The Grand Finale of Ojiji Izzi 2017 culture has been variously described as th totality of people’s way of life such as type food, cloth or dress, talk, agricultural partu conduct etc. Some view culture as a framewor of behavioural patterns, values, assumption and experiences shared by a social group.
In Igboland and among the Igbo Nigeria , the month of August every year i always momention as it is associated wit festivities especially that of new yam festival. I Izzi clan of Ebonyi State, South East of Nigeri the month of August is a month which eve Izzi man, woman, old and young earnestly an fervently prays for. This is because the mont of August is gladdened with the celebration new yam festival variously called Iriji Ohur Iwa ji, Ikeji, oke aku etc but popularly calle Ojiji Izzi or “Eri ji ophu”.
It is pertinent to note that the specie of people called Izzi clan occupy three harg and thickly populated local government areas the present Ebonyi State and other neighbourin states like Cross River and Benue States. Th Ojiji Izzi is the most popular and wide celebrated social cultural activity known to Iz clan both at home and Diaspora.
In Izzi land, as apparently in oth areas of Igboland, yam is considered the king all crops and a divine gift from God. Thi accounts for why an Izzi man treats yam wit great measure of sanctity and sacrosanct. I Izzi land, anybody or group of persons wh desecrates the yam is customarily required t appease the yam and placated the land so a not to incur the wrath of the yam and Go whose consequences are usually gravious an catastrophic. This also accounts for the reaso an average Izzi man dedicate a special place i his compound for the establishment of a bar “Objai” for the preservation and storage yams. The Barn which is commonly known a Obaji is usually positioned strategically t attract and arrest the interest and admiration both the owner and visitors alike. It is also f this singular reason that a typical Izzi ma erects a small hut inside the barn called “Er Oba” or obi where the man stays and keep surveillance of his barn and the entir compound. There is also a provision for a s out in front of the barn with a local shade canopy called “mkpu” constructed with pal fronds, Indian bamboo and sticks with tie-ti The place is called “Okpoku” convergence poi for the family. It is also under that shade that great farmer takes his title ranging from Akw lepfi and Jioke tille respectively. A great farm in Izzi land who has accomplished tremendo farm adventures and escapades would h leveraged to take such tittles like Oko Ji Onyibe Ji, Ojelegu I, Ovu Ji acho ali, Oko ngel azulabo among others. The barn is als significant and symbolic are in labour woul rush to the barn for delivery and the chil would he named Nwoba or Obaji or Nwulegu a the case may be.
Essentially, this year’s new yam festiv Ojiji Izzi 2017 which is an annual event is use to mark the end of a yam farming cycle and th beginning of another farming season which i usually characterized by thanksgivin almsgiving, prayers, pouring of libatio compound cleaning, visitation to In-laws an relatives, communal road constructio circumcision, age grade initiation, peace an reconciliation, clearing of pathways to the loc streams/rivers and ultimately showcasing o the cosmological values of Izzi clan.
The Ojiji Izzi festival presents an offers both indigenes and strangers alike th ample opportunities of relishing and savourin our local delicacies and relies like pounded ya “Nri ji” with “Esusa” soup banished, Ukpo, drie Okro, Akpurata Oku.

A visit by the leader of the pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, on Monday visit to Abakaliki, brought the Ebonyi state capital to a halt as thousands of residents left their businesses to catch a glimpse of the controversial separatist leader.
Mr. Kanu, who is pushing for an independent Biafran state, is facing treason charges brought against him by the Nigerian government.
He was released on stringent bail conditions in May after about 18 months in detention. Amongst other conditions, the pro-Biafran leader was barred from granting interviews and holding rallies.
Mr. Kanu has gained popularity since his release from detention. Monday was his first official visit to Ebonyi State since his release, and residents eager to see Mr. Kanu, thronged major streets of Abakaliki chanting solidarity songs as his motorcade drove by.
The convoy entered the city via Presco flyover from the Enugu Abakaliki expressway into Ezza Road, causing traffic gridlock for hours.
It then proceeded through Ogoja Road, Afikpo Road back to Ogoja-Abakaliki Expressway, before terminating at Ezenwuba Primary School near mechanic village where he addressed the large crowd.
As the motorcade went along, it grew in length as residents joined with their vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles and on foot.
Police and other security agencies were on hand to escort the crowd to maintain order and forestall break down of law.

Addressing the crowd, Mr. Kanu who was garbed in Jewish regalia, said he was preparing for a bigger visit to the state.
“When next I visit Ebonyi, I promise you I will shut down Ebonyi state. Ebonyi is part of Biafra, let no one tell you otherwise,” he said.

“I will teach our enemies what they don’t know. I will teach them that nobody can stop Biafra because Biafra has come to stay. I will transverse all parts of Biafra land and other areas without anybody stopping me including police and soldiers who are always in the habit of harassing our people.
“I will continue to walk in the midst of these security agents as you can see and nobody will arrest me. They know they can’t stop Biafra. I have come to declare Ebonyi a Biafra state and when next I come, I will shut down the state for three days,” he said.

A Niger Delta militant group identified as Urhobo Gbagbako, has blown up the NPDC Oil pipelines at Ighrenene, Afiesere and Ekiugbo communities in Delta State. In an email sent to reporters claiming responsibility for the bombing which occurred yesterday April 2nd, the spokesperson of the group, Priest Omodjuvwu, said the group, which consist of ex-militants, men, women & children of Urhobo origin, decided to blow up the oil pipeline following the continued neglect of the Urhobo militants in the pipelines protection contracts offered to ex-militants from other ethnic groups.

