New Yam Festival: Why we abolished pouring libation -Abia monarch

BY EMEKA OKAFOR

Eze Boniface Ifeanyi Izuogu, the traditional ruler of Okwu Olokoro Autonomous Community of Umuahia South Council Area of Abia State has revealed that his community abolished the age long traditional offering of libation as one of the rites to be performed to appease ancestral gods to usher in New Yam festival was as result of the practice being associated with a diety.

Speaking to Sunday Times at his palace in Okwu Olokoro, Eze Izuogu who spoke during the 2024 edition of the traditional New Yam festival of Olokoro Clan traditional new yam festival, said , ” New Yam festival has been an age long tradition which our forefathers had started to practice, the celebration of New Yam is associated with “Ahiajioku” diety,; God of Farm Fertility, which is done with pouring libations “.

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“We have thrown away those culture that are barbaric, we encourage those that promote our people, the culture is embedded in the life of the Igboman or woman who violates these heinous crime which attracts severe consequences”

Eze Izuogu who also is the chairman of Olokoro Council of Traditional Rulers further disclosed, “We the rulers of Olokoro Clan have stopped pouring libations, on that day, we invite a Priest to come and bless the event and commit the festival into God”

The monarch said as a way of promoting the New Yam festival, the clan’s council of traditional rulers have reintroduced the “Eze Ji” title to be conferred on the highest yam farmer in the entire Olokoro clan.

He disagreed with some opinions that some rich cultural and traditional heritage of Igbo people are gradually fading away and to be replaced with borrowed foreign culture and life style.

According to Eze Izuogu , Igbo language cannot go into extinction because the Igbos residing in rural communities have not been caught up in speaking foreign languages especially English language.