annual iwaji festival. The visibly elated Priests were seen in their numbers adorning all manner of traditional attires.

Speaking immediately after cutting the roast new yam and declaring it open for consumption, the chief shepherd of Awka Diocese, expressed gratitude to God for his mercies and good health and for allowing them to participate in another round of iwaji celebration.

Bishop Ezeokafor who described yam as the king of all crops, said the period of iwaji was actually a period of thanksgiving to God for His benevolence and for granting the farmers bountiful harvest, noting that he (Bishop Ezeokafor) would continue to appreciate culture and tradition, describing it as Igbo's identity.

The Catholic Prelate who ate the roast yam with well garnished sauce in the full glare of those who came to celebrate with him, urged Ndigbo to upheld their cultural heritage, noting that it was only an insane fellow and dimwit that would undermine their culture.

The chief Shepherd of Awka Catholic Diocese announced that the celebration at the Cathedral would be carried out simultaneously in all the parishes in Awka Diocese, noting that he was not alone in the celebration.

The Local Ordinary flanked by the Awka Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Francis Chidume; Msgr. JPC Nzomiwu, said he saw nothing wrong in people celebrating their culture provided it was not done in a fetish way.


Bishop Ezeokafor called on government at all levels to give culture a facelift by providing incentive and also to pay adequate attention to the celebrants.

In their separate speeches, the Awka Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Francis Chidume; Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Matthew Attansey and the Bishop Ezeokafor's secretary, Rev. Fr. Dr. Michael Monwe harped on humility and diligence.

Meanwhile, Bishop Ezeokafor was on the occasion received 2019/2020 Episcopal Household Seminarians (Two seniors and nine junior seminarians). This is even as the out-gone seminarians who served in the year 2018/2019 appreciated their priests with gifts as approved by Bishop Ezeokafor

The out-gone seminarians are as follows: Seniors- Obiagba Nelso (Projects); Odilimmuo Innocent (CADADD) and Emmanuel Onnkwo (Priests Welfare Home). Juniors- Aso Kingsley, Okechukwu Joseph, Amanchukwu Patrick, Paul Obiora, Okafor Johnbosco, Okafor Pascal, Okoye John Paul, Obiagboso Patrick and Anaeto Pascal

Newly received seminarians are as follows: Seniors, Chibueze Damian (Project) and Igbanugo Kingsley (CADADD). Juniors: Arinze Kierian, Nwankwo Stanley, Abasili John, Onuzulike John Bosco, Onyeka Collins, Ozoemena Joseph, Ikeorah Shedrack, Udora Festus and Mmaduadichie Bernardine.

Lalasticlala come and eat. Snake meat is also on the menu.

@ topic
Iwaji is a part of Igbo culture that should be practiced worldwide. It is the Igbo equivalent of America's thanksgiving

is new yam festival not a traditional something again ?

instead of calling the Chief Priest
they went to come and go and be calling Catholic Priest. . . is it because both start with a C and P ?

This country sef

Okay

Omenala

Where is ekweremadu? Won't he come and eat yam.

Cool

my love for Catholics have no bounds

Omenala ga diiiiiiii ooooo

If this one can celebrate new yam festival, I won't be surprised if he is on the front page of nairaland for rape allegation.


Carnal priest.

To make heaven no dey hungry this kind priest.

Thank you my Bishop for recognising our culture.
Sadly in my church, the new yam festival is being declared occultic.
To this day, it truly baffles me why we all cannot worship God whilst still upholding our many harmless traditional values.

Upholding our culture and tradition. Preserving Africa through Christ

Good as no politician was present... Ana eri ji na church? Etie gi ife aga eti gi eeh

Vu

Time for jollyfication. Gbedu go enter body


.......


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Our heritage will not be lost. Iri ji ohuru is as old as mankind.

I love that, our culture,our pride,but come on I did not see our former day there, what happened

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGjyTr4TnE4

after collecting from the gullibles one ashawo will now come to the alter and start singing one godforbidden songs

Interesting!

gazilion:
Our priests and other men of God in the North are dying and being slaughtered in the persecution of their faith, these ones are celebrating satanic festival of eating yams. May God have mercy on our pastors and leaders. We need a Revival in Nigeria!!

what makes it satanic festival. Waiting for other Pentecostals to type trash.
And you are eating yam as well while ur brothers are being slaughtered.

gazilion:
Our priests and other men of God in the North are dying and being slaughtered in the persecution of their faith, these ones are celebrating satanic festival of eating yams. May God have mercy on our pastors and leaders. We need a Revival in Nigeria!!

Ode, you call an African traditional that has been existing before time satanic but you are quick to embrace the white man's tradition. You even abandoned your own way of wedding and embraced their WHITE WEDDING. wake up

Nice

Jayslicky:


Where is ekweremadu? Won't he come and eat yam.

leave my man alone oo. i have warn u oo.

ekweremadu now eats his yam indoors.

Hmmmm...I smell set-up

peacettw:
Thank you my Bishop for recognising our culture.
Sadly in my church, the new yam festival is being declared occultic.
To this day, it truly baffles me why we all cannot worship God whilst still upholding our many harmless traditional values.

Oga, Jesus said YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS AT THE SAME TIME. EITHER YOU SERVE GOD OR YOU SERVE MAMMON, BUT NOT BOTH!

If those new yam festivals involve making incarnations or some form of appeasement to the "gods of the land" or to dead "ancestors", then IT IS INDEED OCCULTIC and no genuine child of God has any business participating in it. But if the festivals can be conducted without any reference to gods of the land or ancestors and people can just bring their new yams to church and do Thanksgiving to Jesus alone, then it is VERY SAFE FOR A GENUINE CHRISTIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. OTHERWISE YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!

nelsonoba:


Oga, Jesus said YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS AT THE SAME TIME. EITHER YOU SERVE GOD OR YOU SERVE MAMMON, BUT NOT BOTH!

If those new yam festivals involve making incarnations or some form of appeasement to the "gods of the land" or to dead "ancestors", then IT IS INDEED OCCULTIC and no genuine child of God has any business participating in it. But if the festivals can be conducted without any reference to gods of the land or ancestors and people can just bring their new yams to church and do Thanksgiving to Jesus alone, then it is VERY SAFE FOR A GENUINE CHRISTIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN IT. OTHERWISE YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN!

New yam festival is a period of celebrating the bounties of the harvest. Nothing occultic about it. Besides, define occultic.
People rush to condemn our traditions and readily embrace stupid foreign traditions even when some of ours are better