Spokesperson of the militant group, Mr Omdjuvwu said they decided to blow up the pipeline to draw government attention and demand to be included in the pipeline protection contracts.

The average woman gets foot pain after a mere hour in pumps. But high heels impact your body beyond just making you wanna sit down. Here's how they affect different parts of your body—and why that's something you might not want to stand for anymore.

Feet
• Normally, your feet act like spring-loaded, weight-distributing shock absorbers, cushioning your skeleton from crazy amounts of pounding. Jam these engineering marvels into high heels and. . .ouch. You've shifted much of your mass onto the balls of your feet and your tiny, delicate toe bones.

• The higher the heel, the bigger the impact: One study found that four-inch stilettos can up the amount of pressure on the front of the foot by 30 percent or more.

• Your heel-to-toe transition becomes abrupt, forcing you to swap your natural stride for a staccato walk. Strutting like this all the time could usher in bone and nerve damage (not to mention blisters and ingrown toenails).

Ankles and Calves
• Wearing heels forces your ankles to bend forward, a movement that could restrict circulation in your lower limbs. If you're a perennial high-heel wearer, this could eventually spell spider veins.

• Walking in heels also stiffens your Achilles tendons, which anchor your calf muscles to your heels, causing your calves to bunch up. If you've had your tall pumps on all day, you might have trouble walking naturally when you first kick off your kicks. (You can work to offset this stiffness by flexing your feet—shoeless—several times throughout the day.)

• Over time, stiletto devotees can develop chronically taut (and shortened!) ankle and calf tendons, making walking—even in flats—painful.

Knees
• Another pro shock absorber, the knee is the largest joint in your body. It's built to take a licking, but frequent high-heel use can put extra stress on the inner sides of the knees, fast-tracking the wear and tear that leads to osteoarthritis.

Hips
• To keep from keeling over in stacked shoes, you have to thrust your hips forward, arch your back, and push out your chest. That familiar sexy stance works the outer hip muscles and tendons hard (and not in a good way).

Back
• In order to sashay around in heels, your spine needs to sway unnaturally, a process that stresses your lumbar erector spinae muscle. Result: sore lower back.

• As with your other body parts, your back needs a break. If you wear high pumps one day, don cushioned flats the next. Or save your spikes for special nights out—and never walk around in them for longer than a few hours at a time.

The average woman gets foot pain after a mere hour in pumps. But high heels impact your body beyond just making you wanna sit down. Here's how they affect different parts of your body—and why that's something you might not want to stand for anymore.

Feet
• Normally, your feet act like spring-loaded, weight-distributing shock absorbers, cushioning your skeleton from crazy amounts of pounding. Jam these engineering marvels into high heels and. . .ouch. You've shifted much of your mass onto the balls of your feet and your tiny, delicate toe bones.

• The higher the heel, the bigger the impact: One study found that four-inch stilettos can up the amount of pressure on the front of the foot by 30 percent or more.

• Your heel-to-toe transition becomes abrupt, forcing you to swap your natural stride for a staccato walk. Strutting like this all the time could usher in bone and nerve damage (not to mention blisters and ingrown toenails).

Ankles and Calves
• Wearing heels forces your ankles to bend forward, a movement that could restrict circulation in your lower limbs. If you're a perennial high-heel wearer, this could eventually spell spider veins.

• Walking in heels also stiffens your Achilles tendons, which anchor your calf muscles to your heels, causing your calves to bunch up. If you've had your tall pumps on all day, you might have trouble walking naturally when you first kick off your kicks. (You can work to offset this stiffness by flexing your feet—shoeless—several times throughout the day.)

• Over time, stiletto devotees can develop chronically taut (and shortened!) ankle and calf tendons, making walking—even in flats—painful.

Knees
• Another pro shock absorber, the knee is the largest joint in your body. It's built to take a licking, but frequent high-heel use can put extra stress on the inner sides of the knees, fast-tracking the wear and tear that leads to osteoarthritis.

Hips
• To keep from keeling over in stacked shoes, you have to thrust your hips forward, arch your back, and push out your chest. That familiar sexy stance works the outer hip muscles and tendons hard (and not in a good way).

Back
• In order to sashay around in heels, your spine needs to sway unnaturally, a process that stresses your lumbar erector spinae muscle. Result: sore lower back.

• As with your other body parts, your back needs a break. If you wear high pumps one day, don cushioned flats the next. Or save your spikes for special nights out—and never walk around in them for longer than a few hours at a time.

[b]ABAKALIKI — Ebonyi State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, weekend, boasted that it would win the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections with ease as the party has penetrated all the 13 local government areas of the state.

In a statement by the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Apostle Benjamin Obaji, the party affirmed that its victory at the last presidential and national elections were a clear testimony of the strength and capacity of the party to win the next election in the state.

According to the party scribe, what is left for Ebonyi people is to turn out in large large numbers on April 11 at individual polling unit, to vote for the PDP in the state.

Obaji added that the candidates of the party for both the governorship and House of Assembly elections were credible and had the support of Ebonyi people and stakeholders behind them.

The statement read in part: “Right from the inception of the present democratic process in 1999 till date, Ebonyi has proven its unshakable alliance with PDP as it showed on the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections of March 28, 2015.

“We want urge the people of Ebonyi to increase the percentage recorded in the last presidential election from 83.5 per cent to 99.5 per cent to prove that they appreciate the contributions of the PDP towards the economic viability of Ebonyi people.

“It is no more a speculation or an assumption that Ebonyi State remains the home and one of the strongholds of the PDP in the country.”
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/04/election-pdpll-win-ebonyi-governorship-with-ease-boasts-party-scribe/#sthash.F5wO6sbx.dpuf[/color][/b]